Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-09-05
WHY DO YOU EAT9

[" ' W. ~"
lures Law-The Penalty.
Why do you eatl This query, if re-
sponded to by the majority of people on
the spur Of the moment, would, no doubt,
result in answers as varied as the indi-
viduals TO whom it is propounded. Why
do you eat? Truly a pertinent question,
and one which should he considered as Of
sufficient Importance for careful refec-
ton. A query of this character is the
sourc of momentary surprise possibly to
an intelligent person. for the reason it is
directed toa daily habit OF exercise which
has become 50 strongly automatic that
our attention is not fixed in its consider
alton. We arise in the morn, early or
late as the clse may be, and eat; go to
labor for five hours or SO, eat again;
seek recreation for the eve and possibly
eat again. and finally retire TO obtain the
Benefits Of natures sweet restorer-sleep.
In and through all this the healthy in
dividual uses no force in thought or at
%tention, but is the automaton. This is
as il should be, if nature and things
natural were natural. Are things in ma
ture natural? The reply to this we think
can be found, TO a large extent, for the
purpose Of Il paper, in the replies our
query would bring forth.
Why do you eatl The dyspeptic says,
'From necessity" The epicure says,
''From q ruling desire on the part of my
sense Of taste" The glutton says, ITO
get enough" The laboring man says,
..To work" The natural man says,
''To enjoy life; to live" The dyspep-
tics reply is a sad contrast to that of the
natural man. Ask the dyspeptic what
he would do or give for the privilege or
ability to sit down at the table hungry,
actuated only by the principle that
actuates the natural man, namely: so
enjoy life, TO live Why, methinks, if
he Is not too far along in his distemper,
that expression of disgust and despair
would change into a broad grin of happy
anticipation; the dull, listless eye bright
en- with q CLEAN of its pristine intelli-
gence, and there would burst from his
lips the exclamation: DO or givci any
thing! everything!' Poor victim! In
this exclamation is found the explanation
for his dyspepsia. 1t is just because he
was at one time able and did do ANY
thing" and everything that today he
has dyspepsia.
If we ask the epicure or glutton the
same question as the dyspeptic, we will
find that they are perfectly content.
They have not violated law and order
long enough as yet; have not done ''any-
thing" and everything "A sufficient
number Of times to reach that miserable
existence allotted To the dyspcptic.
Their desires and wishes are fully salts
tied.
There comes a time finally for all Of
these classes when the ''dead line,n so to
speak, is met, To halt and put a stop TO
the reckless violation which has been 60
ing on means salvation. To keep on and
cross this dead line mean everlasting
misery. The salvation that is established
for those who meet this dead line is, like
other salvations VIC have heard Of, estab-
lished for violated law and order, not
easy of attainment, but entails for many
days upon the repentant victim a rigidity
of rule and persistence Of purpose that
uelTlNeS HE Oh InOhl Ol It's piedSuTtS anu
leads the poor victim in response to our
query TO say, Il eat from necessity
He is still a dyspeptic, Notwithstanding
his efforts toward salvation, and will be
until that salvation is fully attained. But
this physical salvation accomplished is our
dyspeptic become the natural MANI Can
he, as can the natural man. exclaim in ac-
cent glad and joyous, II eat to enjoy
life; 10 liver Let us see. We live TO
learn, and, as truly, learn TO live. Ex-
perience is apt 10 determine mans ac-
tons. License is only permitted when it
IL safe. The dyspeptic has truly lived to
learn, If he has not lost all reason, and
we have no doubt but that the redeemed
dyspeptic will testify that he has learned
to live. But his experience has taught
him a lesson which will, during his re-
manning life, be ever in mind. lie knows
beyond all doubt that there is no license
for him, and that as surely as he per-
mits any license, just so surely will there
come back 10 him the f%orerunners Of
those monstrous miseries which led him
10 exclaim: ~ eat from necessity
Globe Democrat.