The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-10-16

HOW GRACEFUL CARRIAGE MAY BE
DESTROYED BY DISREGARD OF
SIMPLE MATTERS.
1t is trite saying that Everything
has two Sides" and it is quite as true of
the human body as of many other things,
says writer in the Ladies' Home
Journal Do you go to school? If so,
you carry books to and from the class
roOm-a great many books, probably,
because it is customary for many differ
ent branches to be studied at the same
time. Do you not carry this big pile
heavy, too, in proportion to its size
upon your left arm? Certainly; it is
quite natural to do so, and thereby leave
the right hand and arm free for use.
Did you ever stop to think what effect
this weight upon one side of the body
was having every minute upon every
other part of it?
Now, consider the matter for mo-
ment. You have an adequate idea of the
spine, it's construction and location, as
well as of the relative position of the
other organs of the body; and do you
not see how, when the arm is extended
to sustain weight upon one side the
spine is, in consequence, pulled out of
its upright position, and as further and
natural consequence, every vital organ is
more or less disturbed? Pile up five OF
six medium-sized books-it may be well
to add an atlas to give an extra awkward
ness to the load-grasp this in your left
arm and rest the whole burden upon
your hip. There! Now consider that
you keep this position for certain
length of time each day for five days in
the week, and for 40 weeks in year, do
you wonder that your left hip and shout
der are higher than your right ones?
That you are crooked, ound-shOuldered,
narrow-chested and ne-Sided-inside as
well rs out ? 1t would be strange if you
were not; and if, Us result of the in
ward wrench, you have not backache,
or sideache, or headache, or Il torpid
liver, or weak lungs, or Indigestion, or
sleeplessness-sOme physical ailment or
orther. which neither pills nor powders,
plasters nor poultces seem able to cure.
Curvature of the spine is Il medical
term of such dreadful significance that
the mention of it makes even the phosi-
clan sober. There is no deformity, pain
or disease which may not result from it,
some of these results being too terrible
to be understood, except by the sufferer
herself. In many cases this trouble is
directly traceable to carrying load of
books upon one side. Yet, the books
must he carried if you go to school.
Yes; but, fortunately, there is more than
one way of doing SO. In the first place,
do not carry more at a time than are ab-
sOlutely necessary. Sometimes this is
done because the added weight or bulk
is too small to be considered of much ac-
count. Ii a study hour is allowed dur
ing the session. rs is the case in most
schools, use it so proftably that one or
more books can be left III the desk, in
stead of being taken home. Then, by all
means, have u strap or bag for the rest
of them, that no part of your strength
may need be given to keeping them to-
gether and then carry them in front of
you with both hands, or with one hand,
first on one side, then on the other, the
weight hanging from the shoulder. The
burden managed in this way will be, in
stead OF an injury, positive benefit, if
You stand erect with shoulders well
thrown back, and is similar to the effort
made to carry u basin of water on the
head, without spilling it. All girls want
to be beautiful and graceful, but how
few realize that, by disregard of some
simple matters-disregarded often be-
cause of their very simplicity-they are
not only destroying all grace and beauty,
but allowing themselves to drift into
state of semi or entire invalidism for
their whole future lives.