The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-21
Health a Duty.

.''How many mothers have taught
their daughters that health is a duty!
How many are taught to be ashamed
of headache, or a backache, a narrow
chest or round shoulders, or how to
avoid each or all of these A recent
writer has said that mother ought to
blush for these defects quite as much
or more than she would If they dld
not know how 10 read or write"
wonder if the day will ever dawn
when this mode of thought shall pre-
vail. If 80, then there will be gene
ration Of beautiful women, of women
able to bear their part in life, to he and
do what their Creator designed;
l heard Il gentleman say that the
only way to bring about a temperance
reform was to begin with the children
10y educating them up to q standard OF
right. Though much may be done IN
this way, I cannot believe that it IS
the only way. 1 think that while TINS
isin progress much may be accom-
plished 10y other methods, but in the
matter of bringing about an improve
ment in the race, we must begin as
near the root Of the trouble as possible:
Our children were born with diseased
bodies. the result of broken health
laws, these the result of our own igno-
rance. But now, if our eyes are open
ed, let us try to teach our daughters
that it is wonlan's duty to be well.
How else may she perform the various
duties assigned by her Creator!
"Even God is hIndered in his work
ings i'm diseased body, for morbid
conditions of the physical being bring
corresponding morbid states of the
mental and spiritual life."
There is less excuse for ignorance Of
physiological laws now than there
was even score of years ago. 1t IS
not now considered immodest 10 he
informed upon this subject. Less
than ten years ago was trying to I'M
press upon the mind of young lady
the i'm portance of physiological study.
She turned up her pretty nose and de-
clared that she did not want to know
about those things. She did not con-
slider it proper. lam glad that such
foolish notions Of false modesty are be-
coming stale, that common sense is
grounded in the minds of young pee
pie. it is the duty Of mothers 10 fos-
ter their inclination by every means
in her power.
1t cannot be doue wholly by precept.
IF we talk to them of the necessity ct
good health, and act as though every
thing else was of more Importance,
our teaching will not avail. BE what
you would have your child to be,
touches parents experience at every
point. They aUiU be what you are
whether you wish it or not. One writ
er says: "What you would your child
to he to you, he yourself to God. Is not
this grand thought, and does it not
make the way very plain? Faith and
Godliness are said to be the best pre-
servers of health. We must teach
hem by practice and precept that 1t
should he their continual study to be
pure bodily and spiritually"
The DrattlIng little creatures ut our
knee are to be the mothers OF the next
generation. do we covet for them
such an experience as this? "How
many tired and overburdened moth
er has sent her husband to the office
or the store and the children to school
sourcd for the day by her irritable
words, and then alone with her God
has wept tears of anguish over what
she could not seem to help. With
dyspepsia and attendant evils comes
tile loss of sweet disposition. There
is irritability. fretfuluess, impatience,
often resulting in harsh, unkind
words aud wrong acts. Now if she
had been taught that health is her
first duty, she would study to know
the causes of her nel vousness and irri-
biIity and abandon everything likely
to develop these conditions.
Then let us incite our daughters to
;he study of the law Of health. Let
US strive to impress upon their minds
that it is woman's duty to be well.
that hygisnic living is of the utmost
poltance AID that disregard of
these things is the cause of much of
the worlds misery.-Mrs. Susan T..
Kennedy.