The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-10
MENTAL IOkFlNG.
Why Women Are Addicted to the Habi,
More Than Men.

Why Women Are Addicted to the Habit
More Than Men.
A college man, whose mind was fresh
from rigid drill, regretted the invalidism
of his mother, which made physical loaf
ing necessary and mental Ioafng excusa-
BILE.
Mother, dear" he said, drawing a
clipping" upon some good subject from
his pocket, Il have brought you mind
improver,' and he read it aloud TO her.
1t was a new subject for thought. Her
brain absorbed it like sponge. The next
day the diet was continued, the next week,
the next month, until her mind, invigo-
rated and well fed by food for fresh
thought, ignored the depressing details of
every phase of her illness; she grew more
attractive and bright, friends no longer
listened TO tiresome accounts of what her
doctor had said the last time he called, and
she who had lain on her couch for year
was able TO walk block unaided
Thus the mind affects the body, and vice
versa.
Mental loa1ng is one of the most insidi-
Gus, creeping and deceptive of mind habits,
and often increases with age. Always ae-
knowledging that an education is but be-
gun and not finished when text books are
laid aside, one of the first signs of mental
loafing" is the effort required to read lit
erature that causes reflection, to follow a
fixed line of thought; to prefer W hat might
be termed mental desserts to substantial
feeding upon the stronger mind food. con-
tinually in one way. Desserts are good: de-
Ecious from contrast, but no one should
require them exclusively.
Women, speaking broadly, are more in
clined to mental loafing'' than men. A
mans life to be successful must be a con-
Centration of mind on some one line of
bread winning. A woman's life, if il is in
woman's sphere, must needs be distribu-
ton of thought 10 a thousand small neces-
sites; but the very sameness of these de-
mands, the self asserting trivialities of
health, food, dress and gossip, uncon-
sciously honeycomb her mind, and act as
fngerposts along the road to mental loaf
ing"
1t has been suggested that small talk is
the result Of mental loafing No. Small
talk to succeed must be natural, witty, in
spring. 1t must interest, excite and stir
to repartee. 1t Is conversation a la bon
bon, compounded, sweetened, favored,
shaped to suit the taste of the recipient.
Mental loating does not make converse
tlonal bonbons, nor small talk champagne
One of the most intelligent, cultivated
and thoroughly informed women; a woman
who understands the lights and shades,
the depths and differences of human ma
ture, is the most accomplished and viva
cious of small takers. Her mind has
never moment for loafing. A change of
mental diet and sleep are all the resting
required.
A trained mind, which has interested
me, was so completely under the dominion
of its owner, that he turned it off or on to
a subject like a hydrant. Engaged to
marry one woman, be met another more
charming. How did he fight the battle
and win? He completely turned his mind
from all thought of number two, and re-
manned stanchly honorable TO the first
A mental loafer could not
have done this
One mental gymnastic is to think con-
upon some chosen topic. If the
mind fits here and there, butterfly-wise.
to travel in a consecutive train of
thought, it is becoming mental loafer.-
NJ Carrie Hyde in Chicago Woman S News.