The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-31
WOMEN
WHO LET
THEMSELVES

tied with more or less regu-
larity a ladies' natatorium on
- the edge of the sea. Women
and girls go there by the hun
bred to swim and lave in the cool. green
salt water There is a reception room
where they frequently rest or eat a
biscuit before going home after their
, bath. I have noticed in that ROOM
could not help seeing it. could I?-that
many women of 40 cannot stoop over to
button or tie their own shoes, but have
some little daughter or an attendant to
do it for them. These women look ex-
tremely healthy, strong enough to chop
wood if they had to, yet in the prime Of
life, with muscles that ought to swing
and thrill and expand in triumph, hard
ly woman of them all could stoOp
down. don't know when have been
more discouraged with middle aged wo-
man, the Iumpish, oxlike, clumsy erea-
ture of this type.
The women's daughters were timber
and active; the mothers. who ought to
have been yet stronger and more active,
were content to slump down into de-
crepit, helpless old bodies at 40 to so
years of age. Worst of all, they seem
ed to be quite lost to any sense of
shame in the matter.
Human life is 1engthening- 1t is
quite possible that several of you who
are middle aged and who are now read
ing this will have to live to be hum
dred Are you preparing to do it in
good shape2 Can you ride a bicycle
two or three hours at a stretch and
make whole days journey on it, with
occasional rests2 Can you walk ten
miles? Can you stOOp over forward
without bending your knees a particle
and lay the palms of your hands fiat
upon the floor? After you are dressed
and laced up in your sideboards can
you stoop over and pick up your hand
kerchief off the floor? Above all, can
you tie or button your shoes2
Again, when you sit in a chair do you
PUNK yourself down like a lump of
putty striking a brick, with no more
ease or suppleness or Hghtness than
that? Once more, when you rise from
that chair do you lift yourself quickly
and gracefully with your feet without
touching your hands or elbows to the
sides of the chair or do you pry your
self up by your arms, with grunt and
a groan like a rickety old wagon start
ing to move?
Or do you never think anything about
these matters at all2 If you do not,
let me call your attention to, let US say,
or than YOU are Look at them, study
them. They are the women who prob
ably paid no more attention to keeping
their bodies in active condition than do
YOU now. There they are, decrepit, tot
tering. wearing hideous loose gowns
and sloppy slippers, rarely leaving
home. tended like babies 6 months old.
with nothing of the baby's sweetness.
but with their bodies in a state of re-
prlsive senile decay They have let
themselves slump down physically and
their minds have gone to pieces in pro-
norton. for a clear, strong mind cannot
manifest through a neglected body.
Wen. these helpless old creatures are
absolutely useless in the world. just
waiting till death collars them with his
bony fingers and says, Come alongi"
Honestly and truly, my lady of 40 or 90
or 60. are you willing to become like
that? Do you believe it is necessary to
become like that? Listen while I tell
you.
Look you at Nine. Sarah Bernhard.
the most marvellous old young woman
alive playing perfectly the character
of boy of 16. I have seen her in L Al
glon.' her face scarcely made up at all
for the part. I have also seen her in
ordinary woman's attire, and no guess
ing would place her much past 80.
Awhile ago a reporter asked her how
she managed to look so young.
Look young?" said Sarah. ''I look
young because am young" Sarah viii
be so next birthday. Next to ner in
domitably youthful spirit and mental
activity, it is her incessant physical ac-
tivity that keeps her young. Fresh air
and constant physical exercise are to
her the bread of life
Look you, again. at Professor Ernst
Haeckel. the great biologist. 81 years
old. bounding up stairs two steps at
time, now in Java exploring under the
tropical sun to find remains of the fos-
ago Haeckel was one of the champion