The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-09-18
RE-CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.

By the beading given this article
the reader will at once jump to the
conclusion that the writer intends
entering into discussion Of that
period Of our history Immediately
following the war of secession. Bat
it is altogether another matter that
Is here presented to the reader. The
history Of the South during the
years following the war has been
discussed so frequently and so ably
that an attempt to reopen that sub
ject is hardly worth while. There is
period that comes in the l:fc Of
most men and women which needs to
be discussed far more than does the
well.worn history Of the past. BY
period" is meant that time in the
life of the individual when one is
face to face with the necessity for
radical change in the mode Of living.
The question is brought to some peo-
pie much earlier in life than it is to
others, but it comes to almost every
one. 1t forces one to a considera-
tion Of it's claims through one, or
more, OF the various bodily senses
The warning that pain brings tells
the reckless youth that he must
cease his dissipation and take up a
life that is more in accord with the
laws Of self-control. The strong,
healthful lad who laughs at the cx-
preston Of disspproval on the part of
older heads while hc devours
"chunk" of ham for supper, foIlow-
ing it with half dozen pies, must
soon or late, come to rea'iza that the
internal mechanism Of the body is
not beyond getting out OF order. The
school girl who comes home from
the tasks of the day and falls upon
the pantry, raiding it of cakes, pies,
puddings or whatever other indiges-
tible things it may hold, will ul;i-
mately reach the point that nature
rebels. Languor, pain and all the
other ills that follow upon the heels
of reckless indulgence, will, after a
time, make themselves felt. Head
aches, pale checks, and other sig
nails Of an abused stomach, will come
in due time. The "fast life" Of the
young man who has not learned the
value of self-control will speedily
lead him to the necessity of consider
ing the period Of re construction.
The moderate" or immoderate
drinker will, if he does not give up
like "brute" to the slow process Of
self-murder, have it borne in upon
his mind that lie must change his
way Of living and "mend his ways"
Happy the man that, having come
to this necessity, enters upon the
task without delay. To procrasti.
nate means the wrecking of health
and premature old age and death
The high pressure business man,
having come to the age Of some forty
years, often finds himself facing the
necessity for prompt, radical change
in his way Of living and his methods
of work. Suddenly he awakes to the
fact that he is possessed Of a nervous
system, system which may get
"out of harmony" and which, being
"out of harmony" torments like
forty demons. Or, perhaps, the
heart begins to "make itself felt"
Formerly, this same robust mer-
chant hardly realized that he had
heart. Now it jumps bitches, runs
race every day or two, skips beat
for the fun OF it, and acts ia other
strange and unaccountable ways.
Just here some men seek out the
faithful physician. He gives them
relief, and the foolish man plunges
again into the old reckless ways of
life. 1t is well to consult the ply
sician, but the prime need is to
change the manner of life. The
"strenuous" life must give place to
life more in accord with reason.
The Incorporate life must give place
to a temperate life. The irregular
habits must be brought into regu-