The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-07
WALKS GIVE
HEALTH AND BEAUTY.

a FEW mornings ago had a pleas
~ ant chat with a young lady who
is a lawyer. She is a busy one,
too, her time being mostly occupied in
Office work. Before she entered the
law she was a teacher of stenography
and had charge of the shorthand de-
partment of a business college. She
told me of the large amount of work she
accompIishes and always has accom-
plished.
'And is your health good?" I asked
her.
"Oh, yes, am very well. have not
lost a day from Office in the last five
years. 1 find that walking in the open
air is the best possible exercise. It is
better than all the merely mechanical
physical culture motions for putting a
woman in good trim and keeping her
so. There is always something inter-
esting to look at and think about when
you walk; the exercise strengthens and
the pure air just makes you happy"
At the ST. Louis exposition shortly
before its close a party OF relatives did
the show together. Among them were
two sisters, mothers of grown children.
One of these. ladies took her nice, jolly
fat husband along. The rest of the
party were young people. And as truly
as you are alive, if you are really alive,
not dead and alive, those two middle
aged sisters could outwalk anybody in
the party. The jolly, fat husband gave
In first of all. An hour of walking fin
ished him. and he had to ride for his
further sightseeing. The next to yield
to WEAKNESS and tired feet were the
girls and young men.
Mother, aren't you tired?" forlornly
asked a youth addicted to the street
car habit at home in the city.
mo, not very, my son. answered his
mother. Are you %
A woebegone, despairing grimace that
would have made cat laugh was the
only reply.
The two merry, seasoned old girls
were able TO continue walking and gap
ing around all day and then in the
evening to do the Pike The reason
was they were trained walkers. They
belonged to a family noted for. pedes-f
trian accomplishments, a family the
girls of which could easily walk ten
miles any day. They made not nearly
so much fuss over walking two miles
to school as their children today would
make over walking half a mile.
This fine pedestrian habit has re-
manned with the ladies through their
lives. They are strong, healthy women,
with full chests, firm, well developed
muscles and happy souls, enjoying all
OF me- making the most ana best OF 1t.
Much of their health and happiness
they owe to persistent activity afoot
once the invigorating walking habit
is begun the love of outdoor life grows
on one. Suppose we have troubles and
indoors we worry ourselves i'll over
them. We can walk them off The
way to do it is to dress in warm, light
clothing that does not fit snug enough
for US to be conscious of it and loose,
easy shoes that we can walk forever in
and not have our attention called to our
feet
Then let US take the load of trouble
out with US and prepare to scatter it
To begin, let us put heart into the walk,
not noping mechanically along. Let US
note every object along the way. If we
are so fortunate as to have that way
lie along country or suburban roads let
us note the sky, the clouds, the direc-
ton of the wind, the rocks that lie by
the roadside. Let US note the little wild
birds and animals that stay with Us all
winter, the tree branches, the leaves. |
the ferns. MOSES and vines that the