The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-11-07
outdoors, to exercise the body at various
games, and to wear as few clothes as
possible. He also provided for the up

James, and to wear as few clothes as
possible. He also provided for the up
ringing of the youth. All infants
With physical defects were destroyed;
,nly those of robust health were per-
nitted to live, and these received much
'oIicitude at the hands of the state, to
The end that they become strong men,
ALLY and physically. All the boys were
,aken charge Of by the state and put
thru form of exercise that made them
perfect specimens of manhood. They
were also drilled in the art of war
Their frugal diet and exposure to the
weather made them invincible as war
riors. As to them being magnificent
lighting machines, we need only refer
to the exploit Of Leonidas at the mar
row pass of Thermopyle where his
little band Of three hundred Spartans
held at bay King Xerxes and his count
less horde of soldiers. The training of
the Spartans was as rigorous as that
which the Janizaries of Turkey were
compelled to 60 thru, and they dis
played as much bravery on the battle
field.
The boys were lodged in small groups,
and able instructors were placed over
them. These Instructors consisted of
the most honest men in the city. They
were taught to endure pain and suffer
ing, for they were only supplied with a
coat with which to cover themselves.
Strange to relate these youths were
taught to steal things from the public
table and from their neighbours farm
yards. If they were successful in steal
ing chicken, they were commended
for their cunning; if they were caught.
they were severely whipped. The OBJ
ject of this peculiar law was to teach
them to be seif-reiiant IN time of war.
These boys were also taught to speak
in as few words as possible. Their
sentences were short but pointed, and
in time the Spartans became celebrated
for the trevity of their speech. When
nephew of Lycurgus' was asked why
his uncle made so few laws, he replied:
"Men of few words require but few
laws"
The watchfulness over these boys con-
tinued long after they had passed the
adolescent period, for no one was per-
mitted to do as he pleased. One of the
best things the Spartans enjoyed under
the regime of Lycursus, was plenty OF
leisure. No sone was compelled to
work from morn until night, so the
citizens visited the grounds where the
boys were drilled, went to the public
houses to iesrnand to teach. The peo.
pie were forbidden to travel abroad
and all strangers were prohibited from
the boundaries of Sparta. Undoubt.
edly the lswgiFer thought that too FIRE.
quent contact with the outside world
would undermine the laws which he
took SO much pains to promote.
The man WHO could inspire nation
as this remarkable Spartan did, must
have possesseda q noble character. The
laws he introduced must have presented
many admirable virtues, or else tht
people would not have willingly sub
mitted to his rule. Today we philoso
phize about equity and what man owel
to his fellowman, but there are few
I who desire TO practice what the,
preach. Lycufgns believed that none,
was the root OF all evil. and he possessed
the pluck to abolish it. Today ther,
are thousands of speakers who can elo
quently point out the danger of swol
len fortunes to the individual and t.
the state, but have we a Lycurgu'
powerful enough to remedy the evil
Echo says no. Do the people wish TO
!, such radical changer | believe not
Our ideas run along q single channel
} the end of which is wealth and tn
luxuries it viii buy. There are nom
J so poor but what they dream of pos
sessing riches some day; therefore, the.
j cling to present conditions in the hop
!, of realizing their phantom dream
, Their brownatone mansion is jus
around the cosner, but they never &c
q glimpse Of tts imposing Exterior.
Many readef1 will imagine that tn
, Introduction ef Lycurgus' constitution
must have ben attended with muc
) bloodshed and domineering force. Suc