The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-12-18

1t was a doctor who unwittingiy
suggested the title for this somewhat
rambling article. He said, "Four years
ago when 1 left Honolulu to 60 to the
Coast, the people here seemed to me
to move and act in a lackadaisical way
as though they had no ambition, move
ments were slow and the extent of a
walk was usually about as far as from
the door to hack or wise versa. Now
i return and see al astonishing differ
ence. The people seem to have turned
the clock around and are getting young.
er. i see bright, healthy cheeks where
i used to find sallow pallor and ev-
erybody walks along with his head held
high as though he had ambition and
n determination to get there in the
shortest time possible. can only &C
count for it by the wonderful hold
that outdoor sport has taken here in
the last few years.
and sensible statement l have heard
about this place for long time. Any
where, in any climate, out-of.door exer-
else is good, very good, but particularly
SO here where it is more than benefi-
cent, it is an absolute necessity.
Exercise taken for the sake Of exer-
else purely and simply is not interest
ing, it tends to become tedious and, the
moment exercise becomes tedious, it
loses most of its value. The kind of
exercise that is the best of all is that
kind that is done with some particular
object in view. A man may take a
pair of dumbells and maunder through
half a dozen exercises every morning
for century and never raise biceps
that would break silk thread; but
if he is working to be able to put that
eighty-pound weight above his head, or
chin himself fifteen times so as to win
bet off that sassy Samson Junior, his
muscles will develop in jig time and
he will begin to put on weight and walk
in a live, springy way that makes his
friends wonder if he hasn't come into
money.
Exercise can be made habit, just
as clinging and hard to get rid of as
the whiskey or drug habits. The rea.
son Of this is that exercise makes you
( feel good. People who get used to TAX
ing stimAants feel the need OF. it dur
ing the day and butt round to a saloon
for highball. The spirit bucks you
ND at first but it soon wears off and
then it is a case of "me for another
irrigation" 1t is, of course, the same
way with drugs.
This is all very unnecessary when
we have natural and nonreactive
stimulant absolutely free and ready for
use at any time. Open air exercise
does make fellow feel good and gives
clearness of brain and an almost
nervous desire to get moving and dc
something that stays by you and
doesn't wear off after a few minutes
Not for second am 1 preaching
prohibition or anything of that sort
Personally 1 believe that a preprand a
appetizer and alcoholic drinks with
meals are good. The use or otherwise
of these things is merely matter OF
choice to a sensible man and not g
matter of principle. 1t is the drinking
it is habit that grows very quickly
but so insidiously that it gets you be
fore you know it.
All this preamble and homily to in
troduce the subject of walking races
rowing races and any old kind of opel
air event, that is interesting to tn
general public, and can be taken par
in by everybody with only that prep
aration which is sufficient to keep on
in good health
Baseball has done a wonderful worl
here in promoting the health Of tn
younger generation but fellow mus
be more or less apt at the game t.
enjoy baseball and these are compare
lively few. Also a man cannot yer,
well play the game after he reache
a certain age.
The walking race last Sunday ha
many features that need improving OF
1t was held during church hours, Their
were not enough judges, the course wa
not kept clear and hundred other
that could mention if it were wort
while. But, the event was gran
success because it aroused general il
terest and started the possibility of
continual series of events, changing i
their character, which may keep up tn
interest of those who would otherwis
not get out in the open air an
strengthen their brains and bodies b
pumping fresh supplies of life-givin
oxygen through their blood vessels.
There is always tendency to CT
down these events to the few who hay