The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-30

CBy MacLevy of Babylon. The Famous
 Long Island Trainer and Health
 Farmer")
 New Years Day is a time for turning over new leaves, for forming new re- solutions, for self examination and a Consequent determination to lead better, happier and more useful life.
 Newspaper humorists may scon at New Years resolutions, for even hum orists have to live, and they must joke about something. Nevertheless, the New Years resolution is a, mighty use full institution. Even if you fail to live up to your high resolves, you are all the better for the attempt You Will rem ember that the frog didn't jump out of the well at a single leap. Maybe he resolved to do so, but he couldt t. But he didn't stop trying, admit defeat and dolefully whine that he guessed he'd have to stay in that well the re- mainder of his life. He wasn't that kind of a frog. So he began jumping upward by slow and easy stages. Oc- casionally he slipped back little, but the end of each week found him a little nearer the top. And then, one bright day, he gave the leap that landed him on top, out in the sunshine. free
 I often tell this story to men who have resolved to quit drinking, or smoking, or other bad habits, and who despair when they find that they can't do it all at one leap. It usually heartenS them, and, after a while, they find themselves at the top of the well, free at last from the walls of habit however, it doesn't work. There are few men so constitutionaI1y averse to any effort that they would rather die than try. Once I told the frog story to a young fellow who had a brilliant intellect, but a jellyf1sh back Voes roid In finished the tale "but do you know what happened to the frog when he got to the top ," And before I could reply, he added, Well, there was a boy passing with club, and he killed the bloornin' frog.'' Of course, that was ness cant't keep a man alive, and that young wit, who wouldn't try to get out of the we'll is dead.
 On the other hand, there are some people who are so representations about their resolutions that when they yield to temptation and depart one jot from their resolves, they are so smitten with femorse that they consider the case hopeless, and permit themselves to drop back to the bottom of the we'll Such people should have as much sense as the frog, and when they slip a. vain regrets, but get busy and re- cover the lost ground, and q little bit more.
 Millions of people who are now in the ''welI'' of bad habits, or i'll health, or nerves or disease, will, during the next week, begin the task of climbing out. Some will find it com parativeIy easy. and will be surprised that they ever permitted themselves to get into the we'll. Others will find it about the hardest job they Ina 2 ever attempted, and will slip back many times before they finally emerge into daylight and freedom.
 While you are making resolutions, remember that you can't break habits. or improve your health, nor be good, nor happy, nor wise, without plenty of physical exercise. If you enjoy fairly good health, home exercises with skating, golf, hockey or. long brisk walks in the open air may be sufficient Too many people, even those of ath- 1etic tendencies, neglect to take open air exercises in the Winter, which is the best season of all for indulgence in outdoor sports. Those who have serious Ecf1ornic diseases should, of course, consult a regular physician, and