Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-12-17

that tear of horses could not
have dragged n smile out of US, nor
could tragedy have brought tear
to our dull eyes. We were emotionally
dead, like the burning boredom that
has trapped sailing vessel in the
calm OF tropical sea. With regret
we heard the alarm clock sound in
ing lassitude dragged ourselves into
our clothes. The cold plunge of the
morning bath had always before
seemed the acme of physical pleas
ure; but no longer did the heat feel
not or the cold feel cold.
The monotony began to fill us with
terror. 1t was so big and adamantine,
so thick and impenetrablc. Hope died.
Interest died. Our whole mental and
spiritual life died, till we did not care |
whether tomorrow came or not.
We had not eaten a morscl for five
days, and our journey led us past
food stores and bakeries everywhere,
but we experienced no hunger. Never
again can l be persuaded that the
tales of starving outcasts eager to
devour each other are more than the
melodramatic Pigment of snsation
imagination. Food! 1t was the last
thing on earth | wanted.
On the fifth day of complete fast
the tide turned. knew the SPELL had
been broken when the Scientist be-
gan to grumble. "There wasn't a
comfortable chair in the house." Life
/ rnftrninU nd
some of my emotions on that day
They came first in an hysterical de-
sire TO weep while / was engaged in
that most unaffecting task of addi-
ton. That afternoon during my nap
dreamed of chopped olives being
used as engine packing in boiler
room, and when | woke was wish
ing for some carrots and thick beef
stew such as the restaurants ladle
out by the gallon every noon to starv-
ing humanity.
BY the last day of the fast, under
the encouragement of a dwindling
term of servitude, ambition returned
in part and l made feeble attempt
to wipe away the dust from my
household furniture, but my physical
work had been rather poor for the
last few days, as my nails were dark
with sluggish circulation and my
breath was short. Because of our
physical inefficiency and low pressure
mental ability we had been forced to
read aloud during many hours of the
last few days, since our plans TO
maintain Il normal working day had
largely broken down. But, due to the
rcbirth of feeling, my nap hour
brought no sleep because of n trou-
bled conscience filled with remorse at
having wasted so many days out of
Il busy life.
Being freed from all interest in life
had shown certain advantages in the
mental tests. After the first two
days the novelty of the expert
ments had worn away and the labor
atory became irksome. But as life
became even more tedious an d mo-
notonous, these tasks drew nearer and
nearer to the dead level of existence.
During the fast | experienced in a
very definite way the uncanny
strangeness of a dual self. Turnout
the days of most comatose disinter-
est in life, the mental multiplications
did themselves with Il speed and ac-
curacy which l can normally never
rival. 1t seemed as though a second
self begged me to stay away and not
interfere till she had rapidly and mag
ically recorded the answers. When |
insisted upon doing share of the
work, was slow and clumsy and in
efficient in comparison with her. But
when | looked back ny will power
and resigned myself to non-interfer-
ence, l invariably had the feeling
that it was not | who did the prob
lens.
Altho my conscious self did not re-
port hunger during the fast, the idea
must have been pretty firmly fixed in
subconsciousness, for whenever
stopped guiding my thoughts for a
moment, the mother Goose rimes
about Jack Horner's pie and hot cross
BUNS began to romp thru my mind
but most persistent of all was the
one about Old Mother Hubbard and
her empty cupboard.
am fully aware we have proved
ourselves rank heretics in not finding
IN fasting the lauded joys which its
prophets foretell in their diligent at
tempts to institute it as an annual
national custom more needed than
Christmas or Fourth of July, be-
cause 1T is to preserve the health of
our people and added to the birthright
OF our prosperity.
The fervent religionists may call
down curses upon our faithlessness
and the popular scientific enthusiasts
may rail at us frantically as no.
conforming pretenders, yet it is only
my arch enemy whom 1 would per-
suade to enter upon week of sterile
senihty unprecedented by the joy of