Part 12

Hank had nothing to say, for he felt that soon he must give way. But the next morning he was up early, and ready to receive them.

They began, and when they came to the part where they said, "we will support your family with our needles; we should be proud and happy to do so, if you will only close your place," he could stand it no longer, and springing to his feet, cried out:

"There is one thing I want to know, and that is, how long is this infernal business going to last?"

One of the earnest mothers replied:

"What God has in reserve for us we can't say, but if He permits us to live, we shall come here every day till this place is closed. Mr. Otis, you think we are joking, that it is a foolish whim of ours; but, sir, we have entered into a solemn vow to struggle against this curse, which threatens to engulf our all, as long as God gives us the breath of life."

"Ladies, how long will you give me to stop?"

"You will have to take your own time."

"Well, in ten days I will stop, and on my honor as a gentleman, I will never begin again, in this town!"

"Oh, Mr. Otis," exclaimed one poor sufferer, "don't go on ten days; my poor Sam may become a drunkard in that time; stop now, and God will bless you."

"Well, ladies, I will pour out my liquors to-morrow morning at nine o'clock, and that shall be the last of it."

The next morning the whole village was there to see; the liquors were brought out with a great flourish, poured into the gutter, and they ran down into the stream below.

Although that village was so situated as to be peculiarly exposed to the evils of intemperance, and although this happened many years ago, I believe that not one glass of strong drink has been sold within its precincts, from that day to this. Those brave women have ever stood ready to attack, with their own peculiar weapons, the enemy who would open a pitfall for their sons.

Here and there, throughout the country, earnest mothers, wives, sisters and daughters have undertaken to exterminate the neighborhood grog-shops; and while men have constantly failed, these determined women have rarely failed to achieve a complete victory.

_Women rule in the social sphere, and are responsible for its vices._

In all this world, there is no other spectacle so bewildering and so sad, as this queen of the social sphere, living in the midst of drunken howls, the sickening fumes of tobacco, and in a hot-bed of licentiousness, and hiding the magic wand with which she might dispel every social iniquity, and then standing before a mirror, paint her cheeks and eyebrows, and adjust her curls, and ribbons, and flowers, and bows and jewelry.

It is no mere figure of speech, to say that God will hold her responsible for all this silly, shameless abandonment and betrayal of her high and sacred trusts!

WHAT YOU SHOULD DRINK.

I am astonished that a young woman who is ambitious of a clear, fine skin should drink tea. It is a great enemy to a fair complexion. Wine, coffee and cocoa may be used without tinging the skin; but as soon as tea drinking becomes a regular habit, the eye of the discriminating observer detects it in the skin. Tea compromises the complexion, probably, by deranging the liver.

Weak tea or coffee may be used occasionally, in moderate quantity, without harm; and those who live much in the open air, and are occupied with hard work, may drink either, in considerable quantities, without noticeable harm; but I advise all young women who would preserve a soft, clear skin and quiet nerves, to avoid all drinks but cold water.

_It is an excellent practice to drink one or two glasses of cold water on lying down at night, and on rising in the morning._

If you have good teeth, and can help the food into your stomach without using any fluid, except the saliva, it will, in the long run, contribute much to your health.

ADDITIONAL HEALTH THOUGHTS.

It is impossible in preparing a work of this size, upon the broad and inexhaustible subject of Education, to maintain a logical continuity.

If my hopes in reference to the favor which this book will receive, are half realized, the reader will, perhaps, seek some of my works which are exclusively devoted to physical health. I take the liberty to name "_Weak Lungs, and How to make them Strong_," and "_Talks About People's Stomachs_;" both of which are published by Fields, Osgood, & Co., of this city (Boston).

NOISES IN THE BOWELS.

What a mortification it is, when a lady is in company, to hear, from her bowels, that gurgling, glug-glug noise. A great many women have these peculiar sounds. And, generally, they are produced by tight stays. A portion of the small intestine is compressed so that its size is reduced. The contents of the intestine are constantly moving on, and when they come to the portion of the bowel under the whalebone bodice, they find it contracted; and in pressing through, the noise is produced. The cure for these peculiar and disagreeable noises, as well as for many other affections in the organs of the abdomen, including frequently torpid liver, constipation, and some peculiar forms of indigestion, is to be found in removing all pressure, and giving the entire abdominal viscera perfect liberty.

If, after removing all pressure, and giving those wonderful organs in the abdominal cavity full opportunity to perform their vital functions, the mischievous effects of the long continued pressure do not at once disappear, you may percuss and knead the abdomen a few minutes, morning and evening. Weak digestion, torpid liver and constipation are, by this simple means, frequently cured, and invariably relieved.

HOW TO MANAGE A COLD.

In the first place, you mustn't catch it. If you keep your extremities warm by substantial flannels, exercise much in the open air, eat the right quantity of plain food, sleep with open windows and shun hot drinks, you will avoid colds.

But, suppose you have a cold? Eat nothing but a piece of toast; drink freely of cold water; walk twice a day till you are in a gentle perspiration, and go to bed early. These rules observed, and colds, which produce so much mischief, would be shorn of their power of harm.

FAT AND THIN GIRLS.

_Are you too fat?_ Eat less food, with a larger proportion of meat; rise early in the morning and exercise much. This will reduce your weight. Even diminishing the quantity of food alone, without any other change, will be sure to do it. It is impossible that excessive fat, either in horse or man, can hold out against a persistent reduction in the quantity of food. And if the reduction be gradual and judicious, the strength is not lessened, but is steadily increased, until the _excess_ in fat is all gone.

And I will add, that after two or three days, there will be no sense of hunger until the _excess_ has been removed.

_Are you too thin?_ Sleep more by going to bed earlier; do not overwork; eat freely of oatmeal porridge, Graham mush, cracked wheat, and hulled corn; and all with milk and sugar. Cultivate a cheerful, happy temper.

RECREATION _VS._ PROPRIETY.

The noblest women I have personally known, were "regular tom-boys" in their girlhood. I have made many inquiries about the women who figured conspicuously in the "Sanitary Commission," the "Christian Commission," and in the hospitals, and so far as I have been able to learn from them, and their friends, not one began with being a "_proper_" _young lady!_ I venture the opinion that not one of the women who has risen to literary distinction in America, was a "_proper_" _young lady!_

In brief, I don't believe proper young ladies amount to much. As with a colt and a boy, neither of which, if quiet and staid, is likely to accomplish anything very grand in this world; so if a girl is prim and nice and proper, it is easy to write out the story of her life in five lines; and without waiting for her to live it.

But, if a young woman, of fair mental capacity, breaks through the trammels of propriety, rides the saddle astride, climbs fences and trees, joins a base-ball club, or acquires distinction in any roystering game which demands pluck and endurance, you may expect something; she possesses the elements of a strong womanhood. I would prefer one such woman, either in the hospitals at Gettysburg, or at the head of a family of children, to a dozen women who were chiefly distinguished in girlhood for immaculate collars and bows.

CARE OF YOUR TEETH.

"What a fine face!" I exclaimed; "What a very beautiful girl!" By and bye I whispered to my wife, to ask who that young lady was?-- pointing to the left. While she was looking, I remarked, "What a very plain face she has!" My better two-thirds replied, with the slightest possible sneer:

"It seems to me that you men haven't five grains of common sense about women. Now you don't pretend that you have forgotten that _very beautiful girl!_"

"But you don't mean to say that that is the same one I was admiring?"

"The same," quietly observed my better three-quarters. In a moment a bit of humor came from the platform; the large mouth flew open, and thirty magnificent pearls darted into view.

"Oh, yes, to be sure; why of course, who couldn't tell that?" I remarked, as brave as a sheep.

"My better seven-eighths quietly suggested, from behind her fan, "Now, suppose you attend to the lecture, and stop looking at the girls; how would you like it if you were lecturing, and one of your auditors should be looking all over the house?"

From that moment I kept my eyes on the speaker, but the _points_ in the lecture were very few, and between them I had time to think "what a magic there is in fine teeth!" If a young woman has a mouthful of beautiful teeth, I don't care how long her nose is, nor what the color of her eyes; she looks sweet, wholesome, handsome!

On the other hand, no matter how exquisitely moulded the face, if, when the mouth is opened, decayed, blackened teeth appear; you cease to admire, and exclaim, "poor thing! poor thing!"

Besides this, if you lose your teeth, you can no longer speak plainly.

But more than both of these considerations put together and multiplied by a hundred, if you lose your teeth, you can no longer grind your food well; and then comes indigestion with its train of horrors.

How may the teeth be preserved?

Simply, by keeping them clean! A clean tooth cannot decay. You may eat sweet things, acids, take hot drinks, ice creams,--you may abuse your teeth in a hundred ways,--if you will keep them clean, they will not decay. I will show you as many white blackbirds, as you will show me clean white teeth beginning to decay.

How shall they be kept clean? I answer with a tooth-pick, used thoroughly after eating, and followed by rinsing the mouth, and the morning and evening use of a tooth-brush with a powder composed of pulverized soap and prepared chalk.

In addition to this, cultivate the habit of sleeping with your mouth shut. That dryness and bad taste in the mouth which come of sleeping with it open, is always injurious to everything within the mouth, including the teeth.

And, perhaps, this is the best place to speak of the error or misfortune of sleeping with the mouth open, in its influence upon the respiratory apparatus.

I cannot agree with the famous Catlin, who attributes so much to this bad habit. But really it is difficult to read his remarkable little work, without being convinced that sleeping with the mouth open is a most unfortunate habit. The most obvious mischief is the introduction through the open mouth and wind-pipe of dust and other minute objects, which the nose would strain out. The opening in the nose through which the air must pass, is only a narrow fissure, and its sides are armed with numerous hairs, which reach over and intertwine with those of the opposite wall, thus making it very difficult for particles of dust to pass through into the lungs. This point in Mr. Catlin's argument is too obviously true to need any special proofs; and perhaps another point of less moment is sufficiently obvious; viz., if the air be allowed to pass directly through the wide-open mouth into the lungs, its temperature when permeating the lung tissue is too low, and thus injury to that delicate tissue results; but if the air passes through the tortuous and contracted nasal passages, it is brought into such immediate contact with the blood in the lining membrane of those passages, that it is modified, and the lungs themselves are saved from the rude shock of a raw cold breath.

I have now given the more patent of the reasons for keeping the mouth shut while sleeping, and will only add that the habit of sleeping with the mouth shut, may be formed by a careful clearing of the nasal passages on lying down, and by going to sleep with a determination to keep the lips closed. Observing these rules, and being careful not to sleep with the head too low, you will soon awaken in the morning with the lips closed, and with the mouth moist and sweet.

VENTILATION.

If the air of the bed-room be impure, the complexion, eyes and nerves must soon suffer. The hours of sleep are hours of recuperation. But that the building-up work may go on, pure air is indispensable. During the night the doors are not opened; there is no moving about; all is at a stand-still. Now the windows must be wide open. Unless there be a storm or the weather be intensely cold, the upper sash must come half way down, and the lower sash go half way up. If your ears are cold cover them, but give your lungs and blood pure oxygen, and plenty of it.

If you would have beauty of skin and eyes, if you would enjoy a cheerful temper, and retain a youthful bloom, you must breathe a pure air all night, and all day, and always. No other law of health, no condition of beauty, is so imperative as this.

When you go into the street, don't wear a veil and keep the air away from your lungs. Let it come in freely; it is your best friend.

FLANNELS NEXT THE SKIN.

Young ladies take pride in the fact that their skins are so delicate, they can't wear flannels.

"Why, I couldn't live in flannels, my skin is so delicate."

It is to be deeply regretted that this passion for delicacy and debility has taken such strong hold of young ladies.

"Miss Fitznoodle, you must wear flannels next the skin, they will save you from colds, and keep up a fine, healthy circulation."

"Oh, my! I couldn't wear flannels next my skin; it would set me crazy; my skin is so delicate!"

"Miss Fitznoodle, you must rise early in the morning, take a bath, and go out for the fresh air."

"Oh, my! I couldn't think of it; I should be sick in bed all day, I am so delicate!"

"Miss Fitznoodle, you must sleep with your windows open."

"Oh, my! I can't, I am so delicate!"

I am always sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate morals; but rejoice to meet one with steady, fixed, determined morals. I am always sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate mind; but rejoice to meet one with clear, sharp, sturdy mind. And so I am sorry to meet a young lady with weak, delicate body; but rejoice to meet one with plump, elastic, sturdy body.

If your skin be so sensitive that you can't wear flannels, use a pair of hair gloves morning and evening; put on strong flannels, be patient, and in two weeks you will have conquered your delicacy, and be able to enjoy what, in this climate, is an immense advantage in many ways.

AMUSEMENTS FOR GIRLS.

_Croquet_ is fashionable and useful, certainly better than nothing; but any game which can be played in a tight corset and long skirt cannot serve the muscles much; but it keeps the players out-doors, and so far is useful.

_Skating_ is fashionable, and better than nothing; but the finest skating may be performed with arms folded; showing that the upper half of the body, which needs exercise ten-fold more than the lower half, receives little or nothing in this amusement. In addition to this, the sudden change from the furnace heat of our close houses to the piercing winds of the frozen pond, is often very damaging.

_Dancing_ is beautiful and profitable. But the profit depends upon certain conditions, not always observed, viz., seasonable hours, healthy dress, and a pure atmosphere. Without these conditions dancing may be seriously mischievous.

Besides, it may be observed that dancing only brings into play the muscles of the legs and hips; while the arms and chest, which are dying for motion, are not even _invited_ to join in the fun.

_Walking_ might be spoken of as an amusement among those who walk with real gusto; but this snail pace, with the two hands crossed in front, can hardly be regarded as an amusement except to those who are amused with a funeral procession.

While _walking_ is the best possible single exercise for reasons mentioned in another place, it is defective in the same particular mentioned in skating and dancing; viz., it brings into play principally the lower extremities, which already are well developed, and neglects the arms, shoulders and chest, which are starving for work. But I must not forget to speak very earnestly of the great value of walking when it is of a vigorous sort, and the arms are freely swung. In this way even the shoulders and chest perform a good deal of work.

I have spoken in a separate chapter of the great SCHREBER's invention for home exercise--the Pangymnastikon--which is not only the best means of training the upper part of the body that I have ever seen, but is really one of the most fascinating of amusements. The reader is referred to the chapter "THE PANGYMNASTIKON, OR HOME GYMNASIUM."

_Battledoor_, and _Graces_ or _Grace-Hoop_, are capital amusements; and bring into varied and vigorous play the muscles of the upper part of the body; besides, the interest is permanent and constantly increases as the skill increases.

_Base-ball clubs_ have been organized among young women, with the happiest results to their health, spirits, activity and grace. They look very pretty in their gymnastic costume, and really they play wonderfully well.

The great physiological need of our artificial life is something to save the upper part of the body from falling into weakness and deformity. Our exercises fall almost exclusively upon the lower half of the body--we walk, dance and skate; but women of the better class do nothing with their upper limbs except to dress and feed themselves. The result is that their arms become consumptively emaciated, their shoulder-blades project, their chests become thin, flat, concave, and the vital organs within are correspondingly weak and uncertain.

TRUE EDUCATION FOR GIRLS.

The School at Lexington, up to the time the buildings were burned, was the truest exponent of education for girls, which has been seen in our country. I say in _our_ country, because my acquaintance with the German methods is not sufficiently complete to justify any comparison between them and the school under consideration.

And yet, as has been shown in other chapters in this work, the curriculum at Lexington was far from philosophical or wise.

The waste of time and money on music and the languages, was immense; the thought of it, even now, awakens in my mind the keenest regrets.

But in this respect, it was no worse than other first-class schools, while in several important particulars, it was greatly superior.

1_st_.--It was a school for _girls_ and _young women_, and not for _young ladies_. This is a very important distinction.

2_nd_.--It had a very strong corps of resident teachers, who mingled with the pupils in all their many amusements. In this way a vigilant, earnest public sentiment was developed, which made the trammels and friction of school government quite unnecessary. The girls bore themselves precisely as they would in a drawing-room, in the presence of men and women of dignified manners and fine culture. Indeed, such were the persons constantly mingling with them. They could not escape the feeling that they were placed on their honor. What is called school government, or discipline, we had little or no occasion to think of. If I had space I could tell you some really very touching stories, illustrating the experiences of girls who, for the first time, were in a school where they were not _told_, but were _expected_ to behave their best.

In so large a company, definite rules were indispensable to concert of action. We had as many rules as other schools, but the spirit in which they were observed, was the distinctive feature of which I have spoken.

I will venture to give one little anecdote, which will serve to illustrate the point under consideration.

One of our bright girls, Mary----, retired on the ringing of the first bell, at half-past eight o'clock; but when the watchman made his nine o'clock round, he found a light burning in Mary's room, and at once left his beat, to report to me. I sent hint to ask if Mary was sick. He returned to say that the light was now out, and that the young woman said she was not sick. He had hardly reported, before Mary appeared at my door in her morning-gown, and said that she was sorry for having failed to observe the hour for turning out the light, but that she had just received a letter from her mother which she wanted very much to answer; that she hoped I would excuse her.

I said, "all right," and she was turning to go back, when, looking very earnestly at me, she said:

"If you knew how much better I behave here, than I ever did at any other school, I am sure you would not blame me for this. When I was at the ---- Seminary, we girls spent nearly half our time in devising tricks and dodges. We liked to come it over them, because they were always watching us. Lots of us corresponded with young men, and we left our letters for each other in the crevices of the garden wall; I used to say that if we were half as much interested in our studies, as were in cheating our teachers, we should become as wise as Solomon. But here--why, sir, during all these months that I have been here, I have never heard a word from any girl, which looked like deception. You trust us so completely, and treat us with such respect, that I don't see how the worst girl that ever lived, could even think of doing wrong. It really seems to me, that this spirit in your school is worth more to us than every thing that we could possibly get in our studies."

My own horror of these seminaries, where girls study (under the suggestions and example of the worst among them,) every species of deception and trick, is such, that I would prefer that my daughter should never learn to read the name of the God who made her, rather than acquire all learning and accomplishments, under such demoralizing influences. Thousands of young women while learning a little music and French, acquire a habit of concealment and indirection, which marks all their subsequent career.

In discussing the peculiarities of the Lexington School, I would mention:

3_rd_.--The physical exercises and amusements. The "New Gymnatics" were taught to every member of the school, and practised daily by all, from half an hour to an hour and a half, while dancing was introduced three or four evenings of each week. Besides these, we indulged in many amusing games.

Physical education constituted a part of the regular system, and nothing was left to chance, or to individual proclivity.

In most seminaries, physical exercise is optional with the pupil. If arithmetic were treated in the same way, necessary as it is to civilized life, I fear but little progress would be made.

The average American girl has a delicate body, with numerous aches and weaknesses. The School which does not provide in its curriculum for this average and fundamental condition, seems to me strangely deficient in its educational provisions.

The graduate of a Woman's Seminary, should, like the graduate of a German University, be as much improved in body as in mind.