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Commendationsfrom EminentMen & Women

_WhatA Young WomanOught to Know_

COMMENDED BY REV. F. B. MEYERThe Eminent English Preacher and Author

[Illustration: REV. F. B. MEYER, B. A. ]

Minister of Christ Church, Westminster, London, Author of "Israel, A Prince withGod, " "Elijah; Tried by Fire, " "TheBells of Is, " etc. , etc. 

 "The questions which are dealt with in the 'Self and Sex Series' of books are always being asked, and if the answer is not forthcoming from pure and wise lips it will be obtained through vicious and empirical channels. I therefore greatly commend this series of books, which are written lucidly and purely, and will afford the necessary information without pandering to unholy and sensual passion. I should like to see a wide and judicious distribution of this literature among Christian circles. "

COMMENDED BY CHARLES M. SHELDONThe Eminent American Preacher and Author

[Illustration: CHARLES M. SHELDON, D. D. ]

Pastor of Central Congregational Church, Topeka, Kansas; author of "In His Steps, ""The Crucifixion of Philip Strong, ""Lend a Hand, " "Bornto Serve. "

 "It is a pleasure to call attention to the books of the 'Self and Sex Series' which have been prepared with great wisdom for the express purpose of teaching the truth concerning the subjects which are painfully neglected. "

COMMENDED BY MRS. M. W. SEWALLThe Eminent American Educator

[Illustration: MRS. MAY WRIGHT SEWALL]

Principal of the Girls' Classical School;former President of the International Councilof Women; and Nominee of the InternationalCongress of Women. 

 "I am profoundly grateful that a subject of such information to young women should be treated in a manner at once so noble and so delicate that any pure-minded teacher or mother may read or discuss its pages with young girls without the slightest chance of wounding the most delicate sensibilities, or by being misunderstood. "

COMMENDED BY MRS. M. L. DICKINSONThe Eminent American Christian Worker

[Illustration: MRS. MARY LOWE DICKINSON]

Former President of the National Council ofWomen; General Secretary of the Order ofThe King's Daughters; Emeritus Professorof Literature Denver University;Editor of "The Silver Cross;" Authorof "The Temptation ofKatharine Gray, " "OneLittle Life, "etc. , etc. 

 "Any young woman, knowing all that this volume teaches, has an essential foundation for whatever other knowledge she may acquire. "

COMMENDED BY MRS. M. B. CARSEThe Eminent American Christian Worker

[Illustration: MRS. MATILDA B. CARSE]

Founder of the Woman's Temple, Chicago. 

 "As a mother, I can truly say that my heart goes out to you in endorsement of this book. It is pure and instructive on the delicate subjects that mean so much to our daughters, to their future as home-keepers, wives and mothers, and to the future generations. It can but create a more reverent ideal of life in every girl who reads it, and I wish every daughter in the land could reap of its benefit. "

COMMENDED BY MRS. E. C. STANTONThe Eminent American Lecturer and Author

[Illustration: MRS. ELIZABETH CADY STANTON]

Noted Woman Suffragist, Lecturerand Author. 

 "Your books I consider a valuable addition to the literature of the day on social ethics. The many facts you state are not only important for a knowledge of social science, but involve good health and morals. "

COMMENDED BY MR. C. N. CRITTENTONThe Eminent American Philanthropist

[Illustration: CHARLES N. CRITTENTON]

Founder of the National Florence CrittentonMission

 "The frequent excuse which parents give for not enlightening their children on these most important points is that they have never known how to do so. This excuse can no longer be considered valid. 

 "Dr. Wood-Allen has a remarkable gift in the facility and refinement with which she is able to approach the most delicate subject without arousing a single morbid and sensitive impulse. "

COMMENDED BY MRS. H. CAMPBELLThe Eminent American Author and Educator

[Illustration: MRS. HELEN CAMPBELL]

Dean of the Department of Household Economicsin the Kansas State AgriculturalCollege. Author of "Prisoners ofPoverty, " "Wage Earners, "etc. , etc. 

 "I cannot speak too warmly of your invaluable series. There is hardly a woman in America so thoroughly qualified by education, long experience, deep sympathies, and, most excellent of all gifts, as deep common sense, as Dr. Mary Wood-Allen, to meet the growing need, or rather the growing sense of need. Mothers and fathers alike will be helped and enlightened by these simple, clear-phrased, wholesome books, and they deserve all the success already their own. "

COMMENDED BY L. M. N. STEVENSThe Eminent Temperance Worker

[Illustration: MRS. LILLIAN M. N. STEVENS]

President of National Woman's ChristianTemperance Union. 

 "I consider the book 'What a Young Wife Ought to Know' a wise and safe teacher. It is a careful and delicate presentation of vital truths which have to do with the happiness and welfare of home life. "

COMMENDED BY EMINENT AMERICANAUTHORS AND EDITORS

MARGARET WARNER MORLEY

Author of "The Song of Life, " "Life and Love, ""The Bee People, " etc. 

 "There is an awful need for the book, and it does what it has undertaken to do better than anything of the kind I have ever read. You may rely upon me to make it known wherever I can. "

ELISABETH ROBINSON SCOVIL

Superintendent of the Newport Hospital, andAssociate Editor of the Ladies' Home Journal;Author of "The Care of Children, " etc. 

 "'What a Young Woman Ought to Know' is characterized by purity of tone and delicacy of treatment. 

 "It is one which a mother can place with confidence in the hands of her daughter. Reverent knowledge is the surest safeguard of innocence, and it is every mother's duty to see that the young girl committed to her charge is duly forearmed by being forewarned of the dangers that lie around her. "

Pure Books on Avoided Subjects

_Books for Men_

_By Sylvanus Stall, D. D. _

"What a Young Boy Ought to Know. ""What a Young Man Ought to Know. ""What a Young Husband Ought to Know. ""What a Man of 45 Ought to Know. "

_Books for Women_

_By Mrs. Mary Wood-Allen, M. D. And Mrs. Emma F. A. Drake, M. D. _

"What a Young Girl Ought to Know. ""What a Young Woman Ought to Know. ""What a Young Wife Ought to Know. ""What a Woman of 45 Ought to Know. "

PUBLISHED BYIN THE UNITED STATESTHE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANY200-214 N. Fifteenth Street Philadelphia

IN ENGLANDTHE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANY4 Imperial Bldgs. , Ludgate Circus, London, E. C. 

IN CANADARYERSON PRESSCor. Queen and John Streets, Toronto, Ontario

[Illustration: MRS. MARY WOOD-ALLEN, M. D. ]

NEW REVISED EDITION

_Self and Sex Series_

WHAT A YOUNGWOMANOUGHT TO KNOW

BYMRS. MARY WOOD-ALLEN, M. D. 

National Superintendent of the PurityDepartment Woman's Christian TemperanceUnion; Author of "What a Young GirlOught to Know, " "Marvels of Our BodilyDwelling, " "Child Confidence Rewarded, ""Teaching Truth, " "Almost a Man, ""Almost a Woman. "

[Illustration]

PHILADELPHIA, PA. : 200-214 N. FIFTEENTH STREET

THE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANYLONDON: TORONTO:4 IMPERIAL BUILDINGS, THE RYERSON PRESS, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E. C. QUEEN AND JOHN STREETS. 

COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY SYLVANUS STALL

Entered at Stationers' Hall, London, England. 

Protected by International copyright in Great Britainand all her colonies and possessions, including Indiaand Canada, and, under the provisions of the BerneConvention in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spainand her colonies, France, including Algeria and theFrench colonies, Haiti, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Tunis. 

_All rights reserved_

[PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES]

Copyright, 1889, by SYLVANUS STALLCopyright, 1905, by SYLVANUS STALL

TOTHE DAUGHTER DEAR, WHOSE INTIMATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMPANIONSHIP FROMCHILDHOOD TO WOMANHOOD HAS MADE IT POSSIBLEFOR ME TO FEEL A SYMPATHETIC INTEREST INTHE LIFE-PROBLEMS OF ALL GIRLS, THISBOOK IS MOST LOVINGLYDEDICATEDBY HERMOTHER

CONTENTS. 

PART I. 

CHAPTER I. 

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH? PAGE

The first great lesson to learn, your own importance--Probablytwelve million young women in the United States--What it meansfor one of them to be sick--Woman's work in the world--Theusing of spiritual forces--How much are you worth to yourhome, to the community, to the state, to the nation, to therace? 21

CHAPTER II. 

CARE OF BODY. 

Your body is your dwelling--It expresses you--We can judge ofcharacter by the external appearance--The body also aninstrument and should be taken care of--Not "fussy" to takecare of it in youth--We should prepare for life 27

CHAPTER III. 

FOOD. 

A desire for health creates a desire to know how to obtainit--The question of diet--We eat to repair waste and to supplynew material--Overstudy less a cause of illness than wrongeating--Tea and coffee not foods--Alcoholic beveragesinterfere with digestion--Dyspepsia produced by worry--Weshould give ourselves to our friends--Young women should studyscientific cookery 33

CHAPTER IV. 

SLEEP. 

Every thought, activity, or motion causes expenditure offorce--In sleep the energy restored--Amount of sleepneeded--Effect of sleeplessness--Causes of unrefreshingsleep--Ventilation of sleeping rooms--Beauty sleep 39

CHAPTER V. 

BREATHING. 

How often we breathe--What is accomplished bybreathing--Office of oxygen in the blood--Breathing ourmeasure of ability--Breathing gymnastics, theirvalue--Importance of the diaphragm in breathing 47

CHAPTER VI. 

HINDRANCES TO BREATHING. 

Effect of sitting attitudes--How to counteract this--Wrongpositions in standing--Restrictions of clothing--Rule for thetightness of clothing--Why tight dresses may feel comfortable 55

CHAPTER VII. 

ADDED INJURIES FROM TIGHT CLOTHING. 

The effect upon the heart--Danger of exercising in tightdress--Effect of tight clothing upon the kidneys, upon theliver, stomach, and bowels--How the bowels are held in theabdomen--Influence of tight clothing upon the pelvicorgans--Upon the circulation--A tapering waist a deformity 61

CHAPTER VIII. 

EXERCISE. 

The purpose of physical culture--Balance between waste andsupply--Gymnastic dress a necessity--Value ofhousework--Bicycle riding--Dancing--Skating--Lawntennis--Running up and down stairs--Bathing 69

CHAPTER IX. 

BATHING. 

Beauty of complexion--Condition of skin indicates condition ofdigestive organs--Pimples--Constipation--Thermal bath--Footbath--Time to bathe--Daily baths--The use ofsoaps--Wrinkles--Care of the hands 77

PART II. 

CHAPTER X. 

CREATIVE POWER. 

We have Godlike powers: reason, imagination, conferringlife--Organs of individual life same in bothsexes--Differences between the sexes in size--Dignity of man 87

CHAPTER XI. 

BUILDING BRAINS. 

Babies born deaf, dumb, blind and helpless--The activities ofthe baby build its brains--Our brains develop throughcultivation of the senses--Certain areas of brain governcertain movements of body--Can learn how to build up any partof brain--Professor Gates' experiments in trainingdogs--Creation of habits--Effects of malevolent passions, suchas anger, worry, etc. 93

CHAPTER XII. 

YOU ARE MORE THAN BODY OR MIND. 

You are neither body nor mind, you are spirit--Yourrelationship to God--God's obligation to us--Our obligation toHim--God's school--His method of teaching us. 99

CHAPTER XIII. 

SPECIAL PHYSIOLOGY. 

Differences between boys and girls--Boys need oursympathy--The crisis in the girl's life--Sex inmind--Description of the sex organs 105

CHAPTER XIV. 

BECOMING A WOMAN. 

All life from an egg--The human egg--Menstruation--Girls mayinjure themselves through ignorance--Value of sex. 113

CHAPTER XV. 

ARTIFICIALITIES OF CIVILIZED LIFE. 

Menstruation should be painless--Dr. Mary Jacobi'sopinion--Dr. Emmett on the artificial life of young women. 119

CHAPTER XVI. 

SOME CAUSES OF PAINFUL MENSTRUATION. 

Woman not necessarily a semi-invalid--Effects of wrongclothing on the young girl--Evils of novel reading--Evils ofconstipation--Congestions produced by displacements--Seriousresults of abdominal displacements--Value of abdominalbandage--How to make one--How to wear it--Effects of wrongattitude--Standing on one foot--Correct attitude. 123

CHAPTER XVII. 

FEMALE DISEASES. 

Displacements of uterus--Leucorrhea--Patent medicines--Honestphysicians--Sitz baths for reducing congestions--Age at whichmenstruation first appears--Non-menstruation andconsumption--Mechanical hindrances to menstruation--Suppression--Scanty flow--Profuse flow--Treatment. 135

CHAPTER XVIII. 

CARE DURING MENSTRUATION. 

No long walks or rides--May pursue usual avocations--If pain, keep quiet--Do not use alcoholics of any kind--Use ofheat--Use of cold--Should you bathe at this time--Arrangementof clothing and napkins--Mental serenity. 145

CHAPTER XIX. 

SOLITARY VICE. 

Its results--Causes--Lack of cleanliness--Pin-worms--Allfunctions attended with pleasure--Sex not low--Its developmentaccompanied by increased power--How overcome the badhabit?--Remove causes of pelvic congestions--Train thesenses--Study clouds, leaves, shapes, birds, etc. 151

CHAPTER XX. 

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF. 

What is real fun--The effects of a wrong idea offun--Flirtations--Familiarities--Criticism of girls by youngmen--Class of girls who are most respected--Responsibility ofgirls--The conduct of a pure woman the safeguard of man. 159

CHAPTER XXI. 

FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS. 

The meaning of friendship--Mother the girl's wisestconfidante--Kissing--Friendship between brothers andsisters--Platonic friendships--The value of noblecompanionship. 169

CHAPTER XXII. 

FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GIRLS. 

Gushing girls--Manly friendships--The highest type offriendship--To love truly is to grow strong by true giving. 177

CHAPTER XXIII. 

EXERCISES. 

Correct dressing--To overcome curvature--Round shoulders--Tostrengthen the back--To develop the chest--Abdominalmuscles--To restore displaced organs. 181

CHAPTER XXIV. 

RECREATIONS. 

Walking--Running--Riding--Skating--Rowing--Cycling--Tennis--Swimming--Skipping--Dancing--Card-playing--Theatre-going. 187

PART III. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

LOVE. 

Different ideas of different people--Much that is called loveis selfishness--Love at first sight--Present conditions ofsociety unnatural--Parents unwilling to teach their children, yet permit flirtations, etc. --What is love?--One word toexpress different phases of regard--Love of man andwoman--Love should include mental congeniality, spiritualsympathy and physical attraction--Young people should haveopportunity to get acquainted--Comradeship of youngpeople--Love is a growth. 199

CHAPTER XXVI. 

RESPONSIBILITY IN MARRIAGE. 

Who is the young man?--What are his antecedents, his talents, his habits?--What sort of a family does he belong to?--Thewife marries her husband's family--Girls should know this--Amother's privilege. 209

CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE LAW OF HEREDITY. 

A strange will--Should study the law of inheritance--Plantheredity--Race heredity--National characteristics--Individualinheritance--We are composite photographs--The law of hereditya beneficial law--Transmission of evil a warning--Bad tempersinherited--Atavism. 215

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

HEREDITARY EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, ETC. 

Alcoholism produces nerve degeneration--Tight lacing may havethe same result--Nerve degeneracy may lead toalcoholism--Idiocy and inebriety increasing--Effects ofwine--Evils of patent medicines--Inebriety of parents entailsinjury on offspring--Folly of marrying a man to reformhim--Hereditary effects of morphine, chloral, etc. --Dangers ofthe tobacco habit--Inherited effects of tobacco. 223

CHAPTER XXIX. 

EFFECTS OF IMMORALITY ON THE RACE. 

The law of God not a double law--The inherited effects ofimmorality--Millions die annually from its effects--Transmitted to child or wife--Contamination through a kiss. 235

CHAPTER XXX. 

THE GOSPEL OF HEREDITY. 

Inheritance of good so universal that we fail to think ofit--Mercy shown to thousands of generations--Heredity notfatality--Effects of education transmitted--Experiments ofProfessor Gates on dogs--A divine inheritance. 241

CHAPTER XXXI. 

REQUISITES OF A HUSBAND. 

What is the young man's inheritance?--What are hisideas?--What is his estimate of woman?--What are hisdefects?--Are there adequate reasons why some should notmarry?--May not married people be happy without children--Agirl should know something of the personal habits of herfuture husband--Should consider her own personal habits--Howfreely may young people talk together? 247

CHAPTER XXXII. 

ENGAGEMENTS. 

Becoming engaged for fun--May not engaged young people throwaside restrictions?--Long engagements--The benefits of anengagement--Evils of a long engagement--Engagement a time ofpreparation--Sexual attraction not limited to localexpression--Duty of the engaged young woman to her ownfamily--Jealousy the quintessence of selfishness--Trust asuggestion to be true--Common sense needed in marriage--Holdyour lover to the highest ideals. 255

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

THE WEDDING. 

Folly of preparing an elaborate trousseau--The way of onesensible girl--The wedding gifts--Bridal tours--The realitiesof wedded life. 267

PREFACE. 

During a number of years it has been my privilege to be the confidanteand counsellor of a large number of young women of various stations inlife and in all parts of the United States. 

These girls have talked freely with me concerning their plans, aspirations, fears and personal problems. It has been a greatrevelation to me to note with what unanimity they ask certainquestions concerning conduct--queries which perhaps might astonish themothers of those same girls, as they, doubtless, take it for grantedthat their daughters intuitively understand these fundamental laws ofpropriety. 

The truth is that many girls who have been taught in the "ologies" ofthe schools, who have been trained in the conventionalities ofsociety, have been left to pick up as they may their ideas uponpersonal conduct, and, coming face to face with puzzling problems, areat a loss, and perhaps are led into wrong ways of thinking andquestionable ways of doing because no one has foreseen their dilemmaand warned them how to meet it. 

The subjects treated in this little book are discussed because everyone of them has been the substance of a query propounded by some girlotherwise intelligent and well informed. They have been treatedplainly and simply because they purport to be the frank conferences ofa mother and daughter, between whom there can be no need of hesitationin dealing frankly with any question bearing on the life, health orhappiness of the girl. There is therefore no need of apology; the bookis its own excuse for being, the queries of the young women demandhonest answers. 

Life will be safer for the girl who understands her own nature andreverences her womanhood, who realizes her responsibility towards thehuman race and conducts herself in accordance with that realization. 

Life will be nobler and purer in its possession and its transmission, if, from childhood onward to old age, the thought has been held that"Life is a gift of God and is divine, " and its physical is no lesssacred than its mental or moral manifestation; if it has beenunderstood that the foundations of character are laid in the habitsformed in youth, and that a noble girlhood assures a grand maturity. 

Dear girls who read this book, the mother-heart has gone out to youwith great tenderness with every line herein written, with many anunspoken prayer that you will be helped, uplifted, inspired by itsreading, and made more and more to feel

 "A sacred burden is this life ye bear. Look on it, lift it, bear it solemnly; Stand up and walk beneath it steadfastly; Fail not for sorrow, falter not for sin, But onward, upward, till the goal ye win. "

 MARY WOOD-ALLEN. ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. 

PART I. 

THE VALUE OF HEALTH, AND RESPONSIBILITY IN MAINTAINING IT. 

WHAT A YOUNG WOMAN OUGHT TO KNOW. 

CHAPTER I. 

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?

MY DAUGHTER DEAR:

When I see you with your young girl friends, when I look into yourbright faces and listen to your merry laughter and your girlishchatter, I wonder if any one of you understands how much you areworth. Now you may say, "I haven't any money in the bank, I have nohouses or land, I am worth nothing, " but that would only be detailingwhat you possess. It is not what you possess but what you are thatdetermines what you are worth. One may possess much wealth and beworth very little. 

I was reading the other day that the first great lesson for a _youngman_ to learn, the first fact to realize, is that he is of someimportance; that upon his wisdom, energy and faithfulness all elsedepends, and that the world cannot get along without him. Now if thisis true of young men, I do not see why it is not equally true of youngwomen. 

It is not after you have grown old that you will be of value to theworld; it is now, in your young days, while you are laying thefoundation of your character, that you are of great importance. Wecannot say that the foundation is of no importance until the buildingis erected, for upon the right placing of the foundation depends thefirmness and stability of the superstructure. Dr. Conwell, in hislittle book, "Manhood's Morning, " estimates that there are twelvemillion young men in the United States between fourteen andtwenty-eight years of age; that these twelve million young menrepresent latent physical force enough to dig the iron ore from themines, manufacture it into wire, lay the foundation and constructcompletely the great Brooklyn Bridge in three hours; that theyrepresent force enough, if rightly utilized, to dig the clay from theearth, manufacture the bricks and construct the great Chinese Wall infive days. If each one were to build himself a house twenty-five feetwide, these houses would line both sides of eight streets reachingacross the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. For each one tobe sick one day is equal to thirty thousand being sick an entire year. 

Now, if there are twelve million young men in the United States, wemay estimate that there are an equal number of young women. Althoughwe cannot calculate accurately the amount of physical forcerepresented by these young women, there are some things we can tell. We know that for each one of these young women to be sick one daymeans thirty thousand sick one year. Just imagine the loss to thecountry, and the gain to posterity if it can be prevented!

Rome endeavored to create good soldiery, but was not able to producestrength and courage through physical culture of the men alone. Notuntil she began the physical education of the women, the young women, was she able to insure to the nation a race of strong, hardy, vigoroussoldiery. So the health of the young women of to-day is of greatimportance to the nation, for upon their vigor and soundness of bodydepend to a very great extent the health and capacity of futuregenerations. We are told that in the State of Massachusetts, in oneyear, there were lost twenty-eight thousand five hundred (28, 500)years of time through the illness of working-people by preventablediseases. Dr. Buck, in his "Hygiene, " tells us that one hundredthousand persons die every year through preventable diseases, that onehundred and fifty thousand are constantly sick through preventablediseases, and that the loss to the nation, through the illness ofworking-people by diseases that might have been prevented, is morethan a hundred million dollars a year. So we can see that eachindividual has a pecuniary value to the nation. You are worth just asmuch to the nation as you can earn. If you earn a dollar a day, youare not only worth a dollar a day to yourself and to your personalemployer, but you are worth a dollar a day to the nation; and if, through illness, you are laid aside for one day, the nation, as wellas yourself, is pecuniarily the loser. 

Young women could not build the houses that would line eight streetsfrom New York to San Francisco, but, rightly educated, they couldconvert each one of these houses into a home, and to found a home andconduct it properly is to help the world. It is so easy to measurewhat is done with physical strength. We can see what men are doingwhen they build railroads, construct immense bridges and toweringbuildings, but it is more difficult to measure what is done throughintellectual and spiritual forces; and woman's work in the world isnot so much the using of strength as it is the using of those finerforces which go to build up men and women. With this thought in yourmind, can you answer the question, How much are you worth? How muchare you worth to yourself? How much are you worth in your home? Howmuch money would your parents be willing to accept in place ofyourself? How much are you worth to the community in which you live?How much are you worth to the state, the nation, the human race?

You can recognize your value in the home when you remember how muchyou are the center of all that goes on there, how much your interestis consulted in everything that is done by father and mother. You canrealize your value to the state when you realize how much money isspent for the education of young people, how cultured men and womengive the best of their lives to your instruction. You cannot measureyour value to the human race until you begin to think that the youngpeople of to-day are creating the condition of the world in fifty orone hundred years to come; that you, through your physical health, orlack of it, are to become a source of strength or weakness in futureyears, if you are a mother. It is all right that young women shouldthink of marriage and motherhood, provided they think of it in theright way. 

I want you to reverence yourself, to realize your own importance, tofeel that you are a necessity to God's perfect plan. When we are youngand feel that we are of no account in the world, it is difficult torealize that God's complete plan cannot be carried out without us. Thesmallest, tiniest rivet or bolt may be of such great importance in theconstruction of an engine that its loss means the incapacity of thatpiece of machinery to do its work. As God has placed you in the world, He has placed you here to do a specific work for Him and forhumanity, and your failure to do that work means the failure of Hiscomplete and perfect plan. Now can you begin to see how much you areworth? And can you begin to realize that in the conduct of your lifeas a young woman you are a factor of immense importance to the greatproblem of the evolution of the human race? In the light of thesethoughts I would like to have you ask yourself this question everyday, How much am I worth?

CHAPTER II. 

CARE OF BODY. 

The question "How much are you worth?" is not answered by discussingyour bodily conditions, for your body is not yourself. It is yourdwelling, but not you. It, however, expresses you. 

A man builds a house, and through it expresses himself. The externalappearance causes the observer to form an opinion of him, and eachapartment bears the impress of his individuality. To look at the houseand then to walk through it will tell you much of the man. The outsidewill tell you whether he is neat, orderly and artistic, or whether hecares nothing for the elements of beauty and neatness. If you go intohis parlor, you can judge whether he cares most for show or forcomfort. His library will reveal to you the character of his mind, andthe dining-room will indicate by its furnishings and its viandswhether he loves the pleasures of sense more than health of body. Youdo not need to see the man to have a pretty clear idea of him. 

So the body is our house, and our individuality permeates every partof it. Those who look at our bodily dwelling can gain a very goodidea of what we are. The external appearance will indicate to a greatextent our character. We glance at one man and say, "He is gross, sensual, cruel, domineering;" at another and say, "He is intellectual, spiritual, fine-grained, benevolent. " So we judge of entire strangers, and usually find the character largely corresponds to our judgment, if, later, we come to know the person. 

The anatomist and microscopist who penetrates into the secrets of hisbodily house after the inhabitant has moved out can tell much of hishabits, his thoughts, his capacities and powers by the traces ofhimself which he has left on the insensate walls of his dwelling. Thecare of the body, then, adds to our value, because it gives us abetter instrument, a better medium of expression. 

The old saying, "A workman is known by his tools, " is equally true ofthe body. The carpenter who cares for his saws, chisels and planes, who keeps them sharp and free from rust, will be able to do betterwork than the one who carelessly allows them to become nicked, broken, handleless or rusted. The finer the work which one does, the greaterthe care he must take of the instruments with which he works. Ajack-knife will do to whittle a pine stick, but the carver ofintricate designs must have his various sharp tools with which to makethe delicate lines and tracings. 

When we speak of health and physical conditions in discussing thequestion of your value, we are discussing the instrument upon whoseintegrity depends your ability to demonstrate your value. 

Many young people think it nonsense to pay attention to thepreservation of health. I have heard them say, "O, I don't want to beso fussy! It will do for old folks to be coddling themselves, but Iwant a good time. I'd rather die ten years sooner and have some funwhile I do live. "

I wonder what these same young people would think if they should heara workman say, "Well, I have here a fine kit of tools; I am assuredthat if they are destroyed they will never be replaced; but now, whileI am learning my trade, I don't want to be 'so fussy' about keepingthem in order. It will do for 'boss workmen' to take care ofeverything so constantly, but now I want to break stones with thesedelicate hammers, to cut nails with these razor-bladed knives, tocrack nuts with these slender pincers. By and by, when I am older, I'll use them as they should be used, but I think it's all nonsense tobe so careful now. " If in later years you should hear him complainthat he had nothing to work with, would you feel like pitying him?

No "kit of tools" was ever so complete as is the bodily instrumentgiven to each one of us. Its mechanism has been the inspiration ofinventors; it combines all forms of mechanical devices; its delicacy, intricacy, completeness and adaptability challenge the admiration ofthe philosopher, the engineer, the master mechanic. 

I cannot here tell you of all its wonders, [1] but I would like to giveyou such an exalted idea of its importance that you would look upon itwith reverence and take a justifiable pride in keeping it in perfectworking order. I would like to make you feel your personalresponsibility in regard to its condition. 

You know that in the ages past men believed the body to be theindividual, and they endeavored through care of the body to build upmental as well as physical power. In those days the acrobat and thesage were found working side by side in the gymnasium, the one to gainphysical strength, the other to increase his mental ability, and eachprofited as he desired. 

When men made the discovery that the body is not the individual, butmerely his dwelling and instrument of expression, they came to feelless regard for it, and lost their interest in its care and culture. Even the early Christians, forgetting what Paul said about the body asa temple, began to call it vile, and thought it an evidence of greatpiety to treat it with contempt. I have read of one religious sect whobelieved that the Creator of the body could not have been the Creatorof the soul, and held that the chief object of God's government was todeliver the captive souls of men from their bodily prisons. 

When men began to understand that the thinking principle was the realself and the body merely a material encasement, it was no wonder thatthey valued the body less and held mind as of great value. They failedto see that mind without a material organ of expression is, in thisworld, of no account. A great pianist with no piano could not makemusic, and he would be considered a strange being if he did not carefor his instrument most scrupulously. Think of a Rubinsteinvoluntarily breaking the piano strings or smashing the keys, while hemade discordant poundings, and excusing himself by saying that it was"fussy" to take care of a piano until it was old. You cannot imaginesuch a thing. We can all appreciate the value of a man-made instrumentor machine; but the God-created body, a combination of machines andinstruments of marvelous power and delicacy, we neglect or treat withabsolute, positive injury, and excuse ourselves on the ground thatwhen it is old we will treat it more kindly. 

Melville says it is a sin to die, ignoring what is to be done with thebody. "That body, " he says, "has been redeemed, that body has beenappointed to a glorious condition. "

It seems to me we prize the body far more after its use for us is atan end than while it is ours to use. We do not neglect the dead; wedress them in beautiful garments, we adorn them with flowers, wefollow them to the grave with religious ceremonies, we build costlymonuments to place over their graves, and then we go to weep overtheir last resting-place. 

After all, is it not life that we should value? Life here andhereafter, not death, is the real thing for which we should prepare, and earthly life without a sound body is not life full and complete. Life is joy, vigor, elasticity, freedom from pain or illness, enjoyment of all innocent pleasures in maturity as well as in youth. We have no right to look forward to decrepitude, to failure in zest ofliving, to lessening of real enjoyment because of coming years. Lifeshould increase in beauty and usefulness, in ability and joyousness, as the years bring us a wider experience, and this will be the case ifwe in youth have been wise enough to lay the foundation of health by awise, thoughtful, prudent care of our bodies and our minds. 

FOOTNOTES:

[1] This Dr. Mary Wood-Allen has done in a volume entitled "Marvels ofOur Bodily Dwelling. " This book teaches physiology and hygiene, bymetaphor, parable, and allegory in a most charming way. Superblyillustrated. 12mo. Price, cloth, $1. 50, post free. 

CHAPTER III. 

FOOD. 

If I can arouse in your mind a most earnest desire to be strong andvigorous, I shall not find it necessary to give you very minutedirections, for if you have the ambition you will find the way. If Icould excite in you an intense longing to visit Paris, I should knowthat you would begin to seek for the way of getting there. If I couldcreate in you an earnest aspiration to be well and physically strong, I should know that you would seek for the books that would give youthe necessary instruction. It will not be needful to talk of rules andrestrictions if I can make you feel the glory of having a sound body. 

If you were starting on a journey, I should not need to warn you ofby-paths, of traps, or of dangers if I could be assured that your eyewas fixed upon your ultimate destination. So it is in the matter ofhealth; and yet there are some general rules or principles which Imight lay down for your consideration. 

In regard to the matter of diet. I do not want you to be hampered by"don'ts" and restrictions as to what you shall eat, but I do want youto eat with the thought in view that eating is to be governed byjudgment and not by the pleasures of sense. Why do we eat? Not merelybecause the food tastes good. There is a better reason. We eat tolive. We know that the food which we take into our bodies is digested, elaborated and assimilated--that is, made over into ourselves--andunless this digestion, elaboration and assimilation is properlyconducted, we shall not be fully and completely nourished. Our body ismade up of cells; the food which we eat is transformed into cellstructure, and this new cell-material takes the place of the worn-outcells. Our reason would tell us that if too little material isfurnished, cells will not be properly repaired and ill-health willfollow. Our reason would tell us in the same way that if too muchmaterial is furnished, the machine will be clogged and the work willnot be properly done. We will also understand at once that anirregular supply of new material would interfere with the elaborationof that which is undergoing the process of digestion and assimilation. We can see, too, that unless the various tissues receive the materialwhich they can transform into themselves, they will not be fullyrepaired. If material is taken into the system which supplies notissue with what it needs, this material becomes a source ofirritation. 

These general rules borne in mind are sufficient to guide us into awiser life than if we do not understand them; and, understandingthese general principles, we will be anxious to study the particularrules which govern digestion and assimilation. 

I have known young women in college to be so absolutely ignorant orindifferent to physiological law as to be injuring themselvesconstantly by disobedience of such laws. I knew one girl, supposed tobe a very fine student, and to have brought on "fits" by overstudy, while away at school. I had an opportunity to investigate the case, and I discovered that she had been eating from morning till night. Shecarried nuts, and candy, and apples in her pocket, had pickles andcake in her room, and studied and munched until it was no doubt adisturbed digestion, rather than an overused brain, that caused the"fits. "

If you will eat regularly of plain meat, vegetables, fruits, cereals, milk and eggs, plainly prepared, and avoid rich pastries, cakes, puddings, pickles and sweetmeats, you will have compassed the round ofhealthful diet, and need give yourself very little anxiety in regardto anything more. I should like to emphasize the fact, however, thattea and coffee are not foods. They are irritants, stimulants, nerve-poisons. They bring nothing to the system to build it up. Theysatisfy the sense of hunger without having contributed to thenourishment of the body. If you are wise you will avoid them. Youwill not create for yourself any false necessities. You will avoidthe use of alcohol in all forms, whether wine, ales, beer or cider, aswell as in the stronger forms, because you will know that theseproducts interfere with digestion. Dr. Kellogg, of Battle Creek, hasmade an experiment which proved that sherry to the amount of 1 percent. Of the contents of the stomach retarded digestion nearly 4 percent. 

He calculates that 1 per cent. Of sherry would be equal to two tenthsof 1 per cent. Of alcohol, and it would be necessary to take less thanan ordinary tablespoonful of the wine to obtain this percentage. 

When 3 per cent. Of claret was used (equivalent to three-tenths of 1per cent. Of alcohol), there was marked diminution in digestiveactivity. This certainly proves that even the so-called light winesare injurious, and certainly the drinks that contain a large per cent. Of alcohol must be that much more hurtful. 

If you use good judgment both as to the quality and quantity of foods, you need then give the matter very little thought. People sometimesmake themselves dyspeptics by worrying about what they eat. Eat whatis set before you, making a judicious choice both as to variety andquantity, and then determine that your food shall digest. 

When you live upon the higher plane of thought, you will not be somuch interested in the question of food as regards gustatorypleasure. You will understand that eating is a necessity, but you willnot be thinking about it; you will not be desiring to please the senseof taste; you will see that there are higher forms of sociability thanmere eating with friends, and you will not be so interested in latesuppers, and in various forms of sense gratification because you enjoymore thoroughly the higher pleasures. You will serve your friends withdelicate food, simply and daintily prepared, and seasoned with thatwit and wisdom which remain as a permanent mental pabulum. You willmake them feel that when you come to visit them you come not to getsomething to eat, but to enjoy them, to receive from them theinspiration which they can give. We often treat our friends as if wethought they came as beggars for physical food. It is a much highercompliment to treat them as though we thought they came to exchangethoughts with us, to walk with us in the higher paths of living, andthat the physical food we give them is only incidental. I was onceentertained where a company of intelligent, cultured people wereassembled, and we did not see the hostess from the time we entered thehouse until supper was served. She sat at the table, worried andanxious, and after the supper was over she did not make her appearanceuntil just as we were about to leave. She did not pay us the highcompliment of giving us herself, but she bestowed upon us that which ahired cook might have given. 

You remember what Emerson says: "I pray you, O excellent wife, cumbernot yourself and me to get a curiously rich dinner for this man andwoman who have just alighted at our gate. These things, if they desirethem, they can get for a few shillings at any village inn; but ratherlet that stranger see, if he will, in your looks, accents andbehavior, your heart and earnestness, your thought and will, thatwhich he cannot buy at any price in any city, and which he may travelmiles and dine sparely and sleep hardly to behold. "

It would indeed be worth your while to study food scientifically, toknow how to prepare dainty and tempting dishes wholesomely, and thento serve your guests with such beauty of manner, such graciousness ofcourtesy, that they will remember the meal they have taken with you asidyllic in its simplicity, beauty and helpfulness. 

CHAPTER IV. 

SLEEP. 

Shakespeare writes of "Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve ofcare. " The metaphor is striking, but not accurate. To knit up thatwhich is ravelled implies using the old material in repairing thedamage, but that is not the way in which the body is rebuilt. The oldmaterial is thrown out and new material put in its place, and thatlargely takes place during sleep. We have read of brownies who came atnight and swept and churned and baked while the housewife slept. So, in our bodily dwelling, the vital forces are our brownies, and theycan work more uninterruptedly while we are asleep than when we arecalling on them to move us from place to place, or to aid us invarious activities. 

Much of life's processes must remain a mystery to us, but certainthings we have learned, and one is that perfect health cannot bemaintained, strong nerves cannot be constructed, nor a clear brain bebuilt without plenty of sleep. The baby sleeps almost continuallybecause he is building so much new structure. The growing child needsmore sleep than the adult; but even after reaching maturity sleepcannot be materially lessened without injury to the wholeorganization. 

We appreciate the need of food. We are often very needlessly alarmedfor fear that we shall starve from one meal to the next, but few of usrealize that food cannot be assimilated, built into tissue, withoutsome hours in which the vital forces can devote themselves wholly tothe work of assimilation. During the working hours of the day we areexpending force. The brain is using it in thought, the muscles arecalling for force in various activities, the emotions are expendingenergy, and each of these activities is creating changes in the cellsof the body. We know that life in the body is only possible throughconstant death of the atoms of which it is composed. We can only livebecause we are constantly dying. Huxley says, "For every vital act, life is used up. All work implies waste, and the work of life resultsdirectly or indirectly in the waste of protoplasm (which is the cellsubstance). Every word uttered by a speaker costs him some physicalloss, and in the strictest sense he burns that others may have light. "

Each word, thought, activity, emotion causes expenditure, and unlessexpenditure is in some way made good, there will be bankruptcy. Howshall we get back the energy we have expended and so restore our vitalforces to their equilibrium? The protoplasm of which our cells aremade we can obtain from the protoplasm of animal and vegetablesubstances which we eat, but we cannot use the material unless we aresometimes at rest, and by quiescence of brain and muscle give a chancefor worn-out cells to be removed and new material put in their place. It is when we lay our bodies down in the beautiful repose of slumberthat this process can go on with most perfect results. Then, when allthe forces can be concentrated on the process of nutrition, willnutrition be most perfect. When we awake refreshed after a night ofsound sleep we are really fed. It is quite doubtful if, in a normalcondition, we would want food until we had been at work some time andby destroying tissue have created a demand for more new material. 

If we were only half as anxious that food should be assimilated--thatis, made over into ourselves--as we are that it should be put into thestomach, we would be very careful to secure for ourselves a due amountof good sleep. And what is a due amount? That depends. I once heard ofa servant girl whose mistress complained of her because she did notget up early in the morning, and the girl's excuse was, "But, ma'am, Ican't get up early because I sleep so slow. "

It seems a ridiculous statement, and yet there is a germ of truth init. In some people the vital processes go on with such rapidity thatthe old, worn-out material will be eliminated and the new materialbuilt into the body in a comparatively short time. Seven hours of goodsleep, perhaps, make them feel strong and rested and able to start ona new day's work with courage and ease. In others the vital processesare hindered or work feebly and slowly, and eight or nine hours ofsleep scarcely suffice to complete the work of restoration. What isthe obvious inference? Simply that each one shall judge for himself;but each should be wise enough not to confuse sleeplessness withhaving had sufficient sleep. 

Very frequently the loss of sleep makes it difficult or impossible tosleep, and not until the excited condition of nerves can be calmed, can refreshing slumber be obtained. Young women who attempt to be inschool and in society at the same time often bring themselves into thecondition of insomnia or sleeplessness, and foolishly fancy thatbecause they do not sleep they do not need it. 

It is not at all difficult to understand that if you are constantlytaking money out of the bank, you must also be constantly puttingmoney in, or some day you will be told that your account is alreadyoverdrawn and your draft will not be honored. One can overdraw for atime, and right here is the danger with young people. They fancy, because they are not at once told that they are overdrawing, thattheir bank account is unlimited, and then, when it is too late, theyfind themselves on the verge, if not clear over the verge, ofbankruptcy. 

How shall you know whether you sleep enough? If you will make it arule to go to bed by ten o'clock every night, and go to sleep at once, and sleep soundly and waken with a clear head and a rested feeling, you may infer that you have slept enough. If you are still tired ordull, something is wrong. You may have been in bed long enough, butyour room may not have been ventilated, and so you may be poisoned bybreathing over and over again the emanations from your own body. Orfor some reason the process of digestion and assimilation may not havebeen carried on, and poisons have been created instead of beingeliminated. 

If you waken unrefreshed, I should want to inquire into your habits oflife. Was there opportunity for fresh air to enter your room? Wasthere in it no uncovered vessel, no old shoes in the closet, no soiledunderclothing, nothing that could contaminate the atmosphere? Did youeat a hearty supper late in the evening? Is your system oppressed witha superabundance of sweets? Are you living on simple, wholesome food, or eating irregularly of all sorts of trash? There may be many causes, you see, for your "tired feeling" in the morning, and instead oftaking some "Sarsaparilla, " or other drug, I should try to find outthe cause and remove it. 

Many people are afraid of night air, and scrupulously shut it out oftheir sleeping-rooms, and yet, what kind of air can you get at nightbut night air? And is it not better to have pure night air from out ofdoors than the impure night air of a close room? I once went with twoladies to ascend the Rigi in Switzerland, in order to see the sunrise. One of these was a Polish countess, who took with her a littleblack-and-tan terrier. The hotel at the Rigi Staeffel was crowded, andwe thought ourselves very fortunate to secure a room with three beds. The Countess disposed herself in one bed with her little dog, and Itook one bed, saying to my friend, "You'll please open the windowbefore you go to bed?" "O certainly, " she replied. 

The little Countess sprang up in evident alarm. "Open the window!" shecried; "why, we'd all take our death of cold! I beg of you don't doit. I could not sleep a wink if the window were open. "

My friend spoke reassuringly to her, and she at length grew quiet, when my friend surreptitiously raised a window and we went to sleep. The next morning the Countess asked, with a strange air ofincredulity, "Were you in earnest when you spoke about opening thewindow? Why, I never heard of such a thing in my life. I know Ishould have been ill if you had persisted in having the window open. "

My friend and I exchanged glances silently. We knew she was not illand she had slept with the window open, but doubtless she would havebeen ill had she known it was open, for she had a wonderfulimagination. When we were called at three o'clock to get up and go tothe top of the mountain to see the sun rise, she turned herselfluxuriously in her bed and said she could imagine it. She had takenthis journey and "climbed the mountain" (that is, was carried up in achair, with her dog in her lap), to see the famous sunrise on theRigi, and then remained in bed and imagined it! Her imagination seemedentirely satisfactory, and so we did not quarrel with her. 

Sleep is the most positive beautifier, the best cosmetic. The term"beauty sleep" is no misnomer. Sleep freshens the complexion, smoothesout wrinkles, clears out the brain, strengthens the muscles, putslight into the eyes and color into the cheek. 

CHAPTER V. 

BREATHING. 

The first thing you did when you came into this world was to inspire, that is, to breathe in. The last thing you will do will be to expire, that is, to breathe out. And between your first inspiration and yourlast expiration there will have been the process of respiration, thatis, breathing in and out at an average rate of twenty times a minute. Twenty times a minute means twelve hundred times an hour, or nearlythirty thousand times a day, or over ten million times a year. If youshould live to be fifty years old, you will have breathed in and outover five hundred million times. We eat three times a day, twenty-onetimes a week, over a thousand times a year, fifty thousand times infifty years, but we breathe over five hundred million times in fiftyyears. 

We realize the importance of eating, but we can live days withoutfood. On the other hand, we cannot live many seconds entirely withoutair. We must infer from all this that breathing is more important thaneating. How can it be? From our food our body is rebuilt. Whatlife-process is accomplished by breathing?

To understand this, we must learn what processes are going on in thebody, by means of which food is converted into tissue, into heat andenergy. These processes we find are chemical, and may be likened tothe combustion of wood or coal in the furnace. We know that fire musthave air in order to burn. Burning is the process of oxidation orcombustion of oxygen with the atoms of fuel and the formation of a newsubstance thereby. Coal, we are told, consists of carbon and nitrogen, both of which readily combine with oxygen, and in the process ofuniting heat is liberated, and waste compounds thus formed pass offthrough the smokestack or chimney. We may not understand thisscientifically, but we know that if we want the fire to burn well wemust give it draft or air. 

Our bodies are living engines, and use food and air instead of coaland air. Food in the body without air is like the coal in an enginewithout air; and air is useful only because it brings oxygen to unitechemically with the food. This process is going on all over the body. Each little microscopical cell is a furnace in which oxidation istaking place; and not only is energy liberated, but reconstructiveprocesses are going on, new tissues are being formed, and old tissuesremoved. 

But how can the oxygen get to the cells in all parts of the body? Wecan readily see how it gets to the air-cells of the lungs, but itwould do little good if it stopped there. It must be carried in someway to all the minutest cells of all the tissues. This is done throughthe breathing. The blood goes to the lungs, and there it gives out thewaste material it has collected in its journey through the body andtakes up oxygen. The blood goes to the lungs dark in color from itsload of waste. It is changed to a bright red by taking up oxygen. Eachred blood-corpuscle takes a load of oxygen, carries it to itsdestination, and gives it to some tissue to be used up in the chemicalprocess of oxidation, upon which depends our life and energy. Duringthe hours of rest the tissues are busy in this process, and duringexercise the energy stored up in the tissue-cells is liberated andwaste created. So we see that the process is a continual round oftaking food and air, using them in rebuilding tissue, then using upthe tissue by exercise and casting out the waste products. And now wecan begin to understand that we live in proportion as we breathe. Dr. Holbrook says: "The activity of the child is in close relation to thestrength of its lungs; so, too, is the calmness, dignity and power ofa man in proportion to the depth and tranquility of his respiration. If the lungs are strong and active, there is courage and boldness; iffeeble, there is cowardice and debility. To be out of spirits is to beout of breath. To be animated and joyous is to be full of breath. ""Breathing, " writes Dr. Von der Deeken, "is an actual vivifying act, and the need of breath as felt is a real life-hunger and a proof thatwithout the continual charging of the blood-column with the properforce, all the other vital organs would soon stagnate and cease actionaltogether. "

Now I wonder how many young women really know how to breathe. "Why, "you say, "we have always breathed!" And I reply, "So you have, to someextent; but do you really breathe, or do you just let a little currentof air flow gently through a part of your lungs, not reaching theminute air-cells at all, or have you crippled a large part of yourlung-power by the restrictions of tight clothing?" Now you shrug yourshoulders and say, with a little irritation, perhaps, "O, now she isgoing to scold about corsets and tight-lacing, and I do not wear myclothes tight. " But I am not now going to talk of lacing; I am goingto talk about singing, and speaking, and real living. The highestclass of living creatures are those that have most power to breathe. The cold-blooded animals breathe little, and are slow-moving creatureswith deficient sensation and small powers of action. Man has largelung-capacity and should be full of life and power, and will be, if heunderstands himself. One benefit of exercise is the added impulsegiven to the heart and lungs, calling for more breath, and bringingmore blood to the lungs to receive the added supply of oxygen. 

If we were wise we would practise the art of deep, voluntarybreathing, as a daily form of gymnastics. What would it do for us?Wonderful things, if we may believe the doctors. Even in the old Greekand Roman times the doctors recommended deep breathing, the voluntaryholding of air in the lungs, believing that this exercise cleansed thesystem of impurities and gave strength. And all our scientificdiscoverers have proven that they were right, and modern doctors haveonly learned more of the process and added to the wisdom of theancients. Professor Lehwess says that he uses deep breathing not onlyas a health remedy but as a cure for muscular convulsions, especiallychronic spasms; and he says that he bases his method for the cure ofstuttering mainly upon respiratory and vocal exercises, "whereby, " hesays, "we work on enervated muscles, and make their function bringthem into permanent activity and make them obedient to our will. " Thusnot only will the respiratory system be enlarged and quickened, andthe lungs strengthened, but the blood circulation is promoted andthose injurious influences overcome which often take away thestutterer's courage for speaking. 

Dr. Niemeyer, of Leipzig, urges breathing in these words: "Prize air;use good, pure air; breathe fresh air in your room by night and day. "Dr. Bicking says that respiratory gymnastics are the only effectualremedy for pulmonary affection, especially for consumption. TheMarquise Ciccolina claims that by the teaching of breathing gymnasticsshe has cured people of a tendency to take cold easily; she hasbenefited cases of lung and heart trouble, and she has cured nervousasthma even in cases that have lasted from childhood to maturity. Dr. Kitchen asserts that if the various structures of the body, includingthe lungs, are in a sufficiently healthy state, consumption cannotfind a soil in which to commence its ravages, or, if alreadycommenced, can be cured by attention to the general health, by pureair and deep breathing. 

All this proves that the breathing is of great importance--of just asmuch importance to women as to men. It used to be thought that womenbreathe naturally with the upper part of the chest and men with theabdominal muscles, but we have now learned that in the breathing ofboth men and women the diaphragm should be used and the lower part ofthe chest expanded. The breathing should neither be thoracic--that is, with the upper part of the chest--nor abdominal. It should bediaphragmatic; that is, with the expansion of the sides of the lowerpart of the chest, thus filling every air-cell and bringing thelife-giving oxygen to the blood. The importance of the diaphragm asthe breathing muscle cannot be overestimated. A diaphragm, you know, is a partition across a cylinder; the diaphragm is a muscularpartition across the cylinder of the body, dividing the lungs from theabdomen. In breathing, the diaphragm becomes tense, and in becomingtense becomes also flattened, just as an umbrella does by beingopened. In fact the opening and shutting of an umbrella gives a verygood idea of the motion of the diaphragm in breathing. We can realize, then, how much larger around the body will be when the lungs are fullyinflated than it is when we breathe the air out and the lungs areempty. A few minutes spent each day in exercising in diaphragmaticbreathing would be of great advantage in increasing beauty of form, ingiving strength and power to the voice, in improving the complexionand adding to the health, and therefore to the happiness. In takingthese exercises, one should either stand erect or lie flat upon theback and draw the air in through the nose, keeping the mouth closed. Draw in gently, allowing the chest to expand at the sides, hold theair for a little time, and then breathe out slowly. 

These exercises performed in a room that is well ventilated, or, better still, in the pure air of outdoors, will do much toward drivingaway headaches, clearing the brain, giving better judgment, strongerwill, and a clearer, happier, brighter disposition. 

CHAPTER VI. 

HINDRANCES TO BREATHING. 

This little conversation will be on the hindrances to deep breathing, for if we make up our minds that it is so important to breathe deeplywe shall be very anxious to know how to avoid the hindrances to deepbreathing. First, let me speak of attitude. If you study physiologyand note the arrangement of the internal organs, you will very easilysee that when the body is compressed in a sitting attitude there mustbe a hindrance to full and deep breathing. The girl who is running thetypewriter or the sewing-machine, or the girl who is working asbookkeeper or stenographer, or the girl at her studies, is sitting sothat it will not be possible to breathe deeply, for the lungs areencroached upon by the crowding together of the other _viscera_ (whichmeans the vital organs) and the action of the breathing muscles isimpeded by compression. As you will readily observe, there can be nolifting of the chest in this compressed attitude, no completeflattening of the diaphragm, no full inflation of the minuteair-cells; therefore, as we have learned, the blood is not thoroughlypurified, and actual poisons created by the vital processesaccumulate in the brain and tissues until you feel overpoweringlyweary and stupid. You cannot think, because you cannot fully breathe. 

You have often found, when sewing, that the machine would get, as yousay, bewitched. It wouldn't feed, the thread would break or the needlewould snap, and the whole work go wrong. Put the machine away, take arest, and the next day, without doing anything at all to the machine, you find that it runs perfectly. The trouble was with yourself. It isso with the girl who is running the typewriter. She finds that itmakes mistakes in spelling, things go wrong altogether. It "acts up, "as she would say. So with the girl who is bookkeeper. The figures willnot add themselves up right. Now if, under these circumstances, thegirl would get up, go to the door, take a few deep breaths and expandthe lungs fully, she would relieve the internal congestion consequentupon the cramped position, the brain would be freed from theaccumulated poison, and as a consequence the troublesome problemswould soon be solved, the typewriter would spell correctly, thefigures would add themselves up accurately, and life would becomebrighter at once. Five minutes spent each hour in deep breathing ofpure air would add both to the quality and quantity of work done, andso be a saving of time. This certainly is of great value to you inyour work in the world. 

After working-hours are over, the girl should make a special effort tosit erect for other reasons than that of breathing, though that isreason enough. 

But wrong sitting-postures are not the only attitudes that interferewith deep breathing. Very often the position in standing is alsoobjectionable. When one stands with the weight resting on the heelsthe body is thrown out of balance, and as a consequence the shouldersare not on a vertical line with the hips. In this attitude it isimpossible to manifest fullness of life, because the lungs are notfully inflated with air at each breath. We live, enjoy, accomplishonly in proportion to our breathing ability. As one writer says, "Thedeep thinker, the orator, the fine singer, must of necessity be a goodbreather. "

The most serious hindrance to deep breathing is found in therestrictions of the clothing. I do not say of the corsets, becausetight bands or waists can also compress the body and make fullbreathing impossible. Of course you say your dresses are loose, andyou run your hand up under your waist to prove it to me. I will notargue the question with you, but I will ask you to argue it withyourself. 

If breathing is the measure of your living and doing, then if, in theleast degree, you limit by your dress your breathing, the dress is tootight. "Well, " you ask "how shall I know if I am hindering mybreathing? My dress feels comfortable. It seems to me that I breathe. Is there any way that I can prove whether my dress is tight or not?"

It is true that one becomes accustomed to uncomfortable things andscarcely realizes that they ever were uncomfortable. The dress mayseem a little tight when you first put it on, then it begins to growcomfortable, and after a while it feels loose, and you say itcertainly is loose. I will give a simple rule by which you may knowwhether your clothing is loose enough or not. Unfasten every articleof clothing; dress, corset, skirt-bands, everything. Now breathe inslowly until every air-cell is full. It may take some practice to dothis, but persevere until you find the chest elevated and filled toits utmost extent. It should swell out at the sides along the line ofthe insertion of the diaphragm. There should be no heaving of thechest. Now, with the lungs so completely filled with air, bring yourdress waist together without pulling a particle. Will it fastenwithout pressing out a bit of air from the lungs? If so, it is looseenough. If, however, you have to pull it together, even to the tiniestextent, you have pressed out some of the air. The minute air-cellsthat have thus been emptied cannot be again filled while the dress isfastened. Therefore you are defrauded of your rightful amount of air, and because part of the air is pressed out, the lungs take less spaceand the dress seems looser. You can understand how that would be. 

The trouble is that our dresses are usually fitted over empty lungs. The dressmaker pulls the dress together, squeezes the air out of thelungs, and fastens the dress. Now you can readily understand that itwill be impossible to fill those air-cells so long as the dress isworn, and yet it may not seem uncomfortable, because we becomeaccustomed to it. Nature has made us so that we can accustom ourselvesto many things that are not absolutely healthful, but this should notmake us willing to live unhealthfully when it is possible to avoidit. 

CHAPTER VII. 

ADDED INJURIES FROM TIGHT CLOTHING. 

We have talked of the effect of tight clothing upon the breathingpower. Let us see what other injuries arise from wearing the dress tootight. In the first place, the action of the heart is impeded. Theheart is a hollow muscle which must be continually filled with bloodand emptied again many times a minute from the moment of birth tillthe moment of death. You have been lying down for an hour; let mecount your pulse. Now sit up for a few moments. I find, now, that itbeats faster. Now stand up, and it beats still faster. You see, itincreases continually as you get into the erect position. Now walkquickly across the floor and you will see how much it has increasedagain in rapidity. 

You will realize how much the dress interferes with the action of theheart better from an illustration. Professor Sargent made anexperiment with a number of girls. One day they were dressed inperfectly loose clothing. He counted the pulse of each. It beat on theaverage of eighty-four times in a minute. He had them run five hundredand forty yards in the space of two and a half minutes. The pulse wasagain counted. It had increased to one hundred and fifty-six beats ina minute. This illustrates the effect of exercise even in looseclothing. The next day at the same time, dressed with a corset whichreduced the waist to twenty-four inches, they ran the same distance inthe same length of time, and then he found that the pulse had run upto one hundred and sixty-eight beats in a minute, showing how muchharder it was for the heart to do its work when restricted by tightclothing. No acrobat would attempt to perform feats of strength or ofagility if restricted even so much as by a belt. 

The Russian Government has issued an edict that the soldiers must weartheir pantaloons held up by suspenders, for it has been demonstratedthat when they wear them supported by a belt around the waist they arenot able to do a fair amount of work. The Austrian Government has alsodecreed that the pantaloons of soldiers are not to be suspended bybelts because of the increase of kidney difficulty caused thereby. 

We will understand why kidney difficulty is caused by tight clothingwhen we study the location of the kidneys and how they are affected bycompression of the ribs. Most people think the kidneys lie low down inthe back, but in reality they lie up under the short ribs, and thepressure of tight clothing brings the ribs to bear directly upon thekidneys, injuring them in such a way as often to cause disease. 

The heart and lungs are protected by a bony framework called thethorax, but below the thorax there is no protection for the internalorgans except that of the muscles, therefore the corset or tightclothing can do most damage to the vital organs below the diaphragm. The largest of these is the liver. It should lie close up under thediaphragm, from which it is suspended. Under the influence of tightclothing it is often pressed over on the right side, sometimesextending over the whole front of the body, or even as low down as thenavel. It is rutted by the pressure of the ribs. The corset liver iswell known in the dissecting-room. Sometimes, where corsets are notworn and tight skirts are worn, supported by the hips, the liver hasalmost been cut in two, the pieces being only held together by asufficient band of tissue to keep them from dying. 

When Hiram Powers, the great sculptor, was in this country, he onceattended an elegant party, and was observed watching very intently abeautifully dressed, fashionable woman. A friend, noticing hisinterest, said to him, "What an elegant figure she has, hasn't she?"

"Well, " said Powers, "I was wondering where she put her liver. "

You see, Powers had studied the human body, and when he saw such anoutline as the figure of a fashionable woman, he knew that someinternal organ must be displaced in order to create that taperingwaist, and his anxiety was for the internal organs. As an artist hedid not admire the tapering waist, as is shown by the beautiful marblestatue which he made. No artist would perpetuate in marble the figureof the fashionable woman. 

Not only is the liver thus displaced, but the stomach is often pressedout of its original position, which should be also close up under thediaphragm, towards the left side. By the pressure of clothing it issometimes pushed down until it lies in the abdominal cavity, even aslow down as the navel. This is the statement of Dr. J. H. Kellogg, who, in his sanitarium at Battle Creek, examines hundreds, or eventhousands of women in a year, and asserts that it is almost impossibleto find a woman whose stomach is where it belongs. This is a seriousmatter, because no organ can do its work properly when it is out ofits rightful position. We understand this in any machinery except thatof the human body. We would not meddle with a man-made machine becausethat would hinder its perfect working, but we do not hesitate tointerfere with the body, forgetful that it, too, is a machine, divinely created, and with powers most fateful to us for weal or woe. 

But the harm is not all done by the displacement of the organsmentioned. The bowels suffer, and we can best understand what is doneto them when we understand how they are placed in the abdominalcavity. 

Let me take the ruffle you are making. The mesentery is a delicate, narrow membrane about twenty feet long. We will compare it to theruffle. Folded in it at one edge are the small intestines, just as Ican run this bodkin into the hem of this ruffle. The other edge of themesentery is gathered up as you have gathered the ruffle. It isgathered into a space of about six inches in length, and is fastenedup and down the spine in the region of the small of the back. You cansee, if I gather up twenty feet of this ruffle into a space of sixinches, how the mesentery, with the intestines folded in the freeedge, are held in the abdominal cavity. They are held loosely, and atthe same time so that the intestines cannot be tied in knots or loopsupon each other. In this way the ruffle flares out into the abdominalcavity. The intestines should stay in their place close up under theliver and stomach, but if pressure is brought to bear around the bodyat this point, the bowels begin to sag into the abdominal cavity. Theabdominal walls lose their tonicity because they are so compressedthat they cannot have a perfect circulation, the bowels sink downstill further into the pelvis, and pull upon their attachment in thesmall of the back, creating backache. The stomach sags down into thecavity; the liver sinks, and all the organs pull upon theirattachments; so it is no wonder that women have backaches andheadaches, and their eyes feel bad, and they are unable to stand orwalk. We don't want small rooms in our dwelling-houses, we don't likeit if we haven't sufficient space for our furniture; but in thisbodily house in which we dwell we are quite willing to constrict therooms in which the vital organs or furniture are placed, untileverything is huddled together in the closest pressure, so that theorgans are unable to do their work. It wouldn't matter in our parlorsif the chairs and tables were huddled close together, for they are notconstantly changing in size, but it does matter in a room wheremachines must have space to work and such space is not permitted them;and we cannot expect good work where we crowd machinery so that itdoes not have adequate room. 

The influence of tight clothing upon the pelvic organs is to displacethem and create a great many difficulties which we know as "FemaleDiseases. " But these, in my opinion, are not the most importantthings. The important things are the displacement of the vital organsof the body--those organs without which we cannot live, and thoseorgans the perfect working of which is necessary both to our healthand our happiness. If we are wise we will be exceedingly anxious thatevery vital organ shall be allowed to hold its own position, to doits own work, with plenty of room. 

The impeding of the heart-action by tight clothing is not in itselfthe most serious effect of this restriction. The serious trouble is inthe disturbance of the circulation. Upon a perfect circulation dependsperfect nutrition. The blood must go in sufficient quantity to everyorgan in order that it may be fully nourished. When the waist iscompressed the organs do not receive their full amount of blood. It isretained, and therefore the organs are congested. The feet are coldbecause the blood does not reach them in sufficient quantity, and thebrain, it may be, is hot, because the blood is not taken from the headwith enough rapidity and furnished to the other organs. So we findthat tight clothing interferes with the integrity and health of everyorgan in the body, and consequently with our happiness and with ourusefulness. 

The reason we admire the tapering waist is because we have beenwrongly educated. We have acquired wrong ideas of beauty. We haveaccepted the ideals of the fashion-plate rather than those of theCreator. We find that some form of physical deformity maintains inalmost every country. The Chinese deform the feet, and we think thisis barbarous, but it is really not as serious as the deforming of thevital parts of the body. The Flathead Indian is deformed in babyhoodby being compressed between boards until the head changes its shape. Among some savage nations the leg is bandaged for a few inches abovethe ankle and for a few inches below the knee and the central part isallowed to expand as it will, and this deformity to them constitutesbeauty. Among other nations, holes are made in the ears and pieces ofwood are inserted. The size of these pieces is gradually increaseduntil the lobe of the ear will hang down upon the shoulder and a pieceof wood as large as a man's arm be worn in the ears. All of thesethings seem to us most horrible; yet, after all, they are not as muchan insult to the Divine Architect of the body as the deformitypractised by civilized and so-called Christian people, who byrestriction of the waist interfere with the vital organs and preventthe body from being perfect in its development, or perfect in itsaction. The activity of the body is an evidence of its life, and if itis so tied up that it cannot be active, it certainly is not in thefullest condition of life. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

EXERCISE. 

You said to me, my daughter, that you wanted to join the class inPhysical Culture. I asked you why, and you said because you thoughtyou needed to build up in certain parts of the body. You weredefective in muscular development; you needed also to acquire grace, you thought. And I said, "Is muscular development the primary objectof physical education?" You seemed to think that it is. Now I want totalk to you a little along that line, and to demonstrate to you, if Ican, that physical education is not primarily for the building up ofbig muscle, or for the gaining of power to do great feats of bodilystrength or skill. The object of physical education is to develop aquickly responsive, flexible instrument for the soul to use, for thatis what the body is. Physical culture, rightly conducted, aims tosecure the highest condition of the body through the exercises thatare required by the laws of the body. Law, physical law, governs thebody, and exercise should be according to this law. The first objectof exercise is to make a vital supply for the whole body. This isfirst secured by proper attitude. If we stand or sit properly we gaina proper position of the vital organs, and then they will do theirwork well, and the result will be more perfect nutrition. 

The use of certain organs increases supply, and the use of othersquickens waste; a balance should be maintained between the two. Wemust nourish the life-sustaining organs before using the organs whichuse up brain-supply, therefore we want to be sure that we are workingaccording to these laws. A great many people have an idea thatphysical culture means building up big muscle. They measure themuscles of the arm and of the leg, and judge by their increase in sizeof the value of the exercise. This is not a correct measurement. Individuals may weigh themselves down by development of muscles untilthey have not sufficient internal vital force to carry so much weight. If we could only balance between the organs which supply nutriment andthe organs which use it up, we would keep in perfect health. 

We want to learn how to secure a maximum of results with a minimum offorce. That is, we want the body to be quickly responsive, to beflexible, to be so that we can use it for the things we want to dowithout wasting strength, and yet without being weighed down by asuperabundance of muscular tissue. 

The first desideratum in taking exercise is to have every organ of thebody free, therefore a gymnastic dress is a necessity. Then we shouldhave the exercise conducted by some one who understands thepeculiarities of each individual and knows just what exercises aresuited for her in her special physical condition. They should also bedirected by one who understands perfectly that the girl with an anæmicbrain, that is, with a brain having too little blood, cannot beconducted on the same plan as the exercise of the girl who has asuperabundance of blood in the brain. 

The best exercise is that which employs the mind pleasantly. A gooddeal of exercise may be obtained in housework, and, if conducted withpleasure in the work, may be of great physical advantage. Not long agoI listened to a very charming talk by a lady whose dress betokened hera woman of society. She wore white kid gloves, a dainty flower bonnet, and in herself appeared an exponent of leisure and happiness. Heraddress was entitled "The Home Gymnasium, " and I supposed that itwould consist of descriptions of machinery that could be put up inone's own dwelling for gymnastic purposes, but I soon found that herhome gymnasium meant household duties. She said one could scrub thetable and obtain the best exercise for arms and chest, and at the sametime produce an article or piece of furniture which would be a delightto the eye in its whiteness and brightness. She said that inscrubbing the floor one obtained very much the same movement thatwould be given in the gymnasium, while at the same time the exercisewould conduce not only to the personal advantage but to the happinessof the family. She spoke of sweeping, and dusting, and bed-making, andexpressed herself as competent to do all these kinds of work, in fact, as doing them. And she said she never felt more of a lady than whenscrubbing her kitchen floor, and she was not ashamed to be seen by herfriends at this work. If any one rang the door-bell, she said shewould simply put on a clean apron and go to the door, and remarkwithout hesitation that she was just scrubbing her kitchen floor, butshe was glad to see her friends. 

This sort of a home gymnasium is at the command of nearly every girl, and if she can bring herself to feel an interest in this homegymnastic exercise, she may find it conducive not only to her ownphysical well-being, but to the comfort and happiness of all abouther. 

The question is often asked whether bicycle-riding is injurious forgirls, and I would say that in my opinion it depends largely upon thegirl. Has she good common sense? Of course I am speaking of the girlwho is in a normal condition of health. A girl of extreme delicacy, orwho is subject to some functional difficulty, or the victim of someorganic disease, might not find it advantageous to ride. A physicianshould, in these cases, be consulted. But for the ordinary girl, thegirl of fairly good health, if she will learn how to sit properly uponher saddle, will have the good sense to ride with judgment, it seemsto me that the exercise must be productive of great good. 

My own experience is somewhat limited. I made some discoveries in myattempts to ride. In the first place, I learned that it was importantto know how to sit. In reading a book on "Physical Culture and Hygienefor Women, " by Dr. Anna Galbraith, I found this sentence: "Sit uponthe gluteal muscles, and not upon the perineum. " This was a revelationto me. I found that I had been doing the thing which was not proper, and bearing the weight almost entirely upon the perineum had causedconstant rectal irritation. The gluteal muscles, closely heldtogether, form a firm support for the body without injuring any of thevital organs. I found that by distributing the weight--a little uponthe handle-bars, and some upon the feet--I was able to sit with lessweight and heaviness upon the saddle. I found, too, that it was quiteimportant to have the saddle high enough, so that the legs might befully extended at each stroke, and with these precautions I found thewheel a source both of enjoyment and of strength. 

The harm done by the wheel I believe in most instances to be due toan ill-adapted saddle or a lack of good judgment in the amount ofexercise taken. It is such a fascinating exercise, one seems to beflying and scarcely realizes how much of nerve-force is beingexpended. If the girl learning to ride will be prudent, gauging theamount of exercise by her amount of strength; if she will graduallyacquire the needed strength before attempting long wheeling trips; ifshe will be judicious and not ride, perhaps, during the first two orthree days of menstruation, there seems to be no reason why theordinary girl should not be entirely benefited by this most delightfulform of exercise. It is not as objectionable, to any degree, as theexercise of dancing. Dancing is a most fascinating amusement, and ifit only could be conducted under proper circumstances it would be verydelightful. In itself it is not so objectionable as in itsconcomitants; the late hours, the improper dressing, the heartysuppers in the middle of the night, the promiscuous association andthe undue familiarity of the attitude of the round dance are what makedancing objectionable. If dancing could be conducted out of doors, inthe daylight, with intimate friends, without the round dances, onlythose forms of dancing which may be likened to gymnastics, as thecontra-dance, the cotillion, the objections to dancing would belargely removed, but I am of the opinion that a large share of thefascination of dancing would go at the same time. 

Skating is a delightful, invigorating form of exercise, if conductedwith judgment. One objection to it is that the girl will skate untilwearied, and then, in that exhausted condition, perhaps ride home, ortake a long, tiresome walk from the pond to her residence, all ofwhich is sapping her unduly and annulling the value of the skating asan exercise. 

Lawn-tennis is delightful and beneficial, provided it is undertakenwith due judgment and the girl is properly dressed. In fact, thesubject of dress is so closely associated with that of exercise thatthey can never be considered separately. Even the moderate exercise ofwalking, conducted in the dress of the fashionable woman, is in itselfan element of danger, whereas more violent exercise in a loose dressbecomes a means of increased strength and vigor. 

I am often asked if girls should be allowed to run up and down stairs. I see no reason why girls should not go up and down stairs just asfreely as boys, if they are properly dressed; but going up and downstairs in tight clothing is certainly very injurious. 

CHAPTER IX. 

BATHING. 

You and your girl friends take much pains with your personaladornment. You spend time in curling your hair and in putting onribbons and laces, but I sometimes think you do not pay as muchattention to personal cleanliness as you ought. It would seem as ifsome of you thought that powder would cover a defect in cleanlinessand perfumery would conceal the odors of the person; but indeed itseems to me that the stylish make-up of your dress or the curl of yourhair is of very little importance compared with the care of yourhealth. 

You each desire to have a beautiful complexion. I used to be told inmy childhood that beauty was only skin-deep, but I have learnedbetter. I know that even the beauty of the complexion depends upon theintegrity of the nutritive organs as well as upon the care andattention given to matters of personal cleanliness. 

I read the other day of a discussion between two young men concerningthe cleanliness of girls of their acquaintance. One young man noticedthat although one of the girls wore a very pretty dress-gown, she hadforgotten to clean her finger-nails. The other remarked that manythings in regard to a girl's personal cleanliness could be learned byriding behind her on a tandem. The two then commented favorably uponthe girl whose nails were pink, whose ears and neck were clean, herteeth white and dazzling, and her hair well brushed. I might say, inpassing, that this hair-brushing time at night may be well employed inreviewing the experiences of the day in order to learn the lessonsthey teach, and thereby to avoid to-morrow the mistakes of to-day. 

These same young men also said that the complexions of some girlssuggested the idea of too little fresh air and too much candy. This, they agreed, it was impossible to hide with powder. So we see that thecare of the skin is quite important if one would have the respect andthe admiration of her associates. 

The skin is a very beautiful, complex and delicate covering of thebody. It consists of six layers, and contains arteries, capillaries, lymphatics, nerves, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pigment, etc. Soyou see that the care of the skin involves much. One writer has said, "At the skin man ends and the outlying universe begins. "

The skin, filled with nerves, is continually reporting to the brainconcerning what is the condition of all parts of the body. Thecondition of the skin reflects the condition of the digestive organs. Many girls are trying to cure pimples on the face by the use of salvesand lotions, when in all probability all that they would need to do togain a good complexion is to pay attention to diet, to quit eatingbetween meals, and not to eat so much pastry, pickles or sweetmeats. Our athletes and pugilists are learning that they must take care ofthe skin if they would keep in good condition, and they are what inhorses would be called well groomed. The skin is rubbed, cared for, kept active, because it is understood that it is an organ ofsensation, of secretion, of excretion, of absorption, and ofrespiration. More solid matter is thrown out from the skin than fromthe lungs, in the proportion of eleven to seven. It is even more thanthe excretion from the bowels. 

The skin is an organ of breathing. This seems strange to us, but itreally does take up oxygen and give out carbonic acid, so upon thecondition of the skin will depend very largely the condition of thegeneral health. We can detect a constipated condition of the bowelsthrough the color and odor of the skin. 

Many girls feel that it is more delicate to neglect the care of thebowels than to attend to a daily evacuation, but if they wouldremember that it is just as indelicate to carry effete or dead matterabout in the bowels as it would be to carry it upon the person in anyother way, they would realize that it is only politeness andrefinement to see that this part of their bodily housekeeping is dulyattended to. If the bowels do not do their work the skin will beobliged to take extra labor upon itself; so, as we have said, by theodor of the skin we can detect the fact that the skin is doing thework that should be done by the bowels. When a person is sick thecondition of the internal organs is shown in the complexion, andnothing more clearly indicates health than the condition of the skin. 

If this is so important, how shall we care for the skin? First, bybathing. The tin bath-tub of the Englishman accompanies him in all histravels, and has penetrated even to the jungles of Africa. Bathingappliances are marks of civilization, and the bath-room is becoming anecessity. Where the bath-room does not exist it is easy to bathethoroughly and completely. A wash-basin of water, with a sponge andtowel, furnish all that is absolutely necessary. A most convenientbath is the portable thermal bath, an arrangement of rubber cloth thatcan be opened out to form a square enclosure in which the person sits, with the head in the free outside air, the body enveloped in steamgenerated by an alcohol lamp. This, followed by a quick sponge-bath ofcool water, is a most efficient way of cleansing the skin; and thisbath may be used in any room, no matter how beautifully furnished, without soiling the carpet or furniture in the least. 

One great secret of healthful bathing is, when warm or hot water isused, to follow it by an immediate application of cold water, whichleaves the skin in a tonic condition. In preparation for going out incold weather, nothing is so efficient a protection from the cold as afoot-bath. Soak the feet for a few minutes in water as warm as iscomfortable, then plunge them into cold water and remove immediately, or throw cold water over them, wipe them thoroughly dry, rub them witha little olive oil, draw on a pair of clean, warm hose, and the feetare not only warmed, but are protected against cold and will staywarm. These precautions will prevent one taking cold from thefoot-bath. Care of the feet is a great necessity not only for health, for equalizing the circulation, but for the prevention of unpleasantodors. 

As to time of bathing, I suppose that the body is at its highest pointof vital power at about ten o'clock in the morning, but this is, formost people, the most inconvenient time for a bath. The circumstancesof the individual are to be consulted, and also the effect of bathing. There are those who are made nervous by taking a bath, consequentlythey will not be benefited by taking one just before going to bed. Inother cases the bath conduces to slumber. This depends very largelyupon the amount of blood in the brain. A person with an anæmic brainwill not be benefited by the bath at bedtime, but the person whosebrain is overcharged with blood will find the evening bath quieting. 

I would not advise everybody to take a daily bath. There are those whoare benefited by it; there are others who might be injured by it. Itis best to study personal peculiarities and to watch the effect of thebath. If, within a few hours, or the next day, there is greatexhaustion, one might naturally conclude that the bath was notaltogether beneficial. There are those in such delicate health that acold bath at any time does not seem desirable; but constant attentionwill secure perfect cleanliness, as the arms and chest can be bathedone day, the abdomen and back another, the lower extremities stillanother day, and so the whole body be compassed twice or more in thespace of a week. 

In regard to the use of soap for bathing purposes, the finest, purestsoaps should be used, and these alone. It is generally supposed thatpure, white castile soap is the best. Various soaps are widelyadvertised, while some that claim to be of the very best are notalways up to the requisite standard. Yet one can tell by a littleexperience what soap is of pure quality, and such soap can be appliedeven to the face without injury. 

In washing the face the hand is probably the best instrument, with thethumb under the chin, the fingers turned toward the upper part of theface. The manipulation should be against the direction of formingwrinkles, wherever there is a tendency for wrinkles to appear. Theycan be held in check by the judicious manipulation of the fingers inthe opposite direction. Wrinkles are created by obliterating thecapillary circulation of the skin. The manipulation increases thecirculation, and so tends to overcome wrinkles. The expression of theface may form wrinkles. I saw a girl the other day on a street-car whocontinually held her eyebrows elevated, forming longitudinal linesacross her forehead, which had become as fixed in her youthful face asif she had been seventy years of age. This was a lack of care in thegoverning of the expression of the face, and also a lack in keeping upthe capillary circulation. 

The care of the hands may be considered also while discussing thequestion of bathing. The hands should be kept clean, the finger-nailsparticularly cared for, as much of the beauty of the hands dependsupon the delicate appearance of the finger-nails. The manicure sets, which are at the disposal of almost every young woman of the presentday, are a very great addition to toilet appurtenances. The curvedscissors, the polisher, the blunt ivory instrument for pushing backthe fold of skin from the root of the nail, all of these used but afew moments in the day will conduce to great beauty in the hands, evenfor those who are doing housework. 

PART II. 

NEED OF SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE; SOME FORMS OF AVOIDABLE DISEASE, THEIRREMEDY AND PREVENTION. 

CHAPTER X. 

CREATIVE POWER. 

It is a wonderful thought that God shares His divine endowments withman; that He, being our Father, hath bestowed upon us the power tomanifest His characteristics. We are proud of these Godlike powers. Wetalk of our Godlike reason, and it is divine. We know that Godreasons. We have evidence of it in the material world about us, andwhen we use our reason we are "thinking God's thoughts after Him. "

God has the marvelous power of imagination, using that word in itsnoblest sense. He has the power to conceive something in thoughtbefore it actually exists. He must have seen all the glories of thematerial universe, worlds upon worlds circling through space, moon andstars, the beauty of forest and stream, of tinted flower andiridescent insect wing before they were brought into being, and He hadthe power to create them. Man has this wonderful gift of imagination. The inventor sees the machine in his thought before he attempts tobuild it. The poet has the germ of his poem in mind, even the rhythmand rhyme, before he puts it on paper. To the imagination of theartist the canvas glows with color before his brush has touched it. The sculptor, looking at the rough block of marble, sees within it theimprisoned shape of beauty which his genius shall liberate to delightthe world. The musician hears, singing through his brain, themarvelous harmonies which, put upon paper, shall entrance all hearers. Certainly this glorious gift of imagination is Godlike. But it wouldbe useless if it were not accompanied by creative power. The inventormust be able to create as well as to imagine the engine. The poet, themusician, the artist fails of deserving the name if he cannot embodyhis thought in a form that others may recognize. He must not onlyimagine, but create. In some degree every intelligent human being hasthese powers. The housewife imagines her dinner before she preparesit, and a well-cooked dinner, placed upon a well-appointed table withcare and taste, manifests something of the ability of the inventor andthe artist. The same may be said of her who designs and creates anelegant costume, or arranges a room with taste and skill. 

We appreciate the housewife's culinary creation; we admire thetasteful creation of the dressmaker; we wonder at the gloriouscreation of artist or musician; perhaps we even envy them. But foodand clothing pass away and are forgotten. Even the grand symphony, thebeautiful picture, the graceful statue, may pass into oblivion, andman forget that they ever existed. 

But humanity is endowed with creative powers that are not transient. The brains builded by the individual are transmitted to his posterityfrom generation to generation. 

God's greatest power is that of conferring life, sentient life. Wemight have imagined that that marvelous power he would have kept forHimself alone, but He has not done so. We have also the power toconfer life. We can call into existence other human beings, and endowthem with the record of our own lives, giving to them our form, ourfeatures, our measure of vitality, our tendencies, our habits; andthese human beings whom we have thus called into life will never die. What diviner, more responsible gift could God have conferred upon usthan this? What more worthy of our devout study? In this reverentattitude of mind let us study this gift of creative power, learningwhat we may of its scope and purpose and the material organs throughwhich it works. 

In your study of physiology in school you took up the organs ofindividual life. You studied the framework of the body, its machinery, its internal vital mechanism. You studied about digestion, nutrition, respiration, elimination, and in this you learned nothing of physicaldifferences between individuals. All were considered as having thesame organs, used in the same way. Girls have the same number ofbones as boys, the same number of muscles, of vital organs. Theysleep, breathe, eat, digest, grow, according to the same plan. So farthere seems no reason why there should be any distinction of male andfemale. But as we come to study what is called special physiology wediscover physical differences and reasons for their existence. 

There are certain differences of form that are discernible at aglance. Men are usually larger than women. They have heavier bones andbigger muscles. They have broad shoulders and narrow hips, and havehair upon the face. Women have smooth faces, more rounded outlines, narrower shoulders and broader hips. In man the broadest part of thebody is at the shoulders, in woman at the hips. This is significant ofa great fact which will be manifest to you when you understand thefunctions of each sex. Although each has the same general plan ofindividual life, there are special functions which determine the trendof their lives. The man's broad shoulders are indicative that he is tobear the heavy burdens of life--struggles for material support--andwoman's broad hips indicate that she is to bear the heavier burden ofthe race. 

When we come fully to understand the deep significance of sex, weshall find in it a wonderful revelation of possibilities ofdevelopment into a God-likeness that will stir our hearts to theirvery depths. 

Humanity so weak, so lacking in appreciation of his possibilities, sogroveling when he should soar, has been endowed with powers that givehim control over the destiny of the race. We may well exclaim, withYoung:

 "How poor, how rich, how abject, how august, How complicate, how wonderful is man! How passing wonder He who made him such! Who centred in his make such strange extremes! From diff'rent natures, marvelously mix'd! Connection exquisite of distant worlds! Distinguish'd link in being's endless chain! Midway from nothing to the Deity!"

CHAPTER XI. 

BUILDING BRAINS. 

When you were born you were, as all babies are, deaf, dumb, blind, andhelpless, but immediately the external world began to act upon you. Then began the process of mind-building. You began to experiencesensations of heat and cold, of hunger, of pain. The eyes began atonce to recognize the light, the ears to become aware of sounds. Aftera time, objects were made clear to your sight and certain sounds wererecognized. You learned your mother's face and voice, and, little bylittle, became acquainted with all the objects in the world of home. You began to use your limbs, and in this also you were at workbuilding your mind. We do not sufficiently realize that every aimlessmovement of the baby has in reality a great purpose--that of creatingbrainpower sufficient to enable the baby to control itself in all itsvoluntary movements. We do not think that the fluttering hands andlittle kicking feet are really building brains, but this is so. Andall of life's experiences have been building brain for you ever since. 

Professor Elmer Gates tells us that only about ten per cent. Of ourbrains are cultivated, that there is a vast field of brainpossibilities lying undeveloped in each one of us, and that thesepossibilities are to be developed through cultivation of the senses. So while I have been talking to you of the care of your body, I havebeen advocating that which will in reality develop mind. 

We have learned that certain areas of brain govern certain movementsof body. For example, anatomists know not only where the general motorarea is located, but they can indicate the very spot where any specialmotor-force is generated. 

In the case of a mill girl who was subject to epilepsy and had pain inher right thumb at each attack, it was decided to remove the part ofthe brain which governed the motions of that thumb. This they could dobecause they knew just where that motor-center lies, and yet they wereable to take out no more than that, for when the wound was healed shehad full use of all of her hand except the thumb. 

We may know that by exercising a certain organ we are building up acertain part of the brain. For example, the man who has cultivated hishearing until he can hear sounds inaudible to ordinary men, has madefor himself more brain-cells in the hearing area. If he has cultivatedhis sight assiduously, he has created more visual cells. If his touchhas been cultivated, his brain has received new touchsensation-cells. And Professor Gates asserts that his mental abilityhas been thereby increased. You will be interested in hearing of hisexperiments with animals and what he has learned therefrom. 

He says he has demonstrated that it is possible to give to an animalor a human being more brains, and consequently a better use of themental faculties. During twelve months, for five or six hours a day, he trained dogs to discriminate colors. He placed several hundred tinpans, painted different tints, in the yard with the dogs. At one timehe put their food under pans of a certain tint. When they had learnedto go at once to these pans for their food, he changed the color. Again he arranged it so that they would receive an electric shock ifthey touched pans of any color save the particular one. They soonlearned to avoid all the pans except those of this tint. So, by manydifferent methods, he trained them to recognize shades and tints untilthey could discriminate between seven shades of red and as many shadesof green, and in many ways they manifested more mental ability thanany untrained dog. While these dogs were being trained, another groupof dogs were being deprived of the use of sight by being kept in adarkened room. 

At the end of the year both groups of dogs were killed and theirbrains dissected. He found that the dogs kept in the darkness hadless than the usual number of cells in the seeing areas, and the cellswere smaller, while the dogs which had been trained to discriminatebetween tints and shades of color many times a day had a far greaternumber of larger and more complex brain-cells in the seeing areas thanany dog of that age and species ever had before. "Therefore, " saysProfessor Gates, "mind activity creates organic structure. "

Prof. Gates discovered other things of equal importance. He carriedhis observations to successive generations, and found that the fifthgeneration was born with a far greater number of brain-cells thancould be found in animals not descended from trained ancestors. 

This is not only interesting, but of value. You will remember, in ourtalk concerning your value, we spoke of your value to the race, andlearned that in cultivating yourself in any direction you were addingto the welfare of future generations. That was only a generalstatement, and now you can see how it can be. You see that if you canmake more brains for yourself you are also making more brains for yourposterity. Or if you fail to make brains for yourself, posterity willin like degree be defrauded. 

Many people have the idea that we are obliged to be satisfied with ourdower of mental ability, and so are excusable for failing to reach ashigh a level as some others. If we really believed that we couldcreate brains we would not sit down and sigh over small mentalcapacity, but go to work at once in building minds for ourselves. 

And first, we must learn to control our thoughts and make them gowhere we send them. In too many cases thoughts wander here and there, with no power governing and guiding them. 

When we are sauntering in the wood we sometimes come upon pathways, and we know at once that many, many footsteps of men or animals havebeen needed to make the paths. If those who walked here had wanderedeach in his own way, no path would have been made. One pair of feetgoing often over the same ground will make a path. So the thoughts, traversing the same areas of brain, will make records on thebrain-cells which we may call paths. Every time a thought follows thesame line it creates a deeper impression, and makes it easier to goover the same territory again. In this way habits are formed. If thethoughts are good, the habits will be good; if evil, the habits willbe bad. 

It is not hard to understand how much easier it is to form a habitthan to overcome it. The emotions, like the thoughts, create habits;but, more than this, they create actual physical conditions. 

It was my pleasure and profit once to have a conversation withProfessor Gates in his laboratory, and he showed me an instrumentwherein he condenses the breath. He then subjects it to a chemicalreagent, and by the precipitate formed he knows what was the mentalcondition of the individual, whether he were angry, sorrowful orremorseful. In five minutes after a fit of anger he finds theexcretory organs beginning to throw out the poison which anger hascreated. Only five minutes suffice to create the poison, but half anhour is none too much to eliminate it. 

Think what must be the bodily state of one who is constantly irritatedor angry, who feels jealousy, hatred, or revenge. With body poisonedby these malevolent passions he cannot feel well, for his physicalorgans cannot do good work unless fed by pure blood. Professor Gatesfinds that the benevolent emotions create life-giving germs in thebody; so, to love others is not only helpful to them, but it alsogives us new life. 

Anger, worry, hatred, jealousy, are suicidal emotions. We cannot forour own sakes afford to indulge in them, while from selfish reasonsalone we should be incited to kindness, generosity, sympathy, andlove. 

CHAPTER XII. 

YOU ARE MORE THAN BODY OR MIND. 

We have talked of your body and your mind, but as yet not of yourself. You are not body; you are not mind; but you possess both. You arespirit, created by God, who is spirit; therefore you are His child. You may not have thought much of this fact, but that has not changedthe fact. No failure to recognize God as your father changes Hisrelationship to you. No conduct of yours can make you any less Hischild. 

"Well, " you may say, "if that is so, what does it matter, then, what Ido? If disobedience or sin cannot make me less God's child, why shouldI be good and obedient?" Because, dear heart, your conduct changesyour attitude towards Him. You might not know that I am your mother;you might know it and choose to disobey my wishes; yet in both cases Ishould still be your mother, and no more or less in one case than inthe other. But you will have no difficulty in understanding that inone case you would be a loving, helpful, obedient daughter, a comfortand delight to me; in the other, a disobedient, willful, unlovingdaughter, a care and trouble. 

We are God's children, each of us, dependent on His love and bountyfor protection, food, friends, intellect, even life. Is it dignifiedand noble in us to ignore and disobey Him? Indeed the most worthy anddignified thing we can do is to recognize ourselves as God's childrenand be obedient. It is a wonderful glory to be a child of God. Itmeans that we have Godlike powers. The children of human parents arelike them in their capacities. Children of God must have capacitiesthat are Godlike. 

This is true even of the most ignorant or degraded. They have inthemselves divine possibilities. 

If you can get this thought fully engrafted into your consciousness, it seems to me you can never willfully do wrong, can never condescendto a mean or ignoble deed, because you recognize your divineinheritance, and feel compelled by it to live truly, nobly. 

Being children of God puts on us certain obligations towards Him, butit also puts on God certain obligations towards us. "What!" you say;"God the Infinite under obligations to man, the finite? The Creatorunder obligations to the created?" Oh, yes. 

We recognize the fact that human parents are under obligations to carefor their children, to protect them, to educate them, to give themopportunities. Even such are the obligations of God towards His humanchildren, and He fulfills them. All our earthly blessings are from Hishand. Home, friends, shelter, food, are gifts of His love. He takessuch minute care of us that if for one second of time He would forgetus, we should be annihilated. He educates us. He does not send us awayto a boarding-school where we hear from Him but seldom, but He has ahome-school where He is both Father and Teacher, and His methods ofinstruction are divinely wise. 

The injudicious love of earthly parents often induces them to do fortheir children things it would be far better to let the children dofor themselves. I once knew a boy of seven years, as intelligent asthe ordinary child, who had never been allowed to go down stairs alonein his life for fear he would fall. This unwise care of the parentshad resulted in the child's being timid, fearful, and unable to carefor himself. He would cry if he fell, and would lie still sobbinguntil some one came to pick him up and quiet him with caresses. At thesame time I saw a boy of four who could run up and down stairs, go tothe store alone to make purchases, and who, if he fell, would jump upquickly, saying, "O, that didn't hurt. " Which child had been betterprotected--the one who had been cared for by an overindulgent parent, or the one who, by judicious stimulation to self-help, had learned tocare for himself?

God teaches us how to help ourselves, and circumstances of life whichwe so often think hard and cruel are only the means by which we arebeing trained to be strong. The things we call failure, worriment, andhardship, are only the little tumbles by which we are learning towalk. 

The heathen philosopher, Seneca, says: "God gives His best scholarsthe hardest lessons. " We know how proud we would feel if ourschool-teacher would say, "This is a hard problem, but I believe youcan solve it. " We would be stimulated to work night and day to justifyhis confidence in our ability. But when a little trial comes in lifewe are quite apt to say, "God is so hard in His dealings with me. Whyshould He be so unkind?" instead of saying: "These hard things of lifeare a test of my scholarship, and are an evidence of my Teacher'sconfidence in my ability. "

I would like you to get this thought fixed in your mind so firmly thatyou will feel sure that all circumstances of life are but lessons inGod's great school, and, rightly used, will be the means of promotingyou to higher grades. 

No scholar wants to stay always in the primary department because itis easy there. He welcomes each promotion, although he knows it meansharder lessons and new difficulties. He looks forward to college oruniversity with pride, even though lessons grow harder and harder. 

God's school of earthly life has in it all grades of advancement. Willyou be a studious, courageous scholar and try to learn life's lessonswell? It is such a wonderful thing to be a child of God, for thatmeans to be an heir of God, an heir of His wisdom, His strength, Hisglory, His powers. "All things are yours, " says Paul; "life, death, things present and things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. "

CHAPTER XIII. 

SPECIAL PHYSIOLOGY. 

With a feeling of reverence for ourselves we now take up the subjectof special physiology to learn what makes us women. In the study ofgeneral physiology we find very few physical differences in the sexes, but when we come to investigate what is called the reproductive systemwe find entire difference of structure and of function. 

Boys and girls in early childhood are much alike in theirinclinations. They both love activity--to run, to climb, to shout, tolaugh, to play. If left to themselves one sees not much moredifference between boys and girls than between different individualsof the same sex. But as they grow and develop they begin to take oncharacteristics that indicate the evolution of sex. 

The boy grows rapidly in height, his voice breaks, the signs of amoustache appear, he seems constrained and embarrassed in society, andyet he begins to show more politeness towards women and more of aninclination to be gallant to girls. He is becoming a man, and assumesmanlike airs. Often, too, he becomes restless and willful, hard togovern, self-assertive, with an assumption of wisdom that provokeslaughter from his elders. The boy is passing through a serious crisisand needs much wise and loving care. There are inner forces awakeningthat move him strangely; he does not understand himself, neither dohis friends seem to understand him. Sometimes they snub and nag him, sometimes they tease and make fun of him. In either case he does notfind home a happy place, and frequently leaves it to seek moresympathetic companionship elsewhere. 

I once spoke to an audience of women and girls along this line, andappealed to the mothers and sisters to be kind to the boys in theirhomes who were between twelve and eighteen years of age, to rememberthat they were passing through the critical period of transition fromboyhood to manhood, and to try and help them by sympathy and kindness. Some time later, as I was on the train, a young lady came and sat downby me and said: "I want to thank you for what you said to us the otherday about boys. I have a brother about sixteen, and we have done justas you said; we have teased him about his moustache, and his voice, and his awkwardness, and laughed the more because it seemed to touchhim. He had gotten so that he never would do anything for us girls, and we called him an old bear. Since I heard you I concluded that wehad done wrong and I would make a change, so that evening I saidkindly, 'Charlie, don't you want me to tie your cravat? I'd like to, ever so much. ' I shall never forget the surprised look he gave me. Itseemed as if he could not believe that I, his sister, wanted to dosomething to please him, but as soon as he saw I really meant it heaccepted my offer with thanks, and since then it seems as if he couldnot do enough for me. Really I have almost cried to think that solittle a thing would make him so grateful. I have invited him to goout with me several times, and he seems so glad to go. Then I've begunto make things for his room--little fancy things that I never thoughta boy would care for--and he has appreciated them so much. Why, heeven stays in his room sometimes, now, instead of going off with theboys. And the other day, when one of the boys came to see him, I heardhim say, 'Come up and see my room, ' and the other boy said, 'Well, Iwish some one would fix up _my_ room in such a jolly fashion. 'Really, " said the girl, "if you have done nothing on your trip butwhat you have done for me, in showing me how to be good to my brother, it has paid for you to come. "

I often think of this little incident when I see boys at this criticalage who are snubbed and teased just because they are leaving the landof boyhood to begin the difficult climb up the slopes of early manhoodtowards the grander height of maturity; and I wish all parents, sisters and older brothers would manifest a sympathy with the boy who, swayed by inner forces and influenced by outward temptation, is in aplace of great danger. 

The girl at this period is also passing through a crisis, but thisfact is better understood by her friends than is the crisis of theboy's life. Her parents are anxious that she shall pass the crisissafely, and they have more patience with her eccentricities. She, too, often shows nervousness, irritability, petulance, or willfulness. Shehas headaches and backaches, she manifests lassitude and weariness, and is, perhaps, quite changed from her former self. She weeps easilyor over nothing at all. She is dissatisfied with herself and the wholeworld. She feels certain vague, romantic longings that she could notexplain if she tried. She inclines toward the reading of sensationallove stories, and if not well instructed and self-respecting may beeasily led into flirtations or conduct that later in life may make herblush to remember. Certain physical changes begin to be manifest. Sheincreases rapidly in height, her figure grows fuller and more rounded, her breasts are often sore and tender. Hair makes its appearance onthe body, and altogether she seems to be blossoming out into a fullerand riper beauty. She is changing from the girl to the woman, and thisis a matter of sex. At this time the organs of sex, which have beendormant, awaken and take on their activity, and it is this awakeningwhich is making itself felt throughout her whole organization. 

We are sometimes apt to think that sex is located in certain organsonly, but in truth sex, while centralized in the reproductive organs, makes itself manifest throughout the whole organization. I used tofeel somewhat indignant when I heard people talk of sex in mind, and Iboldly asserted that it did not exist, that intellect was neuter andhad no reference to sex; but I do not feel so now. When I see what aninfluence the awakening of sex has upon the entire body and upon thecharacter, I am led to believe that sex inheres in mind as well. Thatdoes not mean that the brain of one sex is either inferior or superiorto the other; it means only that they differ; that men and women seethings from different standpoints; that they are the two eyes of therace, and the use of both is needed to a clear understanding of anyproblem of human interest. 

You know that the true perspective of objects cannot be had with oneeye only, for each eye has its own range of vision, and one eye cansee much farther on one side of an object than the other can. You cantry this for yourself. 

If, then, in viewing the vital problems of life we have the man's viewonly or the woman's view only, we have not the true perspective. Wecannot say that either has superior powers of vision, but we can saythat they differ, as this difference is inherent in them as men andwomen, and not merely as individuals. 

Instead, then, of looking at sex as circumscribed, and perhaps assomething low and vulgar, to be thought of and spoken of only withwhispers or questionable mirth, we should see that sex is God'sdivinest gift to humanity, the power through which we come into thenearest likeness to Himself--the function by which we become creatorsand transmitters of our powers of body, mind, and soul. 

It is important that a young woman should understand her own structureand the functions of all her organs, and so, with this feeling ofreverence for sex, we will begin this study. 

The trunk of the body is divided into three cavities; the upper orthoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs; the central or abdominalcavity contains the organs of nutrition, the stomach, liver, bowels, etc. ; the lower or pelvic cavity contains two organs of elimination, the bladder and the rectum, and also the organs of reproduction, or ofsex. Between the outlet of bladder and bowels is the inlet to thereproductive organs. This inlet is a narrow channel called the vagina, and is about six inches in length. At the upper end is the mouth ofthe womb or uterus. The words mean the same, but womb is Anglo-Saxonand _uterus_ is Latin, and as Latin is the language of science, wewill use that word. The uterus is the little nest or room in which theunborn baby has to live for three-fourths of a year. It is a smallorgan, about the size and shape of a small flattened pear. It issuspended with the small end downwards, and it is hollow. It is heldin place by broad ligaments that extend outward to the sides, and byshort, round ligaments from front to back. These ligaments do not holdit firmly in place, for it is necessary that it should be able to riseout of the pelvic into the abdominal cavity during pregnancy, as thebaby grows too large to be contained in the small pelvic space. 

On the posterior sides of the two broad ligaments are two small ovalorgans which are called ovaries, meaning the place of the eggs. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

BECOMING A WOMAN. 

Perhaps you will remember that I once told you that all life is froman egg, the life of the plant, the fish, the bird, the human being. Inthe book "What a Young Girl Ought to Know" we discussed how all lifeoriginates in an egg, and why there must needs be fathers as well asmothers. We found that some eggs were small, were laid by the mothersin various places, and then left to develop or to die. Others werelarger, covered with a large shell, and kept warm by the motherssitting over them until the little ones were hatched. Others were sosmall that they developed in the mother's body until, as livingcreatures, they were born into the world. This is the case with thehuman being. He is first an egg in the mother's ovary. When this egghas reached a certain stage of development it passes from the ovarythrough a tube into the uterus. If it meets there, or on its waythere, the fertilizing principle of the male, it remains there anddevelops into the child. If it does not meet this principle, it passesout through the vagina and is lost. 

But the eggs, or ova--which is the Latin word meaning eggs--do notbegin to ripen until the girl reaches the age of thirteen or fourteen, or, in other words, until she begins to become a woman. This passingaway of the ovum (singular of ova) is called ovulation, and it occursin the woman about every twenty-eight days. The uterus is lined by amucous membrane similar to that which lines the mouth, and at thistime of ovulation this membrane becomes swollen and soft, and littlehemorrhages, or bleedings, occur for three or four days, the bloodpassing away through the vagina. This is called menstruation. 

Sometimes, when girls have not been told beforehand of the facts ofmenstruation, they become greatly frightened at seeing this blood andimagine that they have some dreadful disease. If they have no friendto whom they can speak freely they sometimes do very injudiciousthings in their efforts to remove that which to them seems so strangeand inexplicable. I have known of girls who washed their clothes incold water and put them on wet, and so took cold and perhaps checkedthe menstrual flow, and as a consequence were injured for life, or mayeven have died years after as a result of this unwise conduct. 

The girl who is wisely taught will recognize in this the outward signof the fact that she has reached womanhood, that she has entered uponwhat is called the maternal period of a woman's life, the period whenit is possible for her to become a mother. 

This does not mean that she should become a mother while so young. Itonly means that the sex organs are so far developed that they arebeginning to take up their peculiar functions. But they are like theimmature buds of the flower, and need time for a perfect development. If she understands this, and recognizes her added value to the worldthrough the perfecting of her entire organism, she will desire to takegood care of herself, and during these years of early young womanhoodto develop into all that is possible of sweetness, grace, purity, andall true womanliness. 

Girls who are not wisely taught sometimes feel that this new physicalfunction is a vexatious hindrance to their happiness. It is oftenaccompanied with pain, and its periodical recurrence interferes withtheir plans for pleasure, and they in ignorance sometimes say, rebelliously, "O, I hate being a woman!"

A young woman once came to consult me professionally. She was awell-formed, good-looking girl, to all outward appearance lackingnothing in her physical make-up; but she was now twenty-two and hadnever menstruated, so she was aware that for some reason she was notlike other girls. She came to ask me to make an examination and findout, if possible, what was wrong. She was engaged to be married, andknew that motherhood was in some way connected with menstruation, andshe thought it might be possible that her physical condition wouldpreclude the possibility of her becoming a mother, and, if so, itwould be dishonorable to marry. Upon examination I discovered that allthe organs of reproduction were lacking. When I disclosed this fact toher she exclaimed, with sadness, "Oh, why was I not made like othergirls? I have heard them complain because they were girls, but I thinkif they were in my place, and knew that they could never have a homeand children of their own, they would feel they had greater reasonthen to complain. "

I think so, too. We seldom think of the fact that upon sex depend allthe sweet ties of home and family. It is because of sex that we arefathers, mothers and children; that we have the dear family life, withits anniversaries of weddings and birthdays. It is through sex thatthe "desolate of the earth are set in families, " and love andgenerosity have sway instead of selfishness. For this reason we oughtto regard sex with reverent thought, to hold it sacred to the highestpurposes, to speak of it ever with purest delicacy, and never withjesting or prurient smiles. I do not want you to center your thoughton the physical facts of sex, but I would like to have you feel thatwomanhood, which is the mental, moral and physical expression of sex, is a glorious, divine gift, to be received with solemn thankfulness. 

I want you, for the sake of a perfect womanhood, to take care of yourbodily health, and yet I do not want you to feel that a woman must ofnecessity be a periodical semi-invalid. 

CHAPTER XV. 

ARTIFICIALITIES OF CIVILIZED LIFE. 

Menstruation is a perfectly physiological process and should bewithout pain. Indeed, Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi maintains that a womanought to feel more life, vigor and ambition at that period than at anyother time. As a fact, however, the majority of civilized women feelmore or less lassitude and discomfort, and many suffer intensely. Whenever there is actual pain at any stage of the monthly period, itis because something is wrong, either in the dress, or the diet, orthe personal and social habits of the individual. We certainly cannotbelieve that a kind and just God has made it necessary for women tosuffer merely because they are women, and the observation of travelersamong uncivilized peoples seems to indicate that where life isconducted according to nature's laws, the limitations of sex are lessobservable. 

It is difficult for us to understand how very far our lives are frombeing natural. Professor Emmett, a world-renowned specialist indiseases peculiar to women, says: "At the very dawn of womanhood theyoung girl begins to live an artificial life utterly inconsistent withnormal development. The girl of the period is made a woman before hertime by associating too much with her elders, and in diet, dress, habits and tastes becomes at an early age but a reflection of herelder sisters. She may have acquired every accomplishment, and yetwill have been kept in ignorance of the simplest features of herorganization, and of the requirements for the preservation of herhealth. Her bloom is often as transient as that of the hothouse plant, where the flower has been forced by cultivation to an excess ofdevelopment by stunting the growth of its branches and limiting thespread of its roots. A girl is scarcely in her teens before customrequires a change in her dress. Her shoulder-straps and buttons aregiven up for a number of strings about her waist and the additionalweight of an increased length in skirt is added. She is unable to takethe proper kind or necessary amount of exercise, even if she were nottaught that it would be unladylike to make the attempt. Her waist isdrawn into a shape little adapted to accommodate the organs placedthere, and as the abdominal and spinal muscles are seldom brought intoplay they become atrophied. The viscera are thus compressed anddisplaced, and as the full play of the abdominal wall and the descentof the diaphragm are interfered with, the venous blood is hindered inits return to the heart. "

Since Professor Emmett wrote this, public sentiment has changed, andit is no longer unladylike for girls to exercise; but with thisincreased freedom in custom should also come increased physicalfreedom through healthful clothing that allows perfect use of everymuscle, more especially of the breathing muscles. I am sure you wouldrather pay out your money for that which shall add to your health andreal happiness than to pay physicians to help you from suffering thejust penalty of your own wrongdoing, and that is why I am anxious togive you this needed instruction. I do not care to have you study muchabout diseases, but I want you to understand very fully how, throughcare of yourself, to prevent disease. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

SOME CAUSES OF PAINFUL MENSTRUATION. 

There should be no pain at menstruation, but that pain is quite commoncannot be denied. Let us look for other causes than are found in thedress. 

One frequent cause is found in the ignorance of girls, and theirconsequent injudicious conduct at the time of the beginning of sexualactivity. At this time of life the girl is often called lazy becauseshe manifests lassitude, and this is nature's indication that sheshould rest. The vital forces are busy establishing a new function, and the energy that has been expressed in bodily activity is now beingotherwise employed. The girl who has been properly brought up, whosemuscles are strong, and whose nervous supply is abundant, may have noneed of especial care at this time, but the average girl needs muchjudicious care, in order that her physical womanhood shall behealthfully established. She should be guarded from taking cold, fromoverexertion, from social dissipation, and especially from mentalexcitement, and other causes of nervousness. I would like to call yourattention to the great evil of romance-reading, both in theproduction of premature development and in the creation of morbidmental states which will tend to the production of physical evils, such as nervousness, hysteria, and a host of maladies which largelydepend upon disturbed nerves. 

Girls are not apt to understand the evils of novel-reading, and maythink it is only because mothers have outlived their days of romancethat they object to their daughters enjoying such sentimental reading;but the wise mother understands the effects of sensational readingupon the physical organization, and wishes to protect her daughterfrom the evils thus produced. 

It is not only that novel-reading engenders false and unreal ideas oflife, but the descriptions of love-scenes, of thrilling, romanticepisodes, find an echo in the girl's physical system and tend tocreate an abnormal excitement of her organs of sex, which sherecognizes only as a pleasurable mental emotion, with no comprehensionof the physical origin or the evil effects. 

Romance-reading by young girls will, by this excitement of the bodilyorgans, tend to create their premature development, and the childbecomes physically a woman months, or even years, before she should. 

In one case it became my duty to warn a girl of eleven, who was anomnivorous reader of romances, that such reading was in allprobability hastening her development, and she would become a woman inbodily functions while she ought yet to be a child. Her indications ofapproaching womanhood were very apparent. By becoming impressed by mywords she gave up romance-reading, devoted herself to outdoor sports, to nature studies, and the vital forces diverted from the reproductivesystem were employed in building up her physical energy, her healthimproved, her nervousness disappeared, and three years later herfunction of menstruation was painlessly established. 

A frequent cause of painful menstruation is found in habitual neglectof the bowels. The evils of constipation are common to the majority ofwomen and girls, and the foundation is laid in childhood. Mothers arenot careful enough in instructing children in the need of care in thisrespect, and so the habit is formed early in life, and the results arefelt later. 

If the bowels are not evacuated regularly the matter to be cast out ofthe body accumulates in the rectum and large bowel, and by pressurethe circulation of the blood is impeded and congestion ensues. Thisextends to all the pelvic organs; the uterus and ovaries thuscongested will soon manifest disease, and painful menstruation be theresult. 

One of the most frequent causes of pain is congestion produced bydisplacements. People are very apt to think that the displacement ofthe uterus is the main factor, but in my opinion it is a secondarycondition, and not the one to be first considered. The uterus is asmall organ, not vital to the individual, is very movable, and notsensitive, so that its displacement alone could hardly be consideredsufficient to cause so great a train of evils as is frequentlymanifest. But the liver, stomach and bowels are large, vital organs, and their displacement leads to greater consequences. You learned atschool that the bowels are over twenty feet in length, weigh as muchas twelve or fifteen pounds, are supported in a way that makes itpossible for them to sag into the abdominal cavity and press upon thepelvic organs. Dr. Emerson, of the Boston School of Oratory, assertsthat in most adults the stomach and bowels are from two to six inchesbelow their normal location; and, as I have said before, Dr. Kelloggoften finds the stomach lying in the abdominal cavity as low down asthe umbilicus. What has caused this sagging of the abdominal viscera?They certainly must have been intended to keep their place unlessthere has been some interference. We find just such interference inthe ordinary arrangement of the clothing. Tight waists and bands, andskirts supported by the hips, are cause sufficient for thesedisplacements. 

Just above the hips there is no bony structure to protect and supportthe soft, muscular parts. They yield to pressure, and the internalviscera, deprived of muscular support, sink until they rest on thepelvic organs. If, when you look at your abdomen, you see depressionsor hollows on each side below the floating ribs, you may know that thebowels have sagged down out of place. If you feel great weariness, backache, or a dragged down feeling in standing or walking, you mayknow that the contents of the abdomen are pulling on their attachmentsor pressing on the pelvic organs. Thus displaced, circulation ishindered and the organs all become congested, or filled with bloodthat moves very slowly. This congested condition is increased atmenstruation, and great pain may result. 

It is well to have the counsel of some good, honest physician undersuch circumstances, but should you be where it is not possible to havesuch counsel, you may still be able to do something to help yourself. In the first place, you can rearrange your clothing so as to relieveall the organs from external weight or pressure, and, in the secondplace, you can support the abdominal walls by applying pressure frombelow. I have known cases of painful menstruation entirely relieved bysimply supporting the bowels by a bandage, thus relieving the uterusof pressure and allowing a free circulation through all the internalorgans. 

A very simple and practical bandage can be made at home at almost nocost, either in time or money. Buy some thin, cheap cotton flannel. Take lengthwise of the goods a strip long enough to go around the bodyat the hips, which will be a yard or a little over, and wide enough tofit from the thighs up to the waist, perhaps eight inches. Put dartson the sides and in the center of the back, to make it fit the figure. Make a couple of straps four inches wide and half a yard long; cut offone end of each diagonally. Sew these slanting ends to the lower sideof the band about four inches from the center, that is eight inchesapart, and so that the short side of the strap will be towards thecenter. Do not hem either band or straps, but overcast them; then theywill not feel uncomfortable. 

In order to adjust the band properly it will be well to lie down onthe back upon the bandage with the knees raised. Press the hands lowdown upon the abdomen and raise the contents. Repeat this severaltimes; then draw the bandage around, pin with safety pins, draw thestraps up between the limbs and fasten with safety pins to thebandage. The support thus given is found to be very comfortable, andgirls who have much trouble in walking or standing during theirmenstrual periods would find this simple bandage a great help at thattime. 

When the bandage is removed at night you should rub and manipulate theabdominal walls so as to increase the circulation and stimulate inthem a better circulation and thus make you stronger. 

By deep breathing in a proper standing attitude the abdominal visceraare lifted upward, and if the firmness of the abdominal walls is atthe same time increased by exercise, the difficulties may be largelyovercome. Some exercises will be found in Chapter XXIII. Which arecalculated to strengthen the walls and to lift the internal organs. 

I wish to call your attention to a cause of displacement that is quitegenerally overlooked, and that is, a wrong attitude. 

Dr. Eliza Mosher has made a very thorough study of this matter, andshe says that the common habit of standing on one foot is productiveof marked deformities of both face and body and of seriousdisplacements of internal organs. It is seldom a girl or woman can befound whose body is perfectly symmetrical. By standing on one foot, the hip and shoulder of one side approach each other, and so lessenthe space within the abdomen on that side. On the other side a supporthas been removed for the contents of the abdomen, and they sag downuntil they pry the uterus out of place and press it over towards theside where there is less pressure. The broad ligament on one side isstretched from use and on the other side shortened from disuse, and sothe uterus remains permanently dislocated. 

Dr. Mosher thinks that standing continually with the weight on theleft foot is more injurious than bearing it on the right foot, for itcauses the uterus and ovaries to press upon the rectum and so producesa mechanical constipation, especially during menstruation. 

Wrong habits of sitting will produce the same results. If the girlsits at school with one elbow on the desk, the head will be turned tothe opposite side and the spine will be inclined from theperpendicular, and a lateral curvature be likely to result. If shecarries her books always on the same side, it will tend to increasethe curvature. If she sits with both elbows supported, her shoulderswill be pushed up. If her body is twisted as she sits, a strain comesupon the muscles, and some ligaments will be lengthened and othersshortened, thus producing a lateral curvature. 

To sit "on the small of the back, " that is, slipping down in thechair, bracing the shoulders against the chair-back, tends to injurethe nerves by pressure, and also to create a posterior curvature ofthe spine. 

Does it not seem unfortunate that we should allow ourselves even toform such wrong habits of sitting and standing? And now we ask, Howshall we know when we are in a correct attitude?

We have comparatively few correct examples to imitate. I notice peopleeverywhere, and I see that old and young stand incorrectly. The headis poked forward, the shoulders are rounded, the chest is flattened, and the curve in the lower part of the back is straightened. The wholefigure is out of balance, and therefore not harmonious. Not only isthe beauty of the figure destroyed, but the internal organs aredisplaced. Many a mother who sees her daughter thus growinground-shouldered keeps telling her to throw her shoulders back; but tofollow this command only increases the difficulty. The shoulders arenot primarily at fault, but the trouble originates in non-use of thefront waist muscles. These muscles, weakened by disease because oftight clothing and corset steels, and also by cramped positions inschool or at work, refuse to hold the body erect, and it "lops" justat this point. This "lopping" disturbs the harmonious relation of theweights of shoulders, abdomen, head, and the large lower glutealmuscles with which nature has cushioned the lower part of the body, and so they are obliged to readjust themselves to balance each other, and the awkward, ungainly, unhealthful posture results. 

What is needed is to restore the right relation of these weights andall will again be harmonious. Do not interfere with the shoulders, butstraighten the front of the body by elevating the chest and raisingthe head until it is supported directly on the spine, letting theshoulders take care of themselves. If the abdomen is now held back andthe gluteal muscles raised, the beautiful curves of the spine will berestored, the shoulders will be straightened, and the internal organswill have a chance to resume their natural position. 

A very easy way of finding out if you have the correct attitude is toplace your toes against the bottom of the door. Now bring your chestup to touch the door, and throw the lower part of the spine backwardso that there will be a space between the abdomen and the door. Placethe head erect, with the chin drawn in towards the neck, and you willhave very nearly the correct attitude. It may seem a little tiresomeat first, because you will be apt to hold yourself in position withneedless tension of muscles, but you will soon learn to relax theunnecessary tension, and then you will find the position the mostcomfortable possible. You can walk farther without fatigue, and standlonger without backache, because the body is placed in the attitude inwhich all parts occupy their designed relation to each other. 

One very important fact is that in the wrong attitude the abdominalorgans crowd down into the pelvis, while in the correct position theyare supported and kept from sagging, so that the matter of a correctattitude is not only a matter of beauty, but also of health. 

In sitting, also, the most comfortable posture is the most healthful;that is, with the body squarely placed on the seat, and equallysupported upon the pelvis--not leaning back against the chair, unlessthe chair should chance to be so constructed that it supports thelower part of the back and keeps the body erect. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

"FEMALE DISEASES. "

We hear a great deal in these days of "female diseases, " by which ismeant the displacements of the organs of the reproductive system; thatis, of the uterus, ovaries, etc. These displacements are many, for theuterus may not only drop down out of place, but it may be tippedtowards one side or the other, to the front or the back; or it may bebent upon itself in various directions. These different displacementscause much pain, and often result in ulcerations and profusedischarges which are known as the "whites, " or scientifically asleucorrhea. 

I only mention these things incidentally, so that I may call yourattention to the things you may do to prevent them. 

A great many girls and women are spending large sums of money in beingdoctored for these difficulties who need not suffer with them at allif they had known how to dress healthfully; and many are bearing muchanxiety over the possibility of becoming sufferers with thesedistressing diseases who could have their burden of fear removed bythe knowledge that "female diseases, " in the great majority of cases, are the results of wrong habits of dress and life. Leucorrhea is nota disease. It is a symptom of abnormal conditions, and to be cured itis needful that the conditions shall be understood. 

Dr. Kellogg says, "Leucorrhea may result from simple congestion of thebloodvessels of the vaginal mucous membrane, due to improper dress. Itmay also be occasioned by taking cold, and by a debilitated conditionof the stomach. "

Leucorrhea is merely an abnormal increase of a normal secretion. Allmucous membrane secretes mucus in small quantities--enough to keep themembrane moist. When from any cause this secretion is increased, wehave what is called a catarrhal condition. As all cavities thatcommunicate with the air are lined with mucous membrane, thiscatarrhal condition may exist in the nose, the throat, the eyes, theears, the bowels, or the reproductive organs, and will be namedaccording to the location. 

A natural increase of this secretion takes place just before and aftermenstruation, and should occasion no anxiety, but if continued duringthe remainder of the month, especially if very profuse, of offensiveodor, or bloody in character, it needs the attention of the skilledphysician. 

I do not wish to make you think constantly of yourself as diseased, and so I do not give you directions as to local self-treatment. Manysymptoms can be overcome by general care of the health-habits of thegirl, and if they do not yield to this general care it is better toconsult a responsible physician than to tamper with yourself. 

And here let me give you a word of warning. If you need medical care, never consult the traveling doctors who advertise to do such wonderfulthings. They charge big fees and give a little medicine and then moveon, and you have no redress if they have not accomplished all thatthey have promised. They live off the gullibility of people. Again, never take patent medicines. Wonderful discoveries, favoriteprescriptions and the like may be harmless, and they may not. And evenif they are, how can you judge that they are suited to your specialcase? That they cured some one else is not proof that they willbenefit you, and you run a risk by taking them as an experiment. Onevery serious danger in the taking of patent medicines is the fact thatthey are so largely alcoholic in composition, and girls and women haveall too often been led into the alcohol habit and become habitualdrunkards through taking some advertised remedy. 

Another has correctly said: "If you need the consultation and adviceof a physician go to your family physician, or, if you prefer, go tosome other physician; but always select one whose moral character andacknowledged ability render him a suitable and safe adviser in such atime of need. Above all things avoid quacks. The policy they pursue isto frighten you, to work upon your imagination, and to make suchalarming and unreliable statements as will induce you to purchasetheir nostrums and subject yourself to such a series of humiliationsand impositions as will enable them to pilfer your purse and withoutrendering you in return any value received, but likely leave you in amuch worse condition than they found you. "

You will probably be advised by your personal friends, who may know ofyour ailments, to take hot douches, and perhaps you may wonder why Ido not prescribe them for leucorrhea, and kindred difficulties. 

I do not commend them for the fact that I do not want you to beturning your constantly anxious thought towards yourself in thesematters. If you need such treatment, let it be prescribed by yourphysician, who knows exactly your condition. As far as possible turnyour thoughts from the reproductive system. Take care of your generalhealth, dress properly, obey all the rules of hygiene in regard todiet, sleep, bathing, special cleanliness, and care, and then forgetas far as possible the physical facts of womanhood. 

An excellent addition to your general bathing can be taken once a weekin the form of a sitz bath, which is effective for cleanliness, andalso for the reduction of congestion. If you have no sitz bath-tub, an ordinary wash-tub can be made to answer by raising one side an inchor two by means of some support. Have the water at a comfortabletemperature, say about 98 degrees, and if you have no thermometer youcan gauge the heat by putting in three gallons of cold water and addone gallon of boiling water. Sit down in the tub and cover yourselfwith a blanket. In about ten minutes add by degrees a gallon of coldwater. Remain sitting a minute or two longer, then rub dry. 

Many people are afraid to use cold water after hot, in bathing, forfear they will take cold, but that is just the way to prevent such aresult from the hot bath. The hot water has caused all the pores onthe surface of the body to open, and the bodily heat is rapidly lostthrough this cause. The cold water, quickly applied, causes the poresto close, leaves the skin in a tonic condition, and conserves thebodily heat. One should never take a hot bath without following itwith a _quick_ cold application to the surface. It should continue, however, but for a moment. 

This kind of a bath is very useful for all chronic congestions of theabdominal and pelvic viscera, such as piles, constipation, painfulmenstruation, leucorrhea, or other affections of the reproductiveorgans. It is also very helpful in headaches due to congestion of thebrain. If there is too little blood in the brain it might producewakefulness, but when the brain is too full of blood this bath tendsto produce sound and refreshing sleep. 

A foot bath may be taken at the same time as the sitz bath, and inthis case the water should be warmer than that in the sitz bath, andas the person rises from the sitz bath she should step into it, sothat her feet will get the tonic effect of the cold water. 

The average age at which menstruation first appears is fourteen, butsome girls menstruate as early as eleven, while others may not developtill some years later. Frequently, when the girl does not manifestthis symptom of womanly development, the mother becomes anxious andbegins to give forcing medicines. She knows that girls often die withconsumption in their early young womanhood, and has heard that it wasbecause they did not physically develop, and she fears that suchdanger threatens her daughter, and imagines that if something can bedone to "bring on her courses, " as she expresses it, the danger willbe averted. 

In this case she has reversed cause and effect. The consumptive girldid not menstruate because she had not the vitality to do so. Theconsumption was the cause, the non-menstruation the effect. To producehemorrhage from the reproductive system by strong, forcing medicinesis only to increase the danger. The only thing to do is to improve thegeneral health, and if the girl can increase in strength until shehas more vital force than suffices to keep her alive, the functionthat is vital--not to her, but to the race--will establish itself. 

The failure of the menses to appear at the average age may be duemerely to a slow development, and in this case there is nothing to dobut wait. If the girl seems well, if she has no backache, no headache, no general lassitude, no undue nervous symptoms, the merenon-appearance of the menses need occasion no alarm. If, however, shehas these symptoms, it is an evidence that nature is attempting toestablish the function and is hindered either by general lack ofvitality or by some local condition, and in either case the giving offorcing medicines would be a mistake. The weekly sitz bath would do noharm as a semi-local measure. All proper precautions should beobserved as to maintenance of general health and mental serenity, andif these do not prove sufficient the physician should be consulted. 

In the case I mentioned, where the reproductive organs were lacking, the girl had been subjected to a long course of home medication whichhad proven disastrous to her digestion, and yet, as will be readilyunderstood, had not resulted in the establishment of a function thatis dependent upon organs which, in this case, did not exist. 

Sometimes there are slight mechanical hindrances which can only bedetermined by the physician, though their presence will be indicatedby the symptoms of menstruation without the accompanying sanguineousdischarge. In these cases the home medication is dangerous. If thegirl regularly has symptoms of approaching menstruation, with pain andbloating, and these subside without flow, it would be wise to consultthe physician instead of resorting to domestic remedies or letting thematter go on without attention. 

Quite frequently the first appearance of menstruation is followed byweeks or even months of freedom from its reappearance. In these casesno alarm need be felt as long as the general health is not affected. Again, there may be suspension of the function from change ofsurroundings. Girls who go away to school often suffer fromirregularity. I have known of a case where the girl never menstruatedduring the school year, but was perfectly regular during vacations. 

These cases may be accounted for by the nervous strain, the using upof vital forces in mental effort to such degree that there is nothingleft with which to carry on the menstrual function. In all such casesit is wise to watch carefully the general health, and if all functionsare not properly conducted, to reduce the strain until the vitality isable to keep all functions in order. 

Girls are sometimes disturbed because the flow is scanty, and thinkthey should do something to increase the amount. It is no doubt truethat profuse menstrual flow is the result of our artificial lives. Ifwe lived more normally we should have naturally a scanty menstrualflow. Therefore if a girl has good health and no monthly pain and theflow is scanty, she may consider herself as more nearly in a normalstate, and be thankful. 

If, however, the menses are suddenly less than normal it denotes asuppression, which may be the result of cold, exhaustion of body, weariness of nerves, mental anxiety, or disturbance of the emotions. 

If gradual suppression occurs, accompanied by loss of health, itindicates some constitutional difficulty or local trouble whichdemands professional counsel. 

Profuse menstruation is also a relative term, as there is no definitestandard as to amount of menstrual flow, nor the length of time itshould continue. The profuseness must be measured by the condition ofthe individual. Where health seems fully maintained there would appearno cause for anxiety. But if there is a marked increase over theamount usual for the individual, if great weakness and prostration isproduced, either at the time or afterward, it may be called profuse, and the cause may be either debility, that is weakness, or plethora, which means fullness. If from the latter, there will be throbbingheadache, pain in the back, and general signs of fever. If fromdebility, there will be pallor, weakness, and perhaps an almostcontinuous flow. 

As may be imagined, the treatment in the two cases will differ. Thefull-blooded girl should be put on a plain, unstimulating diet, withplenty of out-door exercise during the month, but about twenty-fourhours before the flow is expected she should have complete mental andphysical rest. She should remain in bed, and apply cold wet clothsover the abdomen and between the thighs for an hour at a time, withintervals of at least one-half hour between the applications. Thebowels should be freed from all fecal matter, and cool, small enemasbe given two or three times a day. If these simple measures do notavail, the doctor should be consulted. 

The pale and debilitated girl needs to rest. Sometimes, if hemorrhagecontinues almost from one period to the next, she should remain in bedeven after the flow seems checked. The great desideratum is to buildup the general health, not by tonics, which are usually onlystimulants, but by the judicious observance of the laws of health. This will, in many cases, call for the advice of the physician, whocan see and study the patient and her special conditions. It is notsafe to trust to book-doctoring. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

CARE DURING MENSTRUATION. 

I have said that I do not want you to think yourself a semi-invalidand so be "fussy" about yourself, but I have also said that I want youto take care of yourself at all times, and especially during yourmenstrual periods. How can you make these ideas agree with each other?

I know that many writers say that a girl should spend one day eachmonth in bed, or at least lying down; that there are some things thatshould always be forbidden to girls, simply because they are girls, such as running up and down stairs. These wholesale restrictions makegirls rebellious at their womanhood. I simply want you to use goodsense at all times in your care of yourself. 

Knowing the fact that just before and during menstruation the uterusis heavier than at other times, because engorged with blood, andremembering that it is loosely suspended, it is easy to understandthat long walks or severe exercise at the menstrual period will moreeasily cause it to sag, and this sagging becoming permanent may causepain, backache, and other discomforts. Therefore, having good sense, you will not plan to take long rides or walks or do any severeexercise. At the same time moderate exercise in proper clothing willtend to relieve pelvic congestion by equalizing the circulation, andif the clothing is properly adjusted and the muscles are strong andwell-developed, an ordinary amount of physical activity may bebeneficial rather than harmful. 

Girls are so often told that they must not walk at their monthlyperiods, must not study, must not ride, etc. , etc. , that it really isno wonder that they feel it a very undesirable thing to be a woman. Myobservation leads me to believe that if girls from earliest childhoodwere dressed loosely, with no clothing suspended on the hips, if theirmuscles were well developed through judicious exercise, they wouldseldom find it necessary to be semi-invalids at any time. In fact, wedo sometimes find a young woman who has no consciousness of physicaldisturbance during menstruation. She can pursue her usual avocationswithout hindrance, and finds her physical womanhood no bar to anyenjoyment. 

This is as it should be; but as girls have not all been well developedand properly dressed, we cannot assert that all girls can beindifferent to physical conditions at this time. If a girl is well, has no pain or discomfort, then I would say, let her use good commonsense in the ordering of her daily life and give the matter no specialor anxious thought. If she has pain or uneasiness, let her govern herlife accordingly, using care, taking some rest at the time of themenses; but, above all things, let her arrange her clothing at alltimes so as to secure for herself absolute freedom of movement. Thenlet her, during the intervals between the menstrual periods, endeavorby judicious exercise to build up strong muscular structure around thevital organs, such structure as will support the _viscera_ where theybelong, and in time she will probably find herself growing free frommenstrual pain. 

During the painful periods resulting from congestion it is oftenadvisable to keep the recumbent position, and to use heat bothexternally and internally. However, I would advise never usingalcoholic beverages. Their apparent usefulness lies principally in thehot water with which they are administered, and the danger of formingthe alcohol habit is too great to justify their use. 

There are cases of nervous pain at menstruation that are aggravated byheat and diminished by cold. I knew such a case where a girl atschool, suffering with menstrual pain, alarmed teachers and friends bywringing towels out of cold water and laying them over her abdomen. But the alarm subsided when they saw that the pain soon passed awayunder the cold application. The girl was one in whom there were nolocal congestions, but great nervous exhaustion and heat alwaysincreased her sufferings, while cold allayed. 

I have read that a woman should not bathe or change her underwearwhile menstruating. I cannot see how soiled clothing can be morehealthful than that which is clean; and if well-aired, I should nomore object to your putting on clean underwear than to your changingyour dress. Most especially would I advise a frequent change ofnapkins, in order to remove those which are soiled from theirirritating contact with the body. A full bath during menstruationwould, for most people, be unadvisable, but the cleansing of theprivate parts is imperative. For this, tepid water, with good soap, may be used daily or oftener. Other parts of the body may be rubbedwith a wet cloth, followed by vigorous, dry rubbing. Cleanliness atall times is certainly a mark of refinement. 

You should use good sense and not run out in thin slippers on wet orcold ground; but if your feet get wet through accident, keep in motionuntil you can make a change of shoes and stockings. There is littledanger from wet feet to those in good health, if they keep in vigorousmotion. 

As to other rules, they are those that pertain to the care of healthat all times: loose clothing, deep breathing, wholesome food, plentyof sleep, sunlight, pure air, exercise according to your strength, and, above all, serenity of mind, accepting the fact of physicalwomanhood, together with a recognition of its sacredness and dignity. 

As a minor item, I would suggest that the napkins be fastened tostraps that go over the shoulder and are then joined together in frontand back to an end piece, on each of which a button is sewn. Buttonholes in the napkins at the corners, diagonal from each other, will make them easily attached or removed. The napkins should be of amaterial that is quickly absorbent of the flow. Cheesecloth is cheap, and can be burned or otherwise disposed of after using. It may beprotected by an outer strip of unbleached muslin which is almostwater-proof. 

A very comfortable way of arranging napkins that are to be used fromtime to time is to take a piece of linen or cotton diaper sixteeninches square. About three inches from one end, make on each side anincision four inches long. Fold this strip in the middle lengthwise, and sew together up to the end of the incisions. This makes a bandwith a sort of pocket in the middle. Hem the cut edges. Fold thenapkin over, four inches on each side, that is as deep as theincisions. Then fold crosswise until you can enclose the whole in thepocket in the band. This makes a thick center and thin ends by whichto attach the napkin to the suspender. 

I hold that mental serenity is one of the essentials of healthfulmenstrual periods, and this cannot be had if the mind is continuallytroubled and the thought centered on the physical condition. I wouldbe glad to have your mind freed from the ideas of sex matters as faras possible. It is a scientific fact that thinking continually of anorgan tends to disturb that organ. I know a man who was so afraid ofheart disease that he felt of his pulse every few minutes and kept astethoscope on the head of his bed to listen to his heart in thenight. I would have been surprised had he not had heart trouble. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

SOLITARY VICE. 

As the reproductive system awakens to activity it naturally attractsthe attention of the girl, and an effort should be made to call herthoughts to other themes. 

As I have said before, the reading of sensational love stories is mostdetrimental. The descriptions of passionate love scenes arouse in thereader a thrill through her own sexual organism that tends to increaseits activity and derange its normal state. Girls often mature intowomen earlier than they should, because through romances, throughjests of associates in regard to beaus and lovers, and throughindulgence in sentimental fancies their sexual systems are undulystimulated and aroused. This stimulation sometimes leads to theformation of an evil habit, known as self-abuse. The stimulation ofthe sex organs is accompanied with a pleasurable sensation, and thisexcitement may be created by mechanical means, or even by thought. Many girls who are victims of this most injurious habit are unaware ofits dangers, although they instinctively feel that they do not want itknown. Others who would not stoop to a mechanical exciting ofthemselves do so through thoughts, and do not know that they are justas truly guilty of self-abuse as the girl who uses the hand or othermechanical means. 

The results of self-abuse are most disastrous. It destroys mentalpower and memory, it blotches the complexion, dulls the eye, takesaway the strength, and may even cause insanity. It is a habit mostdifficult to overcome, and may not only last for years, but in itstendency be transmitted to one's children. 

If you have from the first thought nobly of yourself, you will havefallen into no such debasing habit. But if, through ignorance, youhave acquired it, how shall you overcome it?

I should hesitate to write more on this subject did I not know thatmany girls fall victims to this evil through ignorance, and many whothus fall could and would have been saved had they been rightlyinstructed. I therefore desire that you shall be wise. 

Every normal function of the body is attended with a pleasurablesensation. We enjoy eating, seeing, walking. Odors bring sensationswhich are agreeable, the sense of touch may give pleasure, and as weenjoy these sensations in fact, so we may enjoy them in memory or inimagination. We can recall the beauty of the rose, the perfume of themignonette, the flavor of the orange, or we can imagine newcombinations of these delights. We feel joy or grief through readingvivid descriptions, or we can ourselves create imaginary scenes inwhich we are actors, who suffer or enjoy. 

The reproductive system is the seat of great nervous susceptibility, and the excitation of these nerves gives a pleasurable sensation. Thisexcitation may be thought a local mechanical irritation or it may bemental. In little children it may be caused by lack of cleanliness ofthe external organs. An irritation is produced, and an attempt toallay this by rubbing produces an agreeable feeling, which may berepeated until the evil habit of self-abuse is formed. 

Sometimes constipation, by creating a pelvic congestion, will have thesame result. Sometimes clothing which is too small may, by unduepressure on the parts, call the thought of the child to these organs, and in an attempt to remove the pressure by pulling the clothing awaythe habit may be begun. 

Sometimes the tiny pin-worms in the rectum may wander into the vagina, and the little girl feel a constant annoyance, which rubbing allaystemporarily, but which results in the evil habit of the use of thehands to produce an agreeable sensation. Thus through avoidable causesthe evil habit may be acquired. Then it may be taught by one thuslearning it to another who, without this instruction, would never haveacquired it. 

But new dangers arise as the girl approaches the age when thereproductive system begins to take on the activity that indicatesapproaching womanhood. The normal congestion of the parts causes ahitherto unknown consciousness of sex, and unless she is warned shemay at this period acquire the habit without knowing its evils. 

All functions necessary to the preservation of the individual life areattended with pleasure, and so are those which are for thecontinuation of the species. While the emotion may be pleasurable, itis at the same time the most exhausting, that can be experienced. Wesee that in some forms of animal existence parenthood is purchased atthe expense of the life of the parent; and while in the human beingthe procreative act does not kill, it exhausts, and no doubt takesfrom the vital force of those exercising it. One can feel justified tolose a part of her own life if she is conferring life upon others, butto indulge in such a waste of vital force merely for pleasure iscertainly never excusable, and least excusable of all is the arousingof pleasurable emotions by a direct violation of natural law. 

The only natural method of arousing a recognition of sexual feeling isas God has appointed in holy marriage, and the self-respecting girlfeels that no approach of personal familiarity is either right orproper. But it may be that she does not know that feelings may beawakened by the imagination which are as wrong morally as, and moreinjurious physically than, actual deeds, and so may allow her mind torevel in fancies that would shock her as actualities. 

I received a letter not long ago from a young woman who mostemphatically asserted that she would never, never, never permitfamiliarities, and then most innocently says, "but it wouldn't bewrong to imagine yourself enjoying the embrace of some certain one, would it?"

It is just this idea that there is no wrong in thought that weakensvirtue's fortress and renders it easily demolished. Girls who wouldshrink from use of mechanical means to arouse sexual desire willpermit themselves to revel in imaginary scenes of love-making withreal or unreal individuals, or in mental pictures which arouse thespasmodic feelings of sexual pleasure, and yet be unaware that theyare guilty of self-abuse. 

Sexual feeling in itself is not base, but it can be debased either inthought or in deed. Rightly considered, it is the indication of thepossession of the most sacred powers, that of the perpetuation oflife. 

"Passion is the instinct for preservation of one's kind, the voice ofthe life principle, the sign of creative power. " These last four wordsopen before us a wonderful field of thought. "Creative power!" Whatdoes that mean? Is creative power limited to reproduction of kind? Doyou not create when you work out with brain some idea and then embodyit in some visible form? Worth is said to create an artistic dress, the actor creates his part in the play, the musician creates thearrangement of harmonies which are represented in musical signs, andin the same sense you may be in a myriad of ways a creator. 

With the beginning of activity of sexual life in yourself cameincreased development and new energy, beauty, and power, and thepreservation and right use of that life will continue to be a sourceof power. "When the signs of this creative power come throbbing andpulsing in every fiber, it only shows that one has more and greaterability to create than ever before. One knows by this that she can nowdo greater work than she has done or is doing;" so says one writer. 

Is it not a beautiful thought that this feeling, which we havesupposed we must fight as something low, is in reality the stirring ofa divine impulse which we can control and govern and make to serve usin all high and noble deeds?

If you hold such noble thoughts in your heart concerning yourself, youwill need no threatenings to keep you from self-debasement andself-defilement. You will not need to be told of the loss of physicalstrength or of beauty, of memory or of reason, through evil habits ofsolitary vice, for they will have no temptation for you, even as youdo not need threats of police and prisons to keep you from stealing, because honesty is the active and guiding principle of your life. 

But supposing you have already acquired the evil habit and are nowawakened to the wrong you are doing yourself; you observe the lack oflustre in the eye, the sallow, blotched complexion; you realize yourloss of nerve-power manifested in cold and clammy hands, backache, lassitude, irritability, lack of memory, and inability to concentratethought. What shall you do to overcome and to gain control ofyourself? The question is a serious one, for no habit is moretyrannical than the dominion of unrestrained sexual desire. Itsvictims often fight for years, only to be conquered at last. If therewas no cure but in fighting, I should feel that the case was almosthopeless. 

The very first thing to do is to change the mental attitude in regardto the whole matter of sex; to hold it in thought as sacred, holy, consecrated to the highest of all functions, that of procreation. Recognize that, conserved and controlled, it becomes a source ofenergy to the individual. Cleanse the mind of all polluting images bysubstituting this purer thought; then go to work to establish correcthabits of living in dress, diet, exercise, etc. See to it that thereare no such causes of pelvic congestions as prolapsed bowels, causedby tight clothing or constipation; keep the skin active; and, aboveall, keep the mind healthfully occupied. 

The victim of self-abuse has, through the frequent repetition of thehabit, built up an undue amount of brain that is sensitive to localirritation of the sex-organs or to mental pictures of sex-pleasure. She must now allow this part of the brain to become quiescent, and sheshould go to work to build up other brain centers. Let her train hersight by close observation of form, color, size, location. Let hercultivate her sense of hearing in the study of different qualities ofsound, tone, pitch, intensity, duration, timbre; her sense of touch, by learning to judge with closed eyes of different materials, ofquality of fiber, of the different degrees of temperature, ofroughness or smoothness, of density; in fact, let her endeavor tobecome alert, observant, along all the lines of sense-perception. Lether study nature, leaf-forms, cloud-shapes, insects, flowers, birds, bird-songs, the causes of natural phenomena; and, above all, let herkeep out of the realm of the artificial, the sentimental, theemotional, and, holding firmly to the thought that creative energy issymbolized by desire and can be dignified and consecrated to noblestpurposes, she will find herself daily growing into a stronger, morebeautiful self-control. 

CHAPTER XX. 

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF. 

I witnessed the other day a parting between two men. The elder, as hetook the younger by the hand, said, "Good-by, my boy; be good toyourself;" and the younger responded, heartily, "Oh, there is nodanger but I'll be that. " I wondered, as I saw the laughing face, sofull of the indications of the love of pleasure, if he really would begood to himself, or if he would interpret it to mean to indulgehimself in all kinds of sensuous gratification. It is a great thing tobe truly good to one's self, and I would give the injunction with thehighest ideal. Be good to your real self with that true goodness thatsees the end from the beginning, that realizes the tendency of certainforms of pleasure, and that claims the privilege of being master ofthe senses, and not their slave. 

"Well, " you say, rather deprecatingly, "you can't expect young peopleto act as staid and wise as you old folks. We want some fun. " So youdo, and that is perfectly right. You should want fun and have fun. AllI ask is that you shall try to understand what real, true fun is. 

I have seen young folks pull the chair from under some one "for fun, "and the result was pain and perhaps permanent injury to the object ofthe joke. 

I have known young men to imagine they were having "fun" when theywent on a spree, to get "gloriously drunk, " as they phrased it. Youcan see no fun in this. You realize that it is a most serious tragedy, with not an element of real fun in it, involving, as it does, the lossof health, the risking of life, the possibility of crime, theheart-break of friends, and perhaps even death. It is altogether awrong idea of fun. 

I have known girls in the secrecy of their rooms to smoke cigarettes"for fun, " and in that I am sure that you see no amusement. It was alowering of the standard of womanhood; it was tampering with a poison;it was something to be ashamed of, rather than something to call fun. 

I have known young men and women to enter into flirtations "for fun. "I knew a girl whose chief delight seemed to be in getting young men inlove with her, only to cast them aside when tired of their adoration. She called this fun, but it was cruelty. In olden times men amusedthemselves by throwing Christians to wild beasts and watching themwhile being torn to pieces. This was their idea of fun, and theflirt's idea of amusement seems to be of the same order. She playswith the man as the cat with the mouse, and experiences no pangs ofconscience when, torn and bleeding in heart, she tosses him aside fora new victim. 

There are other young people who would not enter into such seriousflirtations, and yet are unduly familiar with each other. They meannothing by their endearments and familiarities, and neither willsuffer any pangs when the pleasant intimacy is ended. Can we not callthis innocent fun? They have indulged in some unobservedhand-pressures, or a few stolen kisses; but neither believed the otherto mean anything serious. It was only fun; what harm could there be inthat?

Many girls to-day are reasoning thus, and many of these may passthrough the experience without loss of reputation; they maysubsequently marry honorably, and become respected and belovedmothers. But ask any of these girls, in her mature years, when her owndaughters are growing up around her, if she wants them to pass throughthe same experiences. I once knew a beautiful young woman who thoughtit was fun to have these familiar intimacies with young men, because, as she said, she knew how far to go. I saw her in her maturity, withdaughters of her own, and heard her say that when she recalled her owngirlish escapades, even in the darkness of the night the blushes wouldrush over her from head to foot, and in heartfelt agony she would sayto herself, "Oh, I wonder if my girls will ever do so?"

It was fun to her in her girlhood; it was shame to her in her matureremembrance; it was agony when she saw it possible to her ownchildren. 

True fun is fun in anticipation, fun in realization, fun inretrospection, and fun in seeing it repeated by succeedinggenerations. If it fails to be fun in any of these instances, it failsto be genuine. 

I like to see young people full of vivacity. I like to hear theirmerry laughter, to witness their innocent pranks; but I do not like tosee them laughing at the sufferings of others, or amusing themselveswith dangers of any kind. Above all, I regret to see them playing withthe fire of physical passion. 

Many a girl who to-day is lost to virtue had no idea that she wasstarting on this downward road. She was only having a good time. Shewas pretty, attractive, and admired. Young men flattered her withwords, and when they held her hand, or put their arm around her, shetook it as another compliment to her charms. She did not see that itwas only selfishness, only a desire to feel the thrills of physicalpleasure which this contact with her person aroused. She would havefelt humiliated had she recognized this fact, and it seems to me thatgirls should understand the feelings that prompt young men to takepersonal familiarities. 

The young man might deny the fact to the girl, but he understands itwell enough as a fact, and he loses a measure of respect for herbecause she is willing to permit his advances. The girl no doubtimagines that these are sweet little secrets between herself and theyoung man, when perhaps he is discussing her openly with his young menfriends. I have even heard such discussions on railway trains, carriedon in no very low tones, between young men, well dressed and with allthe outward appearances of gentlemen, and I have wondered how Jennieand Sadie and Clara and Nellie, whose names I heard openly mentioned, would have felt to have heard themselves described as "a nice, softlittle thing to hug, " or "she knows how to kiss. "

Do you imagine these young men would have thus spoken had they trulyrespected the girls? They might say "They are nice girls, " but wouldthey say, in their deeper consciousness, "They are true, self-respecting, womanly girls, and I honor them?"

"But what is a girl to do?" asks one. "If she is prudish she won't getany attention. She has to allow a certain innocent freedom, or youngmen won't go with her. "

Do you really believe that, dear girl? Let me tell you what young menhave said to me. Said one, "O, we have to be familiar with the girls. They all expect it, and would be offended if we were just friendly andmanifested no familiarities. " Do you suppose girls ever thought of thepossibility of the young men saying that? When they are pleading forpermission to be familiar they do sometimes say, "Why, all the girlsallow it, " but they also add, "so there can be no harm;" while amongthemselves they are laughing at the credulity of the girls, oraccusing them of making it necessary for the young men to take"innocent" liberties in order to have the good will of the girls. 

A young man may assure you most emphatically that he respects you nonethe less, although you allow him to hold your hand or kiss you atparting, but he knows it is not true, and he will admit it to othersrather than to the girl herself. Truthful young men say, "Of course, we have the most respect for the girls who keep us at a distance. ""But they won't pay us attention, " say the girls. "Is that so?" Iasked of a young man. "Are you more earnest in pursuit of the girl whocourts approaches, or the girl who holds you at bay?" "Why!" respondedhe, with emphasis, "the girls ought to know that a boy wants most thatwhich is hardest to get; but we are actually obliged to treat thegirls with familiarity or they won't go with us. " And this young manseemed really surprised when I assured him that girls supposed theywere obliged to accept caresses in order to have the attention ofyoung men. Then this same young man spoke of something that I know tobe too often true. He said, "It is strange, if the girls don't wantthese things, that they act as they do, for they actually invitefamiliarity. In fact, many times I would have been glad to berespectfully friendly, but the girls did not seem satisfied, and bymany little ways and manners they indicated that they were ready to becaressed. I think they mean to be good girls, but they put an awfullot of temptation in a fellow's way. "

No doubt these girls did not realize what they were doing, but Ibelieve every young woman should have so clear an understanding ofhuman nature as to know that she is playing with a dangerous fire whenshe allows caresses and unbecoming familiarity. She ought to knowthat, while she may hold herself above criminal deeds, if she permitsfondlings and caresses she may be directly responsible for arousing apassion in the young man that may lead him to go out from her presenceand seek the company of dissolute women, and thus lose his honor andpurity because a girl who called herself virtuous tempted him. Is shein truth more honorable than the outcast woman? She has allowedfamiliarities in the matter of embraces and kisses, and she may notknow what thoughts have been inspired in the mind of the young man byher unguarded conduct. She may feel indignant at the suggestion, because she has meant no harm, but in reality she should blush thather own familiar conduct has given him a tacit right to think of herwith even greater freedom. 

Girls have a wonderful responsibility in regard even to the moralconduct of young men, and the self-respecting girl will guard herselfnot only from the contamination of touch, but from an undue freedom ofthought. 

Do you say she cannot govern the thoughts of men? I reply, she can toa great extent. By a dress that exposes her person to public gaze, oreven more seductively hides it under a film of suggestive lace, shehas given a direction to the thoughts of those who look at her. Shehas declared that their eyes may touch her, that their thoughts may beoccupied with an inventory of her physical charms. She has openlyannounced that she is willing to be appraised by eyes of men as abeautiful animal. What wonder if their thoughts go further than herpublic declaration, and that they may freely surmise the charms thatstill remain hidden?

When a girl, by putting herself into graceful attitudes in temptingnearness to a young man, casts coquettish glances, she has done thatwhich will give a turn to the thought which may prove provocative ofdeeds. 

"I am afraid of that girl, " said a young man who desired to livepurely. "May be she does not mean it, but her poses and glances makeit almost impossible for me to keep my hands off of her. I am obligedto leave her for fear that I shall kiss her when she looks somischievously alluring. "

The girl, perhaps, would have been flattered by the kiss and indignantat further liberties, yet would have felt no compunctions had hervictim been inflamed by a passion that he lacked the power to control, prompting him to seek some other girl to be his prey. 

You think men should have self-control. So they should. We will notlessen the blame of the young man, but the girl who puts thetemptation in his way, even if she did not herself yield to it, is notguiltless. 

The conduct of a pure woman should be the safeguard and not thedestruction of a man, and she can be his protector, even as he ishers. I heard an eminent woman say that woman was man's moralprotector, and man woman's physical protector, and I said that is onlyhalf true. Man is also woman's moral protector, and woman is alsoman's physical protector. She is acknowledged to be his physicaltempter. If she knows her power she can, by her wise, modest, womanlydemeanor, make it impossible for him to feel an impure impulse in herpresence. Ruskin says:

"You cannot think that the buckling on of the knight's armor by hislady's hand was a mere caprice of romantic fashion. It is the type ofan eternal truth--that the soul's armor is never well set to the heartunless a woman's hand has braced it; and it is only when she braces itloosely that the honor of manhood fails. Know you not those lovelylines--I would they were learned by all youthful ladies of England--

 "'Ah wasteful woman! she who may On her sweet self set her own price, Knowing he cannot choose but pay-- How has she cheapen'd Paradise! How given for nought her priceless gift, How spoiled the bread and spill'd the wine, Which, spent with due, respective thrift, Had made brutes men, and men divine!'"

CHAPTER XXI. 

FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS. 

You might like to know, dear reader, if I do not believe in someintermediate relation between that of the comrade and the lover--amore intimate relation than the one and less intimate than the other. You ask, Cannot a young man and a young woman be real, true friends?

Let us talk a little about friendship and what it implies. I shoulddefine a friend as one who believes in me, who expects much of me, whoencourages me to do the best that is in me, who will tell me of myfaults, who recognizes my virtues, who trusts in my honor. 

You are willing to accept that definition, and you think it possibleto be all that to each other without being lovers. I believe it, too, but I would like to make some further statements before we have thediscussion of this question. 

I believe that a girl's first and best friends are her parents; herwisest _confidante_, her mother. To these she may speak unreservedlyof herself. With these she may freely talk over family matters. In afriendship with some outside the family it would be unwise to discussfamily matters. It might be an unkindness to other members of thefamily, and in case of a break in the friendship the family secretsmight be betrayed, and to the detriment of the trusting friend. I onceread of such an affair, where one girl had confided to another certainmatters that reflected on the honor of her family, and when thefriendship was broken the secret was betrayed, to the public shame ofthe girl who had been unwise in her confidences. 

True honor would forbid the betrayal of a confidence even after therupture of a friendship; but all persons have not the highest ideal ofhonor. If the girl is not discreet in her revelation of herself, andher mother is her only _confidante_, it will not be so serious amatter, for the mother will never be tempted to reveal to othersanything that would bring scorn or criticism upon her child. Nowhere, in her girlish ignorance, can the girl find as sincere sympathy as inthe loving mother. 

"But all mothers are not sympathetic, " you say. "They are oftennagging, and use the confidences of the daughter to make heruncomfortable. " Well, if this be so, you, at least, can learn thelesson, and by your habits of thought fit yourself to be the wise, loving, companionable, sympathetic _confidante_ of your daughter, foryou will be anxious that she should have no friend so close asyourself. 

However, I believe that mothers should recognize the individuality oftheir daughters, and win, rather than command, confidence. It isdifficult for us, as mothers, to realize that our daughter is just asmuch a separate individual as is our neighbor's daughter, and that wehave no right to thrust ourselves upon her, no right to demand thatshe shall love us. We have the right to sympathize, to counsel, todirect her conduct so long as she remains in our personal care, but weshould remember that she must be responsible, that she is a soul andmust live her own life, learn her own lessons, suffer her ownexperiences. Our deepest love can only enable us to help her to choosewisely, to think truly, to act judiciously. So I would have thefriendship of mother and daughter something very deep andtrue--something more than a petting and caressing, an indulging orhumoring. 

I would be inclined to have less outward demonstration and more innertenderness. I believe that very often outward impression comes largelyto take the place of true affection. I see girls who kiss and fondletheir mothers, who never open to them their heart's deepest secrets. Fewer kisses and more confidence would satisfy more thoroughly themother's heart. I believe that, even in the family, a kiss should notbecome a conventionality. It should have a meaning. I would ratherthat my daughter should kiss me once a week, with a spontaneous desirethus to express her love, than that, from custom, she should kiss memorning, noon, and night. 

There are sanitary reasons against kissing, such as transmission ofgerms of disease; but aside from this, there are affectional reasonswhy kisses should be few, and these few spontaneous rather thanrequired. 

We ought never to force our kisses upon children; but, recognizingtheir individuality, leave them free to proffer or to refuse. 

Next to the friendship of parents should come that of brother andsister. We almost think it a wonder when members of the same familyseem really to love each other, and yet family ties should be thestrongest in the world. Why should there not be the sweetest intimacybetween two sisters, whose lives and interests are so closely united?Why should not the bond between mother and sister be indissoluble?

A young man and woman, children of the same parents, brought up in thesame home, ought to be the best of friends. Their friendship iswithout the danger of misunderstanding. It can be free from the slightfeeling of envy or jealousy that might arise between sisters. It wouldseem that it could be the truest comradeship possible to two youngpeople. 

A sister should be to a brother not merely some one at hand to mendhis gloves or make his neckties, not simply some one to fondle andindulge, but she should be one whom he would never scold or browbeat. A brother should not be simply some one to run errands, to call on forhelp in emergencies, not some one to tease when the spirit of mischiefprompts, or to scold when things have gone wrong. 

I would have the love of these two manifest itself in all truehelpfulness, but in a way that would draw out the noblestself-reliance in each. It should manifest itself in courteous words, in helpful deeds, in glances of the eye, in tones of the voice, inheartfelt sympathies that stimulate to nobler deeds, in every way thatstrengthens and uplifts; and if caresses are few, they will not bemissed in the wealth of that truer manifestation which makes therecipient feel his nobility and worth. 

A young lady once asked me if I believed in young people who were notrelated treating each other as brother and sister, and I replied thatwould depend on how the brother and sister treated each other. I haveseen girls treat brothers in ways that other young men would notenjoy--finding fault, nagging, and snubbing generally. I have seenyoung men browbeat their sisters, tease them, and be continuallyunkind. I presume, if such a young man should propose to be a brotherto a girl, he would not purpose to treat her in this way. Young peoplesometimes like to try to deceive themselves, and they fancy that thesubterfuge of calling each other brother and sister will be a warrantfor the parting kiss or the tender endearment that they enjoy, butwhich they feel proprieties will not allow. The subterfuge is tootransparent. It deceives no one, and it does not make right thatwhich, without it, would be improper. 

Platonic friendships--that is, friendships between men and womenwithout the element of physical love--are rare; rarer, indeed, thanthey should be. They are difficult to maintain because of thetemptation to begin in the indulgences of personal familiarities, which tend to lead the friendship over into debatable ground. Men andwomen ought to be grand, true friends, inciting each other to thenoblest achievements, but it never can be through sentimentality. 

A girl may think she is sisterly when she listens to the young man'scry for sympathy in some trouble, and she holds his hand and smootheshis hair and comforts him after this tender fashion, and he may goaway feeling comforted, even as a baby might be quieted by petting;but his moral fiber has not been strengthened; he has not been made tofeel stronger to do and dare. 

Supposing she had listened with interest to his story, and then, without laying her hands upon him, she had said, "You are a man, aprince, the son of a King. You are strong to bear, brave to do. Obstacles surmounted give broader outlooks. Burdens bravely bornebring strength. I believe in you;" and then, with a strong, firm--Ihad almost said manly--grasp of the hand, she had sent him away, hewould go feeling stronger, braver, more self-reliant, stimulated, encouraged, not merely soothed and quieted. In this fashion a girl maytreat a young man as a brother. She may tell him his faults in allkindness. She may listen to his dreams, ambitions, aspirations, andencourage with approval, incite by gentle sarcasm, or enliven bykindly sportiveness; but her person is her own, and he should be madeto feel that beyond these bounds he may not pass. Such friendship mayendure vicissitude, or separation, and be through life a source oftruest inspiration. To be such a friend to a noble man is a worthyambition. It would prove the possession of more qualities ofwomanliness than merely to win his passionate love. 

When the world comes to accept the highest ideals of life and believesthat all relations of men and women are not of necessity founded onphysical attraction, then will such friendships be more possible, andthe earth can offer no more desirable future than that in which menand women, knowing each other as immortal intelligences, shall leavethe vale of unsafe sentimentality and sensuous poison to dwell onheights of noble companionship. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GIRLS. 

You think, perhaps, that I can find no fault with the friendship ofgirls with each other, that that certainly is safe and pleasant. Ihave said enough for you to understand that I believe in reserve evenin girl friendships. Girls are apt at certain periods of their livesto be rather gushing creatures. They form most sentimental attachmentsfor each other. They go about with their arms around each other, theyloll against each other, and sit with clasped hands by the hour. Theyfondle and kiss until beholders are fairly nauseated, and in a fewweeks, perhaps, they do not speak as they pass each other, and theircaresses are lavished on others. Such friendships are not only silly, they are even dangerous. They are a weakening of moral fiber, a wasteof mawkish sentimentality. They may be even worse. Such friendship maydegenerate even into a species of self-abuse that is most deplorable. 

When girls are so sentimentally fond of each other that they are likesilly lovers when together, and weep over each other's absence inuncontrollable agony, the conditions are serious enough for theconsultation of a physician. It is an abnormal state of affairs, andif probed thoroughly might be found to be a sort of perversion, a sexmania, needing immediate and perhaps severe measures. 

I wish the friendships of girls were less sentimental, were moremanly. Two young men who are friends do not lop on each other, andkiss and gush. They trust each other, they talk freely together, theywould stand by each other in any trouble or emergency, but theirexpressions of endearment are not more than the cordial handgrasp andthe unsentimental appellation, "Dear old chap. "

I admire these friendships in young men. They seem to mean so much, and yet to exact so little. They believe in each other's love, but donot demand to be told of it every minute. 

It is the highest type of friendship that can believe in the friendunder all circumstances. I have a friend from whom I may not hear oncea year, yet I know just where she stands in her relation to me, and Iwould have no fear of finding her cold or unresponsive should I at anytime call on her for a friendly service. I may never see her, or evenhear from her again in life, and we may live long years yet on theearth, but I would as soon think of doubting the return of to-morrow'ssun as to doubt her love. There is no need of words, of caresses, evenof deeds. We are both busy women. Our daily cares absorb us, yet weknow that we are friends, and in the great hereafter we hope to find aplace where we may pause and look into each other's faces and enjoy aninterchange of thought. But now other interests than self-seekingclaim us. We work on, cheered by the thought that time cannot alienateus, for true love is eternal. 

The charm of a true friendship is that it does not make demands. I hada school friend who thought that because she was my friend I must tellher all my affairs. She was offended if I received a letter that I didnot read to her, or if I went out to spend the evening without firstinforming her. Her friendship became a tax because it demanded somuch. And, after all, was it true friendship? Was it not love of self, rather than of me? People sometimes imagine that, because they cravelove, they are affectionate and unselfish. Is it true? It is rathernatural to want to be loved, but it is selfish, and the feelingindulged in to any extent is weakening. To want to be loved meansusually to want some one to be a protector, a giver of pleasure, asupplier of wants. To desire to love is nobler, for to love is togive. God so loved the world that he gave. Christ loved us andgave--gave Himself for us. To love truly, grandly, nobly, is to growstrong through giving. Not giving that which we should not give, notunwisely giving of time that belongs to our own best good, not givingof strength that should be dedicated to some better purpose, not ayielding of principle, nor purity, nor honor, but the true giving ofthat which enriches both giver and recipient, which ennobles, uplifts, encourages and strengthens, and leaves no sorrow in its wake. Thetruest giving is sometimes a refusal to yield to demands that areunworthy. Love wisely, my daughter, and you will give wisely. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

EXERCISES. 

As many girls are affected by spinal curvature, round shoulders, weakback or ankles, prolapsed stomach, bowels, or pelvic organs, constipation and poor general circulation, it seems well to give a fewexercises that shall be corrective of these defects, premising thateach exercise should be begun gradually and easily, increasingfrequency and force, as strength is gained, say five times a day thefirst week, eight times a day the second week, and so on. 

_Never exercise in tight clothing or in a corset_, and do not_exercise to exhaustion_. 

_To Overcome Slight Lateral Curvature. _

1. If it is the right shoulder that is depressed, place the hands onhips or behind neck, and bend slowly to the left. 

Reverse this movement if the left is the lower shoulder. 

2. With arms raised above the head, bend the body slowly forward andtry to touch the floor without bending the knees, then rise slowly toan erect position. 

_To Overcome Round Shoulders. _

Do not fold the arms in front. 

Any motion that brings hands together behind the back is good. 

Draw the elbows quickly backward. 

Carry a weight in each hand, holding the weight behind you and outfrom the body. 

Hold the body in the correct attitude (see page 132), head balanced onspine, chest elevated, posterior part of body thrown out, weight onballs of feet, not on heels. 

Exercises that strengthen the waist muscles will help to maintain theerect position, and so tend to overcome round shoulders. 

_To Strengthen Weak Back. _

1. Hold a light weight in each hand. Place the weights on the floor infront of you. Stand with feet eight inches apart, and take three slow, deep breaths. Stoop over and take the weights in the hands andgradually straighten up till the hands hang easily at the sides. Bendslowly forward, and again place the weights on the floor. Repeat fivetimes. 

2. Clasp the hands back of the neck and bend slowly forward until thehead is on a level with the waist. Count ten, then straighten up toerect position. Repeat. 

3. Bend the body backward, forward and sidewise at the waist. 

4. Put your right arm over your head till it touches your left ear. Hold the chin high. Breathe slowly and deeply while you walk aroundthe room. Repeat with other arm. Increase the length of your walkgradually. 

5. Playing tennis is good exercise for the sides of the waist. 

6. Carry a weight first on one shoulder, then on the other. 

7. Run on the toes. 

8. Hop on one foot. 

_To Strengthen and Develop the Chest. _

1. Maintain an erect attitude. 

2. Raise and lower the arm, forward, upward, backward, without bendingthe elbows. 

3. Lie on the floor, stretch the arms over the head till the handstouch the floor. Take a deep breath and hold it; now bring the armsover the head as high as you can reach, and do not bend the elbows. Rest and repeat three times. 

4. Hold chin as high as possible. Raise the arms at the side as highas you can. Breathe deeply and hold the air in the lungs. Now, withoutletting any air out and without bending the elbows, bring your handsdown steadily to your sides. Repeat. Keep chin well up. 

_To Strengthen Abdominal Muscles. _

1. Stand with chin high. 

2. Breathe slowly and deeply. 

3. Raise the right knee till the right foot is about twelve inchesfrom the floor. 

4. Give a little spring with the left foot, raise it swiftly from thefloor, and at the same time put the right toe and sole (not heel) tothe floor. 

5. Spring on right foot and put left down. Repeat five times. 

6. Fold arms behind. Hold chin up. Breathe slowly and very deeply. Donot bend the knees. Hold your left foot far out in front of you whileyou count five. 

7. Lower it and raise right foot in same way. Repeat four times. Keepthe shoulders well back and down while doing this exercise. Point thetoes down and out. 

8. Lie on your back. Keep feet down and rise to a sitting position. Drop slowly back, and repeat three times. 

9. Run, lifting your feet high, like a spirited horse. 

10. Stand with chin high, arms akimbo. Breathe slowly and deeply. Advance left foot eight inches in front of right. Lean head slowly asfar back as possible. Hold it while you count five. Straighten, andrepeat five times. 

11. Place the hands on the wall in front of you as high as you canreach and about two feet apart, with the elbows straight. Have chin uptill you face the ceiling, and keep it so. Take a very deep breath andhold it. Now bend your elbows and let the body go slowly forward tillthe chest touches the wall, keeping the body and legs stiff all thetime. Push back till straight again. Do not take heels off the floor, nor hands off the wall, nor eyes off the ceiling right overhead. Repeat five times. 

12. Lie on the floor, stretch the arms over the head till the handstouch the floor. Clinch the fists. Take a deep breath and hold it. Nowraise the arms slowly, keeping the fists clinched, and bring them downat the sides, raising the head from the floor at same time. Raise thearms and stretch them on the floor over the head at same time, lettingthe head sink back to the floor, and breathe out slowly. 

_To Facilitate the Return of Displaced Organs to Their NormalPosition. _

1. Lie on your back upon a smooth, hard surface. Draw the feet up asclose to the body as possible. Now lift the lower part of the bodyuntil it is wholly supported by the feet and shoulders. Hold it inthis position as long as possible without fatigue. Lower slowly tooriginal position. Rest a few minutes. Repeat. Continue for twenty orthirty minutes, according to strength. 

2. Lie with face downward. Raise the hips as high as possible, supporting the body on the toes and elbows. 

3. Slip from the bed head first and face downwards until the headrests on the floor and the legs and feet remain upon the bed. Let thearms to the elbows rest on the floor. When weary of this attitude slipto the floor, turn on the back, and apply the bandage. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

RECREATIONS. 

_Walking. _

It is well to bear constantly in mind that all exercise, even walkingon level ground, is objectionable in clothing that compresses thebody; and as exercise is the law of the development of muscle, theonly safe thing to do is so to dress that every muscle has free andunrestrained motion. Walking to be beneficial should be out of doors, with some pleasant motive, and taken with some degree of energy. Thelength of the walk should be proportional to the strength of thegirl--short at first, and increasing as strength increases. The erectattitude should be maintained, and the walking not prolonged toexhaustion. 

Walking slowly home from school, laden with books and intent onconversation with others, will not fulfill the demands of walking forexercise. It makes no demand on breathing power, does not developdepth of chest or strength of limb. 

_Running. _

This is an admirable exercise if the dress be suitable. Long skirtsare an impediment. Running on the toes develops the calf of the leg. 

The swift motion causes deep breathing, which expands the chest. Ifviolent or long-continued, it may make too urgent a demand on theheart and lungs, and so be detrimental. The counsel of a physician issafest for those whose heart and lungs are weak. 

_Riding. _

Horseback riding is a vigorous exercise, which would be especiallybeneficial were it not for the cramped position women are forced bycustom to assume. It cannot be recommended to those who have atendency to lateral curvature of the spine or weak back, or prolapsedinternal organs. Such girls should by proper care be put into a betterphysical condition before attempting to ride. Harvey advises learningto ride on either side of the horse, so as to bring opposite sets ofmuscles into play, and counteract the curvature which physicians whohave the opportunity to observe say is produced by riding. That beingtrue, why not adopt the sensible fashion of riding on both sides ofthe horse at once, as men do? I saw a young lady so mounted the otherday, and the sight was far more agreeable than the twisted attitudecompelled by the side-saddle. Medical men also assert that ridingtends to produce round shoulders, and as the greatest muscular straincomes on the back, it is not helpful to weak backs. 

_Skating. _

Skating is a fine exercise. It quickens the circulation and therespiration, aids digestion, exercises a great number of muscles, bothof limbs and trunk of body, strengthens the ankles, and incidentallythe nerves. Evils are to be found in wrong habits of dressing, thetendency to overdo through the fascination of the sport, the danger oftaking cold by carelessly sitting down to rest when heated, or drivinghome after being warmed up by the severe exertion. A girl of goodjudgment, properly clothed, ought to be benefited by this charmingout-door sport. 

It should be begun very gradually at the opening of the skatingseason, and not undertaken if the internal organs are prolapsed. 

_Rowing. _

Rowing is an exercise that develops the upper back and back ofshoulders, and therefore needs to be counteracted by exercise thatcalls into play the muscles of the front of the chest. 

_Cycling. _

The dangers of cycling arise principally from lack of judgment. Thetemptation to overdo is very great, and injury is done in attempts toride longer, farther and faster than the strength will safely allow. The whole dress should be so arranged as to give perfect freedom ofmovement, the skirt short enough to clear the dangerous part of themechanism, the saddle adjusted to the individual both in its make andheight, and the girl be taught to sit properly and to adjust herweight so that the pressure will not be undue upon the perineum. Rectal and other local irritations are produced by the pressure of thewhole weight resting on the saddle. 

The position should not be absolutely erect, but leaning _slightly_forward, so as to allow the weight to be distributed between thehandle-bars, the pedal, and the saddle. This slightly inclinedattitude also maintains the proper and harmonious relation of theinternal organs, so that the bowels do not crowd down on the pelvicorgans. 

If the girl is taught to sit on the machine properly, to distributeher weight, to sit on the large gluteal muscles, and not on theperineum, to use judgment in the amount of exercise taken at a time, there is no reason why a girl in a normal condition of health shouldnot be benefited. 

There may be particular reasons why some girls should not undertake toride, and these can be determined by the physician. 

_Tennis. _

This is a game that demands great activity, consequently there isespecial need of entire freedom of movement. All constrictions ofclothing are especially injurious. 

It is claimed by some that, being essentially a one-sided exercise, there is a possibility, if unwisely indulged in, that it may produceinjurious results, especially to the spine. 

_Swimming. _

Swimming is not only a valuable exercise, but it really conduces tothe safety of life in these days of constant boat travel, and thereare no adequate reasons why girls should not learn. The younger theybegin, the more readily will they become expert. It is not wise toindulge in this exercise while menstruating, nor immediately aftereating. 

_Skipping. _

There is some prejudice against this form of exercise from the factthat it can be overdone, and also from the popular idea that it isinjurious to girls to jump. 

If they are properly dressed, and their muscles are graduallydeveloped, and they use good common sense as to amount, there arepractically no dangers in skipping. It is admirably adapted tostrengthen a great variety of muscles, as those of the legs, back, abdomen, and neck. It strengthens the knees and the arches of thefeet, thereby tending to overcome flat foot. It strengthens weakbacks, increases circulation and respiration and promotes digestion, and, if practised out of doors, is one of the most perfect forms ofexercise. Of course the judgment dictates that when the pelvic organsare heavy with the menstrual congestion it would not be advisable. 

_Dancing. _

Dancing, in itself considered, is a pleasant and beneficial exercise. It develops grace and muscular strength, increases circulation andrespiration, and is cheering because of rhythm. One wishes that itcould be unqualifiedly commended. But when we take into account thelate hours, the heated rooms, the promiscuous company, the lateunwholesome suppers, the improper dress, the dangers of taking cold, the immodest freedom of the round dance, and the not infrequent evilsresulting therefrom, it would seem unwise to commend an exercise sosurrounded by objectionable concomitants. It is observed that youngchurch members who become interested in the dance soon lose all theirinterest in church work. 

If dancing could be conducted in the daytime, out of doors, amongwell-known home friends and companions, in proper dress, and with _noround dances_, there would be much to commend, and little to condemn. 

_Card-playing. _

I can find little to say in favor of this form of amusement. Itcontains no exercise for the body. It continues the cramped attitudesto which most people are condemned during the day. 

It certainly contributes nothing to the higher forms of enjoyment. Itstimulates emulations, which St. Paul enumerates among things to beavoided; it is the accompaniment of gambling and low society; and, while we must admit that a pack of cards in itself is not evil, yet itcan be and often is made most detrimental to the best interests ofmorality and righteousness. 

The young woman who respects her own intellectual and moral powerswill see little charm in manipulating cards in a way to gain amomentary success over another and perhaps arousing unkind feelings, it may be even passions, that may culminate in bloodshed. 

_Theatre-going. _

It is natural that we should enjoy pictorial representation of humanlife with living actors and audible words; and, understanding this, many good people have had the hope that the stage might be purifiedand made a teacher of morals. Certainly valuable lessons of life mightbe most strongly presented in this concrete form, and thus appeal withwonderful power to the young and inexperienced. But that it might beso used does not insure that it will be, and observation shows us thatit is not. 

The modern play concerns itself principally with a delineation ofthose phases of life which we condemn when they become reality, andthe teaching power of the stage becomes a lesson in wrongdoing whichto the young and inexperienced is potent in its suggestiveness. 

The costumes of actresses are often immodest, and many of these womenare immoral in character. It would not be just to condemn all actorswith the sweeping assertion of immorality, but all will admit that thetemptations are great, and that great moral force is needed to resistthe influences that lead towards wrong. 

That many of our great actors will not permit their children to becomeactors, or, in some cases, even to enter the theatre as a witness ofits performances, speaks strongly on the matter. 

In the consideration of this subject the girl may safely decide thatshe will not be a permanent loser if she is not a frequenter of thetheatre. It is safer to keep the mind pure and untainted from allpictures of sin, more especially if they are made attractive by theglamour of jewels and silken attire, of music, dancing, and lifelikeportrayal. 

PART III. 

LOVE; HEREDITY; ENGAGEMENTS. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

LOVE. 

In our study we have first learned of general and then of specialphysiology, so, in continuing the same study in mental and moralfields, we first learn of the general and then of our special relationto others. We cultivate body, mind and spirit because it is our dutyto develop ourselves for our own interests; but it is also our duty tocultivate all our powers because of our responsibility in regard toothers. This responsibility I will include in the one word, "love. "

What is love? The idea of love occupies much of the thought of old andyoung, and in different persons it will have very different meanings. To one it means merely pleasurable sensations aroused by either thethought of a person, or by the actual presence of that person. Toanother it means an opportunity to sacrifice inclination and pleasurein order to promote the happiness or welfare of a certain person. 

Much that passes in the world as love is principally love of self. Theman loves the woman because she satisfies his sense of beauty; herpresence causes thrills and ecstasies; she contributes to hishappiness and comfort. That is, he loves himself through her. Thewoman loves the man because he protects her, he surrounds her withluxury, his presence brings thrills and ecstasies to her. She lovesherself through him. Is not this but the essence of selfishness? Inanother case the man loves the woman so tenderly that he cannot doenough to prove his devotion. If her welfare demands his absence, hegladly foregoes the pleasure of her society. If her comfort requireshis unremitting toil, he gives his days, and even his nights, to thetask of labor for her. His only anxiety is to know her wants and tosupply them. He effaces himself and his wishes to serve her. He woulddie to secure her good. He gives, and asks nothing. Or, in the sameway, the woman loves the man so that her whole thought is not what shecan obtain from him, but what she can give him. True love desires onlyto give. Self-love strives only to secure. 

Emerson says, "All the world loves a lover, " and conversely we may saya true lover loves all the world. The affection kindled in the heartby one worthy individual goes out in a kindlier feeling for all theworld. A poet once said that the world was brighter and all humanitydearer because he loved truly one worthy woman. He was more gentlewith little children; the very beggar on the street corner seemed tobe a brother in distress. Because the woman he loved had given him herheart, he wanted to give something to every one he met. This is thespirit of true love, to go out in blessings towards the belovedobject, and so on towards every created thing. 

I was once asked if I believed in love at first sight. How can lovespring up in a minute? There may be admiration of beauty, there may beappreciation of intellectual qualities, there may be a recognition ofmagnetic personal attraction, but none of these is love. Love, to beworthy the name, must be a superstructure built upon a firm foundationof acquaintance with each other's true qualities. Love is not aballoon, in which two young people may go sailing among the clouds, away from all regions of every-day life. Those who try it with thatidea find the cloud-world cold and uncomfortable, and not at all therosy, gold-tinted region it looked at a distance. 

Love is rather like a building with foundations set into theearth--foundations solid, firmly laid and durable. How can people lovewhen they do not know each other? Acquaintance first, then friendship, comradeship; then, if the sentiment grows, love. But how are youngpeople to get really acquainted? They meet under unreal conditions. They see each other in society, in Sunday dress and with Sundaymanners. They doubtless do not mean to deceive each other, but thereis little to draw out the real self. There is nothing to disturb orirritate, nothing to prove the honesty, the neatness, the industry, the persistence, the business ability; nothing to disclose the trueideas in matters of serious import, of health, religion, duties ofhusbands and wives, the government of the home; and too often theintimacy of marriage discloses many personal peculiarities of temper, habits and manners that, if seen in time, would have preventedmarriage. 

The trouble does not originate with young people themselves, but witholder people; but as the young people of to-day will be the olderpeople of the future, it would be well for them to realize what thetrouble is. The fact is, that in the present conditions of society theassociation of young people is unnatural. From earliest childhood boysand girls are taught to think of each other only in sentimental ways. The little boys and girls in school are playing at "lovering, " andtheir conversation is often more about beaus and sweethearts thanabout the plays of childhood, which alone should occupy theirthoughts. You remember that little miss of ten who asked you, when youwere sixteen, who was your beau. You recall her look of surprise whenyou replied that you had none, and her exclamation, "Have no beau!Why, how do you get along without one?" What made such a mere childimagine a beau to be an essential agent of a girl's life? Because shehad been taught by the jests and suggestions of her elders that everyboy was a possible lover, and, young as she was, that thought waswoven into her very life. It is pitiable to see how early the mind ofthe child is tainted by sentimentality, by the unwise suggestions ofolder friends. I remember hearing of a child of six who was talking ofgetting married. Some one said, "You are too little to think ofgetting married, " and the child replied, "Why, I have thought of itsince I was two years old. " And doubtless she had, because it had beencontinually impressed on her mind by the conversation of parents andfriends, and the direction they had given her thought in regard to herrelation to everything masculine. 

Parents are often very unwilling to teach their daughters the facts ofsex, and yet quite willing to emphasize the consciousness of sex byintimating the possibility of flirtations, love affairs, etc. And thisfalse, pernicious idea of the relation of men and women is too oftencalled love. The central idea of romances is this passionateattraction of the sexes. The plot gathers in intensity around thelovers, and culminates in their marriage, after which life is presumedto move on without a jar, and silly girls and impulsive boys imaginethat the sweet pain that accompanies the touch of hands or the glanceof the eyes is love, and is a sufficient guarantee for the forming ofa life partnership. 

Let us face this question fairly. What is love? Of what is it made?Can you judge with any certainty of its lasting qualities? How can youknow the true from the false?

Unfortunately we have but the one word, "love, " to designate manyphases of kindly regard. The mother loves her child, the child lovesthe mother, yet love differs much in these two instances. The one isprotecting, anxious, self-sacrificing, unstinted care, unqualifieddevotion; the other is sweet dependence, unquestioning acceptance, asking all and giving little. The love of brother and sister differsfrom that of brother for brother, or sister for sister. The love ofman for woman differs from all other emotions of love. It containselements not found in other forms. It may have the same quality ofgiving or accepting, of protecting or yielding, but with all thisthere is an added quality that is not found in any other relation oflife, a quality that rises to the intensity of a passion, and which, if thwarted or distorted, may become murderous or lead to insanity. 

This overwhelming, domineering sway of feeling inheres in the fact ofsex. It is the expression of the whole nature, through the physical;it is the vital creative force endeavoring to reach a tangible result. Holy in its inception, it can be degraded to the vilest uses. Formingthe distinctive feature of love between the sexes, it is too oftenimagined to be the all, and a strong physical attraction without thebasic friendship, which can only come through acquaintance, is notinfrequently supposed to be worthy of the name of love, and found, alas! to be the most unsubstantial of chimeras. 

Love, to be worthy of the name, must rest, not on the fact ofadmiration for beauty, not on the physical attraction manifested insweet electric thrills. Love should include intellectual congenialityand spiritual sympathy, as well as physical attraction. Lacking anyone of these three ingredients, the interest of two people in eachother should not be called love. 

In order that it may be determined whether there is the true basis oflove, there should be opportunity for unsentimental acquaintance. Ifwe could free the minds of young people from the romantic idea, andallow them to associate as intelligent beings, and so formacquaintance on the basis of comradeship, we should make things saferfor them. 

But if the older people do not know how to secure this desirable stateof affairs, the young people themselves might secure it if theyunderstood its desirability. You, as a young woman, can have muchinfluence in the right directions, supposing that you drop from yourmind the idea of sentimental relations with young men and meet themon the ground of a friendly comradeship. 

Don't indulge in _tête-à-têtes_, or in lackadaisical glances of theeye. Don't permit personal familiarities, hand pressures, or caresses. Don't simper, and put on the airs which mean, though the girl may notunderstand it, an effort to arouse the admiration and the physicalfeeling of love. Refuse to be flattered, to be played with, to betreated as a female, but insist on being treated as a woman withintelligence, with a capacity to understand reasonable things. Manifest an interest in the movements of the world, of politics, literature, art, religion, athletics. Talk of the things that interestthe young man as a citizen of the world, and not merely of thosethings which appeal to him as a male. Be frank, be lively, be witty, be wise, but do not be sentimental. 

When a young man calls, don't let him get the idea that you have to besecluded in a room apart from the rest of the family. You will bebetter able to judge of him if you see him with your brothers, if younote his manner towards your mother, if you hear him converse withyour father, if you mark his conduct towards the younger children. Hewill talk sense, if he can, when he meets your family, while in a_tête-à-tête_ conversation with yourself he may be able to hide hislack of wisdom under the glamour of sweet nothings and soft nonsense. 

Then be yourself when he comes. Let him see you in your home life, atyour domestic duties, sewing, helping mother, reading to father, caring for the little ones. Be an honest, free-hearted, companionablegirl, and put sentimentality out of mind. You can have many suchfriends, and by and by, out of these you will probably find one whomyou admire more and more as time goes on. You hear his sentimentsalways expressed in favor of truth and probity. You come to knowsomething of his business principles, you see his courtesy to old andyoung, you learn of his home, his family, his social position, and outof this intimate knowledge there springs the attachment, blended withdeep respect, which assures you that he is worthy of your heart andhand, and indeed of your whole life. 

Little by little the comradeship has grown more intimate. You have notbeen sentimental. You have treated each other with respect, you havemaintained your self-respect, you have held a tight rein over yourfancies and emotions, but now you are convinced that you may allowthem to have sway. You begin to acknowledge to yourself that you love. 

And he, too, begins to manifest a deeper interest in you. You see thiswith a certain pride in the fact that he is not self-deceived Heknows you, has seen you in your daily life, has sounded the depth ofyour intellect, knows of your religious beliefs, and in all he hasfound you coming up to his ideals. His eye meets yours with a newtenderness in its glance that touches you, because you know it is notan earthly fire of passion that glows therein. It is you, the real, immortal you, that he seeks; not merely the pleasures of sense throughyou; and feeling the response in your own heart, your glance kindleswith the same divine fire, and your true selves have spoken to eachother. You have gradually grown into the knowledge of love. You havenot fallen in love. And yet there have been no words, and in maidenshyness you await his speech. Your womanly reserve has won hisrespect, and he makes no attempts to win privileges of endearmentsbefore he confesses his love, but frankly and manfully pleads his suitand wins. 

Oh, my dear child, this has been no matter for jesting; it has beenserious, and we who have watched this dawning love have realized thatthe great drama of life, so full of tragic possibilities, is beinghere enacted. We do not laugh, nor jest, but with the tenderestprayers we welcome you into the possibilities of God's divinest giftof human love. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

RESPONSIBILITY IN MARRIAGE. 

You are beginning to feel a peculiar interest in one young man morethan in any other. You think of him in his absence; you welcome hiscoming; his eyes seem to caress you; the clasp of his hand thrillsyou; you begin to think that you have passed from the domain offriendship into that of love. 

Before you really make that admission, let us "reason together. " Letus take a fair look at matters, and see whether it is wiser to passthe border line, or to remain only friends. Who is this young man? Youtell me his name, but that means nothing. Who is he? What is he inhimself? What are his talents, capacities, habits, inheritedtendencies? Who is his father, his mother? What is their worth? I donot mean in money, but in themselves? What ancestral diseases ordefects may he transmit to his posterity, which will be your posterityif he becomes your husband? Are the family tendencies such that youwould be willing to see them repeated in your children?

There is no indelicacy in asking yourself these questions, nor inmaking the investigations which will enable you to answer themsatisfactorily. The woman who marries, marries not only _into_ herhusband's family, she also marries his family; she is to become one ofit, to live with it in closer and closer companionship as herchildren, bearing the family temperament, disposition and tendencies, gather one by one around her hearth. 

Is the family one of the type that she will desire to associate withintimately all the days of her life? You may feel that it does notmatter if you do not love your husband's mother, or admire hissisters; no matter if you do not have respect for his father, you willlive so far away from them that it will not be oftener than once inseveral years that you will be obliged to meet them. It might evenhappen that you would never see them, and yet it be a very seriousmatter that they were not respectable or lovable people, for theyconstitute one-half of the ancestry of your children. Their mostundesirable characteristics may, perchance, be the endowment of yoursons and daughters, and your heart ache, or even break, over thehabits, or, it may be, criminality, which may disgrace your homethrough the paternal inheritance that you chose for them. Viewed inthis light, marriage becomes a most serious matter. It is unfortunatethat girls generally have the idea that it is not modest to think ofmarriage further than the ceremony. Of the responsibilities and dutiesthey are not only ignorant, but think it ladylike to remainuninformed until experience teaches them, and that teaching is oftenaccompanied by heart-breaking sorrow. If you should make inquiry youwould discover that a large proportion of mothers have buried theirfirstborn children, and should you ask them why, they would in allprobability say, almost without exception, that it was because theydid not know how to give them a dower of health, or how to care fortheir physical needs. 

Again, investigation would show you that children go astray, becomewild, dissipated, or even criminal, because parents have not known howto train them, how to keep their confidence, how wisely to guide themin ways of righteousness. 

We all believe it very important that mothers should know how todirect and govern their children, and yet we do not train the futuremothers for this important office. We teach girls how to sew or cook, how to embroider and play the piano. We do not expect them to know, without instruction, how to mingle the ingredients for a cake orpudding, but we imagine that they will know by intuition how to securethe best results in the mingling of heterogeneous compounds in theformation of the characteristics of a human being. 

When we speak of the mother's privilege, we think of the actualmother, whose privilege is to care for and guide her real children. But the mother's privilege in fact begins in her own childhood, whenby her habits of life and thought she is deciding her own character, and at the same time creating, in great degree, the talents andtendencies of her possible children. It is her privilege to secure ameasure of physical vigor for her descendants by her care of her ownhealth in her very girlhood. She can endow them with mental power bynot frittering away her own powers of mind in foolish reading orcareless methods of study. By her own self-respecting conduct shehelps to give them the reverence for self which will insure theiracting wisely. All this is the mother's privilege; and still one moregreat privilege is hers, and that is to choose one-half the ancestryof her descendants. She cannot choose their ancestry that comes tothem through herself; that is a fixed fact. Her parents must ofnecessity be her children's grandparents. Her family characteristicsare also their inheritance. The only thing she can do in regard totheir inheritance through her is to modify the objectionable traits, and to cultivate the good traits herself, so that family faults may inher be weakened and the probability of transmission lessened, and thefamily virtues be strengthened and their probable transmissionintensified. But she has the power to decide what shall be thepaternal ancestry of her household; and if she is duly impressed withthe responsibility of this power, she will not allow herself to fallin love and marry a man of whose family she knows nothing, or knowsfacts that do not promise well for posterity. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE LAW OF HEREDITY. 

I once heard of a man who on his death-bed made a singular will. Hehad no houses or lands to bequeath his children, but he had observedthat they had inherited much from him, and so he made a formal bequestto them of that which they already possessed. 

He wrote: "I bequeath to my son John my big bony frame and theslouching gait I acquired by carelessness, also my inherited tendencyto consumption. To my daughter Mary I bequeath my sallow complexionand torpid liver, which are the result of my gross living; also mymelancholy disposition and tendency to look on the dark side of life. To my son Samuel I give my love for alcoholic liquors and my irritabledisposition; to my daughter Jane my coarseness of thought and myunwillingness to be restrained in my desires, and also my tendency tocommit suicide. "

"A very strange will, " said everybody, and yet it was a will that wasprobated long before the testator's death. That it gave perfectsatisfaction I will not assert, but it was never contested and paid nofees to lawyers. 

Just such wills are being made daily by the lives and conduct ofyoung people, though they are not put into writing. Some time in thefuture, however, they will be written into "living epistles, known andread of all men. "

Other wills are being made daily that through sober, virtuous, youthful lives will bequeath to posterity dowers of health, strength, purity and power. 

This being true, it seems only a part of prudent foresight to study inyouth the law that governs the transmission of personalcharacteristics to the future "denizens of life's great city. " Thislaw is known as Heredity, and its first written record is in the firstchapter of Genesis, where it is written that "Every plant and animalshall bring forth after its kind. " We are so accustomed to seeing theresults of this law that we give it little or no thought. We see thatgrass springs up each year on our lawns and meadows. We know that ifwe put the seeds of a certain flower in the ground, that kind offlower will always spring up, never another kind. The farmer is notanxious, after he sows wheat, for fear that the crop will be rye orbarley. We expect that the young of cats will be kittens, of geesewill be goslings, of men will be human children, and we are neverdisappointed. The law holds good under all circumstances. 

We see, too, that there are certain race characteristics thatmaintain. The Mongolian race has peculiar high cheek-bones, sallowcomplexions and eyes set in bias, and we recognize the Japanese orChinese at once, even though dressed in the garb of our country. So, too, we recognize the African or the Caucasian by certain markedcharacteristics. This transmission of racial traits we call raceheredity. 

Then each race has its own traits, physical or mental, which werecognize as national, and so speak of them. We always mention thriftas an attribute of the Teutonic nations; the Irishman we characterizeas witty and pugnacious; the Frenchman as polite; the American asprogressive. 

Each individual has not only his human inheritance, his raceinheritance and his national characteristics, but he has also anendowment of family traits. 

But we are not made up of odds and ends of ancestral belongings alone. We have in ourselves something that is original, that makes usdifferent from each other, and from all others. I have sometimesthought that we are somewhat like patchwork quilts, the parti-coloredblocks being set together by some solid-colored material; or, betterstill, we are like "hit and miss" rag carpets, with a warp of our ownindividuality, filled in with a woof made of qualities and capacitiesof all those who have preceded us. You know, in making "hit and miss"rag carpets we take little strips and bits of various materials andall colors, and sew them together without regard to order orarrangement, and these long strips are woven back and forth in thewarp until the carpet is woven, showing no set pattern, but a minglingof tints and shades that is sometimes crude and unsightly, sometimessoft and artistic. 

I used, in childhood, to find great delight in seeking among theblended colors in the carpet for scraps of clothing which I recognizedas having belonged to father or mother, or perhaps even tograndparents. Even now, in my maturer years, I am interested infinding in myself the physical, mental or moral characteristics ofthose same ancestors; and you, no doubt, can do the same, while someof your traits seem to be yours entirely, constituting individualvariations upon ancestral inheritances. 

Nature has been doing for centuries, unheeded, what the photographerof to-day thinks is a modern discovery, that is, making compositephotographs of us all. 

Through this law of inheritance have arisen the intellectual, themoral or the criminal types of humanity, and the process iscontinuing; the types are becoming more and more marked, or modifyinginfluences are being brought in to change the type. 

These influences are also the result of law, even though we may not beable to trace them to their cause. Knowing this, however, we begin tosee that heredity is not fatality; that the power to modify theendowments of future generations is ours. To know how to employ it, weshould study the law as far as we have opportunity. 

This subject is a large one, and no doubt you will some day want togive it a thorough investigation. Just now, however, you will have toaccept my statements. I will not make them technical, but strictlypractical to you as a young woman desiring that knowledge which shallbest fit you for the responsibilities of future life. 

A superficial study is rather discouraging. We see with what certaintyevil characteristics are transmitted, and we feel that the law is acruel one; but if we have patience we shall find that, like all lawsof God, its purpose is for the benefit of the race. Before we begin totake comfort from the law let us first learn its warnings, one ofwhich is that all weakening of the individual, either in bodilystrength, in intellectual power or moral fiber, tends to produce alike weakness in posterity. This is why I say to you that the youngpeople of the present have in their hands the welfare of the future. Their habits to-day are moulding the possibilities of the race. Youngwomen may feel that their individual violation of the laws of healthis of no importance, but when they realize that the girls of to-dayare the mothers of the future, and that the physical strength orweakness of each individual girl affects the average health of thenation, not only now, but it may be through her posterity forcenturies, we can see that each girl's health is a matter of nationaland of racial importance. 

But it is not alone in the physical organization that we can trace thelaw of heredity in the transmission of undesirable qualities. We findthat evil traits and tendencies of mind or morals are transmissible. Galton finds that a bad temper is quite sure to be passed on from onegeneration to the next, and any peculiarity of disposition in eitherparents is quite likely to become an inheritance of the child. Thisfact makes our little faults seem of vastly more importance thanotherwise. We can endure them in ourselves, but they strike us veryunpleasantly when we are obliged to see them manifested in ourchildren. As the poet says:

 "Little faults unheeded, which I now despise; For my baby took them with her hair and eyes. "

It may not strike us very unpleasantly when we speak disrespectfullyto our parents, but when our own children show us lack of courtesy andcheerful obedience it cuts deeply, and all the more deeply if we seein their conduct but a repetition of our own. 

Of course, if these minor faults are transmissible, we will not besurprised that graver moral defects are passed on. The grandson of athief began to steal at three years of age, and at fourteen was anexpert pickpocket. The police records show the same family namesrecurring year after year. 

These cases are so grave as to attract attention, while we overlookthe fact that the smaller immoralities are as apt to be transmitted, and perhaps with increased power. I should be afraid that slight lackof strict integrity in the father might appear as actual crime in theson. 

I would not omit to mention also the law of Atavism, in thisdiscussion of heredity. This is that expression of the law in theomission of one generation in the transmission of a quality. Wesometimes see the peculiarities or defects of a man or woman notmanifested in their children, but reappearing in their grandchildren. 

Not long ago I was in a family where both parents and all the childrenhad dark hair but one, and she had long, bright auburn ringlets. Iasked, "Where did you get your hair?"

"From my red-headed grandmother, " she answered, with a laugh, indicating that the matter had been so often discussed in her hearingthat she understood it quite fully. 

To cover the whole scope of the law of heredity would take more timethan we have to spare. You can follow out the line of thought, andmake practical application of the facts and principles here laiddown. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

HEREDITARY EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, ETC. 

Civilized life in its progress is accompanied by certain customs andhabits which are detrimental to the individual health, and thereforeto national health. The dress of women is not merely an unimportantmatter, to be made the subject of sneers or jests. Fashions oftencreate deformities, and are therefore worthy of most philosophicconsideration, especially when we know that the effects of thesedeformities may be transmitted. 

The tightly-compressed waist of the girl displaces her internalorgans, weakens her digestion, and deprives her children of theirrightful inheritance. They are born with lessened vitality, withdiminished nerve power, and are less likely to live, or, living, aremore liable not only to grow up physically weak, but also lacking inmental and moral stamina. This weakness may manifest itself in immoraltendencies, or in some form of inebriety. It is now recognized thatalcoholism will produce nerve degeneration, but it is not so wellunderstood that nerve degeneration may be a factor in producinginebriates from alcohol or other poisons. 

Dr. Crothers says: "Hysteria, convulsions, unreasonable anger, excitement, depression, credulity, skepticism, most unusualemotionalism and faulty reasoning, are some of the signs of nervedegeneration, " and adds that this central failure of nerve and brainpower is often accompanied by a resulting alcohol or drug inebriety. That is, the weak and degenerate nerves crave a stimulant, and theweak will yield to the demand, and inebriety result. If thisdegeneration of nerve comes from the low vitality given by the mother, because of her unhealthful habits of dress and life, is it not wisethat in her early womanhood she should know of this possibility, andguard against it through her care of herself?

She ought also to understand the effect of alcohol and other poisonsin producing nerve degeneration in the individual, and its probabilityin his posterity. 

George McMichaels says: "The hereditary nature of the abnormalcondition of which inebriety is the outward sign is not understood, even by physicians, as it should be. It is still, I regret to say, looked upon as a vice acquired by the individual, the outcome ofvoluntary wrongdoing. In some few cases this may be true, but in themajority of instances inquiry into the family history will reveal thepresence of an inherited taint, such families usually showing aneurotic condition. No position in the social or intellectual worldis, or ever has been, entirely free from the tendency towardsalcoholism, and a study of the family history of the great men whohave fallen victims to alcohol will show that the cause has beenidentical with the case among the most obscure of mankind, viz. : Thata degenerated nerve condition has been inherited which renders thesufferer specially susceptible to this and allied neuroses, such asepilepsy, idiocy and suicide. The inheritance of an unstable nervoussystem makes the individual easily affected by what I must call'alcoholic surroundings. ' In other words, the provocation to drinkwhich would have no influence upon an ordinary, stable nervousorganization, is sufficient to turn the neurotic into a confirmeddrunkard. "

As a young woman you hold great power over the race in yourself, andthrough your influence over others, especially over young men. Yourinfluence, wisely used, may save more than one from a drunkard's fate, and to use it wisely you should be instructed as to the real characterof alcohol and its effects on the system. I have not time to tell youin minutiæ of the effects of alcohol, but I must take time to speak ofthe law of heredity in this respect. 

Idiocy and inebriety are on the increase among civilized peoples. Thisstartling fact should make us ask the reason. 

T. D. Crothers, M. D. , who is making a life study of inebriety, statesthat from 1870 to 1890 inebriety increased in proportion to thepopulation over 100 per cent. , and that a large proportion is theresult of inebriety in one or both parents. It is a sad fact that manywomen, even of good social standing, are fond of alcoholic beverages. I saw a very bright, pretty young woman not long since, at areception, refuse to take ice-cream or cake, but drink four glasses ofpunch, with many jests as to her fondness for the same, apparentlywithout any glimmering of the thought that she was drinking to excess, although her flushed face and loudness of manner were proof of this tothose who were witnesses. Many people have an idea that the finerdrinks, such as wine and its various disguises, do not intoxicate, butin this they are mistaken. All alcoholics are intoxicating in just thedegree that they contain alcohol. The exhilaration of wine is but thefirst step of intoxication, and that means always an accompanying lackof judgment, a lessening of the sense of propriety. 

One young woman who, under ordinary circumstances, was most modest indeportment, drank at her wedding in response to the toasts to herhealth, and grew very jovial, until at last she danced a jig on theplatform at the railway station amid the applause of her exhilaratedfriends, who had accompanied the young husband and wife to the train, as they started on their wedding-journey. What a sorrowful andundignified beginning to the duties of marriage!

There is no absolute safety for either man or woman except in totalabstinence. The _débauché_ knows the effect of wine, and uses thatknowledge to lead astray the young girl who, if herself, would find nocharm in his blandishments, but who, after the wine supper, has nowill to resist his advances. 

A young husband exacted of his bride a promise that she would nevertake a glass of wine except in his company, and when asked the reason, replied that he knew that no woman's judgment was to be trusted aftertaking one glass of wine. 

Another cause of inebriety in women is found in the patent medicinesadvertised as a panacea for all pain, which chemical analysis shows tobe largely alcoholic. Many temperance women would be horrified to knowthat they are taking alcohol in varying quantity, from 6 to 47 percent. , in the bitters, tonics and restorative medicines they areusing, many of which are especially advertised as "purely vegetableextracts, perfectly harmless, sustaining to the nervous system, " etc. 

The result of inebriety of parents in inflicting injury upon offspringhas not been well understood in the past, but is becoming recognized. Dr. McMichael says:

"In every form of insanity the disease is more dangerous in the motherthan in the father, as far as the next generation is concerned. Thisis a good and sufficient reason why the daughter of drunken parents, very often attractive to some men by reason of their excitable, vivacious, neurotic manner, should be carefully avoided by young menin search of wives. The man who marries the daughter of an inebriatenot only endangers his own happiness, but runs the risk of entailingupon his children an inheritance of degradation and misery. 

"No woman should marry a man who, even occasionally, drinks to excess. Further, the disposition of the sons of drunken parents ought to beinvestigated before any girl becomes engaged to one of them. This isone instance in which long engagements are not to be condemned, for, if the man has inherited the alcoholic craving, it may become known intime, and his _fiancée_ may be saved from the most terrible fate thatI can think of--becoming the wife of a drunkard. 

"One word more before I leave this aspect of the subject. As themajority of inebriates are sufferers from a disease which is partlythe result of hereditary predisposition, it is foolish for any womanto marry a drunkard in the belief that she can reform him. If womenwould realize that alcoholism is a disease and not a vice, they wouldunderstand that, while the spirit which prompts their devotion andself-sacrifice is praiseworthy, yet the probability of its success isvery remote. No doubt there are women who have made this experimentand who have managed to 'reform, ' as it is called, confirmedinebriates; but such cases are by no means numerous. While it mightnot be right to attempt to interfere with any effort to benefit anyrepresentative of suffering humanity, it must be remembered that thefate of the next generation is at stake, and that unborn childrencertainly have rights, although we are very apt to disregard them. Admitting, then, that anyone is at liberty to risk everything, evenlife itself, to benefit another, nevertheless it cannot be said thatanyone has a moral right to jeopardize the future of a family tosatisfy any instinct or feeling of affection, however noble it may be. If what I have written is true, no woman is justified in marrying adrunkard. "

The unstable nervous organization bequeathed by intemperate parents islike a sword of Damocles over the heads of their unfortunate children, and even moderate drinkers will not give vigorous bodies and strongwills to their descendants. One man boasted that he had used a bottleof wine daily for fifty years, and it had not injured him; but of histwelve children, six died in infancy, one was imbecile, one wasinsane, the rest were hysterical invalids. 

And alcohol is not the only substance that inebriates. Opium, morphine, chloral, cocaine, and all drugs of a similar nature, aredangerous, and each not only inflicts its injury on the individual, but transmits its results to posterity in that nerve degenerationwhich renders the sufferer an easy victim to all forms ofintoxication, and intoxication is nothing more nor less thanpoisoning. Opium and morphine are often prescribed by physicians, andthe patient, experiencing the sudden relief from pain, and perhaps notknowing the danger of indulgence, resorts next time to the delightfulpain-quieter on his own responsibility, and almost before he knows itthe habit is formed, and the weak will that made the easy victim nowmakes the unwilling slave, loathing his chains, yet unable to breakthem; and these evil habits are, in their effects, transmitted. 

Dr. Robertson says: "The part that heredity plays in all functionaldiseases or states of the nervous system is not to be misunderstood. It is safe to assert that no idiopathic case of insanity, chorea, hysteria, megrim, dipsomania, or moral insanity, can occur except byreason of inherited predisposition. "

The evils of morphinism are even greater than those of alcoholism, andtheir transmission no less sure. Especially is there loss of moralpower. Dr. Robertson says: "No matter how honorable, upright andconscientious a man's past life may have been, let him becomethoroughly addicted to morphine, and I would not believe any statementhe might make, either with reference to the use of the drug or on anyother subject that concerned his habit. This extends further, andclouds his moral perceptions in all relations of life. "

Dr. Brush says: "Cocaine is the only drug the effects of which aremore dangerous and more slavish than the inhalation of the fumes ofopium. "

The danger in the fast life of this age is that we try to findsomething that will enable us to do our excessive undertakings withless feeling of fatigue. We fail to see in this that we are exhaustingour reserve force, instead of adding to our store of force. 

The _Popular Science News_ says that kola, cocoa, chocolate, coffee, tea, and similar substances make nervous work seem lighter, becausethey call out the reserve fund which should be most sacredlypreserved, and the result is nervous bankruptcy. Understanding thatnervous bankruptcy of the parent threatens the welfare of futuregenerations through the law of heredity, we will surely hesitate tobring ourselves under the strain produced by the use of thesesubstances. 

The most dangerous habit of the present would almost seem to be thetobacco habit, because it is considered quite respectable and istherefore almost universal. Men who are prominent, not only asstatesmen and business men, but also as moral leaders, smoke with noapparent recognition of the evils, and lads can often sanction theirbeginning of the habit by the fact that a certain pastor orSunday-school superintendent is a smoker. 

But science has not been idle in regard to the investigation of theeffects of tobacco, and the discoveries made have been published, sothat we are not now ignorant of the tobacco heart, or tobacco throat, or tobacco nerves, nor of the transmission of nerve degeneracy to thechildren of smokers. 

Girls sometimes think it is a great joke to smoke cigarettes for fun, and some grow into the habit of smoking, but the injury is notlessened by the fact that the use of the cigarette was begun in jest, nor that the user is a woman. 

In fact, the _Medical Times_ is quite inclined to assert that much ofthe neurasthenia, including a general disturbance of the digestiveorgans, now so common in that portion of the female sex who have amplemeans and leisure to indulge in any luxury agreeable to their taste, or which, for the time being, may contribute to their enjoyment, isdue to narcotics. 

During the Civil War we are told that 13 per cent. Of all menexamined were excluded as unfit for military service. We are now toldthat 31 per cent. Are found to be unfit. Nearly one-third of the youngmen found physically incompetent to be soldiers! From what cause?Certainly tobacco must bear a large share of the blame. 

Some years ago Major Houston, of the Naval School at Annapolis, madethe statement that one-fifth of the boys who applied for admittancewere rejected on account of heart disease, and that 90 per cent. Ofthese had produced the heart difficulty by the use of tobacco. 

Dr. Pidduch asserts that "the hysteria, the hypochondriasis, theconsumption, the dwarfish deformities, the suffering lives and earlydeaths of the children of inveterate smokers, bear ample testimony tothe feebleness of constitution which they have inherited. "

Girls sometimes have the idea that a little wildness in a young man israther to be admired. On one occasion a young woman left a churchwhere she had heard a lecture on the evils of using tobacco, saying, as she went out, "I would not marry a young man if he did not smoke. Ithink it looks manly, and I don't want a husband who is not a manamong men. "

Years after, when her three babies died, one after the other, withinfantile paralysis, because their father was an inveterate smoker, the habit did not seem to her altogether so admirable, and when sheherself became a confirmed invalid, because compelled to breathe nightand day a nicotine-poisoned atmosphere, she gave loud voice to herdenunciation of the very habit which in her ignorant girlhood she hadcharacterized as manly. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

EFFECTS OF IMMORALITY ON THE RACE. 

There is another influence at work in causing race degeneracyconcerning which the majority of girls are ignorant, and that isimmorality. The prevalent idea that young men must "sow their wildoats" is accepted by many young women as true, and they think if thelover reforms before marriage and remains true to them thereafter, that is all they can reasonably demand. They will not make suchexcuses for themselves for lapses from virtue, but they imbibe theidea that men are not to be held to an absolute standard of purity, and so think it delicate to shut their eyes to the derelictions ofyoung men. This chapter of human life is a sorrowful one to read, butto heed its warnings would save many a girl from sorrow, many a wifefrom heartache. 

The law of God is not a double law, holding woman to the most rigidcode of a "thou shalt not" and allowing men the liberty of a "thoumayest. "

The penalty inflicted for the violation of moral law is one of themost severe, both in its effects upon the individual transgressor andupon his descendants. The most dreadful scourge of physical disease, as well as moral degeneracy, follows an impure life. This disease, known as syphilis, is practically incurable. It may temporarilydisappear, only to reappear in some other form later in life; and evenafter all signs have become quiescent in the man, they may reappear inhis children in some form of transmission. Even one lapse from virtueis enough to taint the young man with this dreadful poison, which maybe in after years communicated to his innocent wife or transmitted tohis children. 

Dr. Guernsey says: "I do not overdraw the picture when I declare thatmillions of human beings die annually from the effects of poisoncontracted in this way, in some form of suffering or other; for, byinsinuating its effects into and poisoning the whole man, itcomplicates various disorders and renders them incurable. Thishorrible infection sometimes becomes engrafted upon other acutediseases, when lingering disorders follow, causing years of misery, and only terminating in death. Sometimes the poison attacks thethroat, causing most destructive alterations therein. Sometimes itseizes upon the nasal bones, resulting in their entire destruction andan awful disfigurement of the face. Sometimes it ultimates itself inthe ulceration and destruction of other osseous tissues in differentportions of the body. Living examples of these facts are toofrequently witnessed in the streets of any large city. Young menmarrying with the slightest taint of this poison in the blood willsurely transmit the disease to their children. Thousands of abortionstranspire every year from this cause alone, the poison being sodestructive as to kill the child _in utero_, before it is matured forbirth; and even if the child be born alive, it is liable to break downwith most loathsome disorders of some kind and die during dentition;the few that survive this period are short-lived, and are unhealthy solong as they do live. The first unchaste connection of a man with awoman may be attended with a contamination entailing upon him a lifeof suffering, and even death itself. Almost imperceptible in itsorigin, it corrupts the whole body, makes the very air offensive tosurrounding friends, and lays multitudes literally to rot in thegrave. It commences in one part of the body, and usually, in more orless degree, extends to the whole system, and is said by most eminentphysicians to be a morbid poison, having the power of extending itselfto every part of the body into which it is infused, and to otherpersons with whom it in any way comes in contact, so that even itsmoisture, communicated by linen or otherwise, may corrupt those whounfortunately touch it. "

If girls were aware of all this they would not only be careful howthey marry immoral men, but they would shrink from personal contactwith them as from a viper. Not one, but many girls who have heldsomewhat lax ideas concerning the propriety of allowing young men tobe familiar have reaped the result in a contamination merely throughthe touch of the lips. To-day a young woman in good social standing isa sufferer from this cause. She was acquainted with a young man ofrespectable family, but immoral life. His gaiety had a fascination forher, and his reputed wildness only added to the charm. On one evening, as he escorted her home, and took leave of her on the doorstep, sheallowed him to kiss her. It chanced that at the time she had a smallsore on her lip. The poisonous touch of his lips conveyed theinfection through this slight abrasion, and she became tainted withthe syphilitic virus, and to-day bears the loathsome disfigurement inconsequence. I do not need to multiply such cases. You can be warnedby one as well as by a hundred. [2]

A young woman of pure life married a man whose reputation was bad, butwhose social position was high. To-day she is suffering from thehorrible disease which he communicated to her, and her children havedied or are betraying to the world in their very faces the story oftheir father's wrong deeds. Truly you cannot afford to be ignorant offacts so grave as these. 

FOOTNOTES:

[2] For an extended presentation of the character and diseases whichaccompany vice, the reader is referred to the chapters which treat ofthis subject in "What a Young Man Ought to Know. " Every young womanshould be intelligent upon these important subjects. There is nothingin this book to young men which a young woman approaching maturity maynot know, both with propriety and benefit, so that she may mostsuccessfully protect herself from possible companionship withwell-dressed and polite but impure young men by discreetly placing thebook in the hands of her father and brothers, that they may becomeintelligent concerning the dangers against which they can mostsuccessfully protect her. It might not be improper for her, after dueacquaintance, to see that the book is placed in the hands of the onewho seeks to become her husband and the father of her children, thatshe may at the proper time, and before it is too late, learn whether hehas always lived by the standards of social purity which are there setup, and whether he is able to bring to the union the same unsulliedlife and character which he expects and requires of her. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

THE GOSPEL OF HEREDITY. 

I have often heard people say that God was unjust in making this lawof heredity and compelling innocent children to bear the sins of theguilty parents, and at first thought it might so seem; but God is aGod of justice and also of mercy, and our study of His laws in theirultimate outcome leads us to know that they are invariably made forour welfare. Let us see, then, if we cannot find something encouragingeven in this law of heredity. Are the majority of people born straightor deformed, sick or well, honest or dishonest? You may ask, Are allof these conditions a matter of heredity? Certainly. The fact that weare human beings instead of animals, that we have our due proportionof organs and faculties, that we are not monstrosities or imbeciles, are all hereditary conditions. We see, then, that the law of heredityinsures to us our full complement of organs and capabilities, as wellas the more pronounced characteristics which we the more readilyrecognize as inheritances. The fact is that inheritance of good is souniversal that we fail to think of it. 

When the baby is "well-favored" and straight-limbed, no credit isgiven to heredity; but if he is in some way out of the ordinary, weblame the law that has fixed on him some result of parental conduct. 

If he possesses a good mentality, it scarcely occurs to us that thisis just as surely heredity as is the transmission of the mentalweakness of some ancestor. 

By the Gospel of Heredity I mean this brighter side, this"Good-tidings" of the law. In the first written Biblical record of thelaw, where the statement is made that the sins of the fathers arevisited upon the children to the third and fourth generation, we havealso the statement of the "Good-tidings" that the Lord sheweth mercyto thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments; and thatmeans not thousands of individuals, but thousands of generations. Justice is meted to the third and fourth, but mercy to thousands ofgenerations. 

All through the Scriptures we find this brighter phase of the lawenunciated. Perhaps you would like to study both the law and theGospel from the Bible. I will give you some texts and you can findthem for yourself. It would be interesting also for you to read thelives of men and women of renown, and observe the transmission oftalents and capabilities. 

Encouraging as this view of the subject may be, it is by no means thebrightest side of the subject of heredity, for if we have inheritedno special talents, and if we are handicapped by the transmittedresults of the sins of our ancestors, we may say "There is no hope forus, nor for our children. " To us then will come, as special"Good-tidings of great joy, " the news that heredity is not fatality. We are not obliged to sit and quietly bear the fetters our ancestorshave forged for us. We can break the chains, we can free ourselves. Itmay be difficult, but it can be done, and a great incentive to theeffort is found in the fact that by success we not only improveourselves, but we can pass on a better inheritance to our posterity. 

We may cultivate our health by obedience to its laws so as to overcomeinherited weaknesses to a very great extent. We are not absolutelyobliged to die with consumption because one of our parents did. Bysimple living, and especially by deep breathing of pure air, we may sostrengthen ourselves that we will have the power to resist theencroachments of the germ of tuberculosis. 

We may be born with weak digestive power, but by plain, wholesomefare, by freedom from worry, by a careful attention to all healthfulhabits, we may grow strong and free from dyspeptic symptoms. 

We can by cultivation of our minds and morals not only increase ourown powers, but add to the powers of our posterity. 

Then, too, the effects of mental education are transmissible; not theeducation itself, but an increased capacity, a new tendency. Everymental activity is accompanied by an actual modifying influence onbrain structure, so that we are really building our brains by ourthoughts, and this increase of our own brains is transmissible toposterity. 

I know that some of our philosophers assert strongly that acquiredcharacteristics are not transmitted, and their theories seem quiteplausible; but I would rather accept facts than theories any time, andProfessor Elmer Gates has demonstrated that this theory does notaccord with the facts. He has trained dogs until they could recognizeseven or eight shades of green or red. The brains of these dogs, sotrained, show under the microscope a great increase of brain-cells inthe visual area, proving that the education has created actual brainmaterial. The progeny of these dogs, to several generations, shows atbirth a much larger number of brain-cells in the visual area than isthe case where the ancestry has not been so strained. 

Where the dogs have been brought up in absolute darkness there is agreat lack of cells in the visual area, both in these dogs and intheir progeny. 

This is the brief statement of a most hopeful and encouraging fact. 

We look to the dark side of the law of heredity for our warning. Itmakes us solemnly thoughtful in view of our power over the race in thetransmitted result from our own wrongdoing; and then, when we feeloverwhelmed and discouraged, we turn towards the Gospel of Heredityand take hope from the fact that good is transmissible; and, more thanthat, we have it in our power so to modify our own characters, tendencies and habits that we can, in all probability, give ourchildren a better dower than we received, and the earlier in life webegin this making over of ourselves the better. 

I have heard people excuse themselves for all manner of faults on theplea that they were inheritances, and therefore could not be overcome. That is to declare that we are slaves, with no chance to acquirefreedom, and I am not willing to admit that. 

"Whereas in Adam all die, in Christ may all be made alive. " That is, that while under the Law of Heredity we are fettered, under the Gospelof Heredity our chains may be broken and we become free. 

There is much of encouragement in the poem of Ella Wheeler Wilcox onheredity:

 "There is no trait you cannot overcome. Say not thy evil instinct is inherited, Or that some trait inborn makes thy whole life forlorn, And calls for punishment that is not merited. 

 "Back of thy parents and grandparents lies The great Eternal Will, that, too, is thine Inheritance--strong, beautiful, divine; Sure lever of success for one who tries. 

 "Pry up thy fault with this great lever--will; However deeply bedded in propensity; However firmly set, I tell thee firmer yet Is that great power that comes from truth's immensity. 

 "There is no noble height thou canst not climb; All triumphs may be thine in time's futurity, If, whatsoe'er thy fault, thou dost not faint or halt, But lean upon the staff of God's security. 

 "Earth has no claim the soul cannot contest; Know thyself part of the supernal source, And naught can stand before thy spirit's force; The soul's divine inheritance is best. "

BIBLE TEXTS BEARING ON THE SUBJECT OF HEREDITY. 

_Natural Heredity. _

_Law. _--Gen. 1:12-24; Ex. 20:6; Num. 14:18. 

_Sins visited. _--Job 21:17-19; Ps. 37:28; Jer. 32:18. 

_Blessings. _--Gen. 22:17, 18; Deut. 4:40; 5:29; 30:19; Ps. 21:13;37:18, 22, 26, 29; 103:17, 18; 112:1, 2; 128:3; Prov. 10:25; 11:19;13:22; 17:6; 20:7; Isa. 48:18, 19; Jer. 32:18. 

_Divine Heredity. _

Isa. 43:16; Jer. 3:19; Mal. 2:10; Matt. 5:9, 45, 48; 6:4, 6, 9, 14, 15, 18, 26; John 20:17; Rom. 8:16, 17; Gal. 4:7; Eph. 4:6; 2 Peter1:4; 1 John 3:2; 5:1. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

REQUISITES OF A HUSBAND. 

Having spent so much time in the study of principles and laws, we willnow return to the discussion of this concrete case. What can youdecide in regard to this individual young man to whom you think youhave given your heart? What is he in his inheritance? What is he inhimself? I do not ask that he shall have inherited wealth, for thatoften proves a young man's ruin, but does he come of an honest, industrious family? Have you just reason to suppose that he will makea fair success of life? Is his father shiftless, lazy, improvident? Ifso, it will be harder for him to be provident, business-like. Has hetrue ideas of the dignity of life and his own responsibility? Is helooking for an "easy job, " or does he purpose to give a fairequivalent for all that he receives? Would he rather toil at honestmanual labor than be supported by a rich father-in-law?

What are his ideas as to his responsibility in the founding of a home?How will he look upon his wife? As an equal, a companion, or as aplaything, a petted child, or a sort of upper servant? What value doeshe put upon the wife's labor in the conducting of the household? Willhe consider that the money he hands over to her is a gift from him, oronly a fair recognition of the value of her work, a rendering to herof her share in the family purse?

What is his estimate of woman? Is she an individual with rights, withintellect and heart, with a judgment to be consulted, opinions worthyof recognition, or only an appendage to man, created for his comfortand to be held in her "sphere" by his will?

What are his defects of temper, or his weaknesses of body? Of course, to you now he seems perfection, and yet he is a human being, fallibleand imperfect. If his faults are similar to yours, you double thepossibility of their inheritance by your children. If you both have atendency to lung trouble, the probabilities are that your childrenwill have consumption. If you both are of rheumatic proclivities, youmay expect a manifestation of the same early in the life of yourchildren. If you both are "nervous" or irritable in temper, bothjealously inclined, or are morbid and melancholy, you need not besurprised at an intensifying of these qualities in your little ones. 

If there are more serious family traits, such as insanity, epilepsy, alcoholism and the like, it might even be your duty never to run therisk of their transmission. 

I once spoke on heredity when in the audience sat a young man by theside of his _fiancée_, who, I was afterwards told, had been in aninsane asylum three times, and yet he purposed marrying her. 

I know a clergyman who has wisely dedicated himself to a celibate lifebecause there is marked insanity in his family. 

You chafe a little under this reiteration of the duty you owe tochildren yet unborn, and who may possibly never exist, and perhaps yousay, as I have heard girls say, "Oh, I don't mean to have anychildren;" and perhaps you add, "I don't see why people may not marryand be happy just by themselves without having children. "

It is not strange that you should not understand all that is involvedin such a statement. It is true that some married people do not havechildren, and are comparatively happy, and yet perhaps if we couldread their hearts we should find that the one great longing of theirlives is for the blessing of a child. 

It is natural to desire to know the joys of parenthood. In the home, through the cares and love, the anxiety, self-sacrifice, tendernessand patience which accompany parenthood, the education of theindividual is made most complete and perfect. 

The girl who marries without a willingness to accept theseresponsibilities is willing to sacrifice that which, rightly borne, will bring her the highest development. If she purposes deliberatelyto avoid motherhood she puts herself in a position of moral peril, forsuch immunity is not often secured except at the risk of criminality. I say not often, although I believe that if husband and wife areactuated by the worthy motive of not inflicting on posterity somedower of woe, they are justified in a marriage that does notcontemplate parenthood, if they are of lofty purpose enough to livesolely in mental and spiritual companionship. But all attempts tosecure the pleasure of a physical relation and escape its legitimateresults are a menace to the health and a degradation to the moralnature. This subject, and the questions arising therefrom, will bediscussed more fully in the next book of this series, "What a YoungWife Ought to Know. "

But how is a girl to know all these things concerning her lover'sideas, thoughts, principles, and purposes? Many of these you thinkcannot be known until after marriage, and then it is too late. That istrue; therefore be wise and learn all you can of each other's habits, peculiarities, opinions, and predilections now, before it is too late. Talk over business matters. Find out what your lover's ideas are as tothe wife's right to a pecuniary recognition of the value of her laborin making the home. Does he think that she earns nothing, and thatwhat he gives her of his money is a donation for which she gives noreturn? I know a young woman who had been self-supporting before hermarriage who felt timid about asking her husband for money. So shewore her wedding garments until they were shabby, went without moneywhen her own funds were exhausted, and kept silent for five years, andher husband--a young clergyman--never thought to ask her if she neededanything, never observed her growing shabbiness. When at last shesummoned courage to tell him her needs, he was overwhelmed with regretfor his own lack of thought and observation, and yet he could notunderstand why she should hesitate to ask for money. "Why, it is allyours, dear, " he said. "You were only asking for what already belongsto you. " And many young husbands are just as obtuse, therefore theyshould receive in advance the instruction that is needed to prevent apossibility of such neglect. Have it understood that if you are worthyto be trusted as a bearer of the name and a sharer of the fortunes ofa man, you are worthy to share also the burden of the knowledge of hisbusiness experiences, and to bear the responsibility of economicallyguarding his interests in the expenditure of money which, by your loveand care and labor, you have helped him to earn. 

I think a young woman should know something of the personal habits ofher future husband. Does he like fresh air, or does he want thewindows hermetically sealed at night. Is he a believer in thegodliness of cleanliness? I have just read of two people who marriedafter a six week's acquaintance, knowing nothing of each other'santecedents, personal habits, caprices or principles. The man provedto be a regular hypochondriac, taking medicine constantly, at one timewith five doctors prescribing for him. He counted his pulse at everyodd moment, and looked at his tongue instead of at the eyes of hiswife, as he had done when a lover. He had a dread of pure air, and wasas averse to bathing as a cat. The woman had lived in the open air, taken a daily morning bath, and was disgusted with those who did notdo likewise. The writer says, "She stormed, took her baths, and openedthe windows; he cried, took no baths, shut the windows, and called thedoctors. " There is no need to depict the unhappiness of the home, andyet no doubt the girl would have been shocked had anyone suggestedthat she inquire into these facts concerning her lover. But if she hadbeen less romantic and more practical, if she had remembered that themarriage contract would bind her for life to one who would be moreclosely connected with her than anyone else could be, and this unionfor life, by day and by night, constant, continuous, and not to beannulled by any such small matters as bad breath or unpleasantpersonal habits, perhaps she would have considered it no small matterto discover the possible causes of disgust before they became fixturesin her life. 

And perhaps, also, she would have given her own personal habits moreconsideration. True love will endure much, but it sometimes dies inthe presence of untidiness, of carelessness as to dress or room, orlack of sweetness of person or of breath. If you demand much of ahusband, he has a right to demand just as much from you. If there arehabits concerning which you would rather he as a lover should beignorant, believe me that it is even more important that as a husbandhe should not know them. Therefore employ your available time beforemarriage to rid yourself of them. If a lover would be disenchanted tosee the room from which his blooming, beauteous adored one haddeparted, bearing the marks of carelessness and disorder, with soiledclothing, unmade bed, shoes, hose and dresses all in tumbled heaps onchairs and floor, remember that the marriage ceremony does not makesuch a room more attractive to the husband, who must not only see butshare its discomforts. 

In addition to the knowledge of each other's personal peculiaritiesthere should be an understanding of each other's ideas as to theduties and responsibilities of their proposed relation to each other. I lately received a letter from a young woman who asks, "How freely doyou think two engaged young people may talk concerning their futurelife? Would it not be indelicate for them to discuss their futurerelations, the possibility and responsibilities of parenthood, etc. ?"

I answer, that depends on the young people. If they have false ideas, if they have little or no scientific knowledge, if their thoughts arefilled with wrong mental pictures, they will not know how to talkwisely and beneficially. But these two young people are intelligent, are scientifically educated, are Christians. Their hearts are pure, their standards high, their motives praiseworthy. It would seem thatthey might talk as freely as their inclination would prompt. In factthere seems to me more indelicacy and more danger from long eveningsspent in murmuring ardent protestations of love and indulging inembraces and endearments than in a frank, serious conversation on therealities and responsibilities of marriage, an exchange of earnestthoughts, voiced in chaste, well-chosen language--a conversation whichby its very solemnity is lifted out of the realm of sense-pleasureinto the dignified domain of science and morality. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

ENGAGEMENTS. 

There now sparkles on your finger a ring that symbolizes the promiseyou have given to become a wife. You are engaged, and there now arisesin your mind the query as to the conduct of yourselves during thisperiod of engagement: How much of privilege shall you grant yourlover? As you are promised to each other for life, are you notwarranted in assuming towards each other greater personal familiarity?May you not with perfect modesty allow endearments and caresses thathitherto have not been permissible?

I take it for granted that you are not one of those unwise young womenwho permit themselves to become engaged for fun; who consider anengagement as of so little seriousness that it may be made and brokenwithout regret. I have known girls who even enter into engagementsjust in order to feel justified in greater freedom of conduct withoutcompunction of conscience. If such engagements do not violate the codeof conventionalities they certainly infringe upon the moral code. 

It is not strange that girls should fail to see all the dangers ofsuch conduct--that they should not comprehend that thus they becomesources of temptation to their lovers, and may even imperil their ownsafety. 

But your engagement is an honest one, your love is true, based uponthorough acquaintance; you have mutual respect and entire confidencein each other. May you not now throw aside much of the restrictionsthat have surrounded your association and manifest your affection inreciprocal demonstrations?

We often read the advice to young people not to enter upon longengagements, and the reason given is that it exacts too much in theway of self-control, is too great a nervous strain, is too full ofperil. I would like to quote just here a few words by Dr. C. W. Eaton:

"Away with the sexual argument against engagements, and let us all setabout that cultivation of will and purpose which can make the weakesta tower of strength and the arbiter of his own destiny; and let us sayto our appetites, Thus far shalt thou come and no farther, neithershalt thou presume to deny to thy master the best earthlycompanionship which may come into his life. It may be a far hardertask than the ardent and poetical lover allows himself at first tothink, but the hardest battles are best worth the fighting; and whatmanner of men should we become if we systematically evaded life'sconflicts, instead of meeting them squarely and fighting them throughmanfully? Dr. Bourgeois says: 'The ancient custom of betrothals is thesafeguard for the purity of morals and the happy association of manand wife. This institution was known to the Greeks, the Hebrews, theRomans, and during the Middle Ages. In Germany it has still preservedits poetical and moral character. The young people are sometimesaffianced many years before their marriage. We see the young man, thusbetrothed, with heart full of his chaste love, absent himself for atime in order to finish his education, to perform his studies ofscience or art, his apprenticeship to a trade, and to prepare himselffor manly life. He returns to his betrothed with a soul which hasremained pure, with a reason enlarged and fortified. Then both areripe for the austere duties of marriage. 

"'Chaste love, consecrated by betrothals, can be cultivated in themidst of work. It lightens toil, it banishes _ennui_, it illumines thehorizon of life with delightful prospects; it excites in the young manthe manly courage and the high intelligence to create for himself aposition in the world; in woman, the noble ambition to perfect herselfto become a worthy companion and good adviser. 

"'During the stormy period of youth it is the only means of preservingthe virgin purity of the heart and of the body. Does anyone believethat young men who in good season have in their hearts a love strongand worthy of them would profane themselves, as they so oftenotherwise do, in vile affections, in those relations of a day, givingthemselves a holocaust to beauty without soul, or even tolicentiousness without beauty?'"

Emerson says: "If, however, from too much conversing with materialobjects the soul was gross, and misplaced its satisfaction in thebody, it reaped nothing but sorrow, body being unable to fulfill thepromise which beauty holds out; but if, accepting the hint of thesevisions and suggestions which beauty makes to his mind, the soulpasses through the body and fails to admire strokes of character, andthe lovers contemplate one another in their discourses and theiractions, then they pass to the true palace of beauty, more and moreinflame their love of it, and by this love extinguishing the baseaffection, as the sun puts out fire by shining on the hearth, theybecome pure and hallowed. By conversation with that which is in itselfexcellent, magnanimous, lowly and just, the lover comes to a warmerlove of these nobilities, and a quicker apprehension of them. Then hepasses from loving them in one to loving them in all, and so is theone beautiful soul only the door through which he enters to thesociety of all true and pure souls. In the particular society of hismate he attains a clearer sight of any spot, any taint which herbeauty has contracted from this world, and is able to point it out, and this with mutual joy that they are now able, without offense, toindicate blemishes and hindrances in each other, and give to each allhelp and comfort in curing the same. And beholding in many souls thetraits of the divine beauty, and separating in each soul that which isdivine from the taint which it has contracted in the world, the loverascends to the highest beauty, to the love and knowledge of theDivinity, by steps on this ladder of created souls. "

And this all means that when the thought of the sex-relationconstitutes in the mind of either the idea of marriage, then thewedding ceremony will be supposed to remove all restrictions, and theonly limit of gratification will be the limit of desire. Under thesecircumstances the close familiarity of a long engagement would be amental and physical tax, because the self-control exercised is felt tobe only temporary, and will be no longer needed when the weddingceremony has been said. 

But if the idea of marriage is nobler, if the sex-relation isconsecrated to its highest purpose of reproduction, if marriage isfelt to be only an added opportunity for self-control, which will bemore difficult then because there will be no restraint except thatwhich is self-imposed, then the engagement will be felt to be a timeof gradual preparation for that closer relationship which needs morewill-power because opportunity is greater. 

Under these conditions the lovers will be aiming towards an idealwhich recognizes that in wedded life all that is lasting in affection, in tender courtesy, in most intimate companionship, in sweetestdemonstration, is possible without the physical union, which in itselfis the most transitory of pleasures, but which in unlimited indulgencebecomes the most domineering of passions, exhaustive of physical powerand of mental vigor, and absolutely annihilating all true love. 

If you ask why there should exist this marvelous drawing of the sexestowards each other if their relation is not based upon the exercise ofsex-functions, I reply that sex is more than its local expression; itis inherent in mind as well as body, and therefore sexual power may beexpressed in masculine courage, energy or daring, or in feminineconstancy, self-abnegation, or sweet courtesy. Sexual attraction isnot limited to the local expression, nor creative power toreproduction of kind, but may give a stimulus to the intellectualcompanionship of men and women, and result in the creation of noblerideals and grander aspirations. 

Having settled in your mind your attitude towards your lover, let usconsider what it shall be towards your family during these days ofthe engagement. Naturally you will not feel a separation from the homecircle as keenly as do the other members of your family. You two areso absorbed in each other, are so busy exchanging ideas, in becomingacquainted, that you are oblivious to the change brought about in yourfamily. You think you two ought to be allowed the privilege of_tête-à-têtes_, for of course you cannot talk freely together in thehearing of others. This is true. You should have times of seclusion, when, without a sense of oppression through fear of criticism orjesting, you can rhapsodize, or quote poetry and open your hearts'treasures to each other. But you still owe a duty to your home. Doubtless your mother is not now as necessary to your happiness as youare to hers. She is thinking of you with most tender solicitude, shemisses your presence, she already begins to feel the loneliness of theinevitable separation. If you are thoughtful you will see to it thatthe separation does not begin sooner than is necessary. Then, too, your parents need to get acquainted with this new member whom you areto introduce into the family, and he needs to know them. He will thinknone the less of you if he sees that you do not allow him tomonopolize you entirely, that you recognize your obligations to thefamily and that you expect him to recognize them also, and, inaddition, his obligations to show them due courtesy and attention. Heis not to absorb you entirely, to take you out of the home circle, buthe is to come in and be a part of it, even as you are to become one inthe home of which he is a member. You need to remember that he is sonand brother to women who loved him long before you knew him, and thathe still owes them attention and thoughtful, affectionate courtesy. 

Never allow yourself to feel jealous of his mother or sisters. Thefact that he is a loving, thoughtful son and brother is in a measure aguarantee that he will be a loving, thoughtful husband. 

Let me add to this advice a word more. Do not allow yourself to feeljealous of him in any way. Jealousy is the quintessence ofselfishness, and no other passion is so destructive of happiness, sofull of the contagion of evil. If your lover is not to be trusted, youwould be wise to end the engagement at once. If he is to be trusted, that trust should be absolute. I said you should not allow him tomonopolize you, neither should you attempt to monopolize him. Thereare other people in the world besides yourself, and other occupationsthan the business of waiting on you. If you make him feel that he darenot speak to anyone but you, that he dare not think of anything butyou, he will begin to chafe under the restraint and feel a desire tobreak the bonds that are becoming fetters. If he were not youracknowledged lover, if you were anxious to win his love, but were alittle uncertain as to your power to do so, you would not meet himwith tears and upbraidings because he had for one moment seemed toforget you, but you would at once use every possible effort to makeyourself more attractive in his eyes than any other person couldpossibly be. You will be wise to use those same tactics now, eventhough his allegiance is pledged to you. Be so charming that no oneelse can be considered so entertaining; that no one else can be sowise, so witty, so sympathetic, so altogether lovely, that everythingbut yourself is forgotten; and then believe in him so absolutely thathe could not possibly swerve in his fidelity to you. Have you everthought that to accuse one of a certain wrong act may be just the wayto suggest to him the possibility of committing it? If one trusts youimplicitly, that very trust is a constant suggestion to be true, anddoubt is a suggestion to act worthy of being doubted. 

You must trust each other or you have no sure foundation for futurelove and happiness. It needs a great deal of good common sense tolearn how to live happily in marriage. You may have chosen wisely. Theman may be honest, pure, kindly, intelligent, and Christian, but he ishuman, therefore not perfect. He has faults, peculiarities, moods, perhaps tempers, and he will probably not wait until you are marriedto begin to show them. There will come differences of opinions, divergences in desires, clashings in judgment. Now is the time todisplay your tact, to learn how to express an opposing opinion withoutarousing antagonism, to yield a desire for the sake of a greater lovethan that of self, to adhere to principle without unpleasantdiscussion; in short, to be dignified and womanly without pettiness orlittleness of any kind. You remember the words of Ruskin, that thewoman must be "incorruptibly good, instinctively, infallibly wise, notfor self-development, but for self-renunciation, " and that will be thehighest development. 

No doubt you will think that some of this advice should be given toyoung men as well as to young women, and I think so too, and were Italking to your lover I could say many warning words; but just now Iam telling you things that he does not need to hear, and I do not needto tell you what, if I had the chance, I would say to him. You are totrain yourself and not him, and yet I would not have you ignorant ofyour power over him in developing in him all that is noblest and best. You should hold him ever to his highest ideals. He should never feelso absolutely sure of your adoration as to imagine that it will endurea lowering of his standards. You have been posing a little before eachother. Doubtless you were not aware of this, but, now that you haveeach gained the heart of the other, you may sometimes feel that youcan relax; but this is a dangerous error. You should continue to be asthoughtful, as courteous, as careful as ever; you should endeavorreally to be all that you have tried or appeared to be during thesedays of courtship. You will be none too perfect even then. 

Once, in talking to a group of women, I asserted that a wife shouldexact of her husband as high a tone of morality as of her lover, thatshe should not allow him to become lax in his conversation with herany more than with any other woman. One woman thought me too strict. She said men liked to feel that at home they could do as they pleased, and would resent a wife's interference with their right to be loose intheir talk in their own home. I replied that the home is not the man'snor the woman's alone; it is theirs jointly; that each has a right todemand that the other shall not pollute or poison the air, the food, the water or the moral atmosphere; and the wife who allowscontamination of the thought-atmosphere of the home is as culpable asif she were to permit poison to be put into the food. 

As a man admires the girl who respects herself too much to permit himto tell her questionable stories, so will he reverence the wife whorefuses to allow him to degrade himself in her presence either byspeech or conduct. Love would not so often fail if wives knew thesecret of retaining it, and that is not by sacrifice of principle, norby tearful reproaches and upbraidings, but by being true to thehighest impulses, and while having the good common sense that can makeall reasonable allowance for fallibility, still permits no lowering ofmoral standards, no willful falling short of the very best. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

THE WEDDING. 

Said my friend:

 There's to be a grand wedding, you know, With no end to the fuss and parade, With sixteen fair bridesmaids to stand in a row, With sixteen young groomsmen to help out the show, One to stand by the side of each maid. 

 Then there's a reception to be very fine, With all sorts of magnificent things, With silver to glitter and mirrors to shine, With tropical fruit and famous old wine, With odorous flowers and music divine, Drawn forth from melodious strings. 

In the minds of many girls the wedding means only this public show, the display of elegant toilets, the reception of costly gifts; and thepreparation of marriage means too often merely the making of anelegant _trousseau_. People generally do not ask concerning thefitness of the young people to enter on the solemn duties of life--donot ask how well they have been instructed concerning that which isbefore them; but the questions are all about clothes and gifts andceremonials. No wonder, then, that the thought of the young womancenters on these things, to the exclusion of nearly all else; indeed, it may be to the detriment of health and the lessening of truehappiness. The prospective husband finds his _fiancée_ so absorbed insewing, shopping and interviews with dressmakers that she has fewmoments to give to him, and these few occupied more with the thoughtof gowns and personal adornments than with ideals of wedded happiness. 

Perhaps she even excuses herself for lessening the number of hisvisits on the plea that very soon now she will be all his, and so heis left to spend his last days of bachelorhood in loneliness, and madeto feel that raiment is more than love. Worse still, it may be that onthe wedding-day he takes to his heart a bride so wearied, so nervouslyexhausted by the preparations of the _trousseau_ that she is at leasttemporarily an invalid. I have known more than one bride so worn outby the preparation for her wedding that instead of bringingbrightness, joy and beauty into the new life, she brought illness, anxiety and care, and made demands at once upon the patience andservice of the husband, who had a right to expect health and vigor anda power to enjoy. 

I knew a sensible girl who said months before her marriage, "I am notgoing to bring to my new life a remnant of health, a shattered nervoussystem and a tattered temper, " and she kept her word. Her sewing wasdone by degrees, and was all out of the way weeks before the wedding. Shopping and dressmaking were never allowed to interfere with thewalks and drives, the chats and moonlight strolls. "We shall not beable to repeat this experience, " she wisely said, and so her loverfound her ever ready to give him her society and her thought. Her_trousseau_ was not elaborate, her wedding-dress was simple, but in itshe shone like a flower of the morning, full of brightness and healthand joy. 

She was wise in other respects. Only her intimate friends were invitedto the wedding ceremony, and to these she said, "I want you to feelthat it is you I invite, not your gifts. If your love impels you togive me some simple memento of yourself it will be cherished, but I'drather have a pincushion made by your own hand, or a little flowerpainted by yourself, than the most costly purchased picture or mostelegant piece of silver that you bought, because you thought it wasexpected. And if, when you come, you bring no gift but your love andblessing, I shall feel that that is the richest treasure. "

There was no display of presents to a vulgar curiosity, no collectionof duplicate butter-knives or berry-spoons to be secretly disposed ofafter the wedding. The gifts were few and not costly, but each toldits own story of personal affection, and therefore really had ameaning. 

This sensible young woman introduced another innovation into herwedding. She would not listen to the suggestion of a bridal tour. "Ido not want to be stared at and commented on by strangers, " she said. "Let us go to some quiet spot in the mountains or by the sea, and letus live with each other and with nature. " In after years she oftensaid, "I would not miss from my memory the picture of those happy daysfor anything that any trip on railway trains and sojourns at hotelscould give me. We had time and opportunity to learn each other's soulsas we could not have done amid 'the madding crowd;' and we have lovedeach other more truly, I know, because in those early wedded days wesat with Nature and Nature's God in the true companionship which suchsolitude alone can bring. "

I never see the parade of a fashionable wedding that I am not remindedof her and of a sad contrast to her experience, when two young peoplewere married amid a blaze of light, a rain of flowers, and under thecurious eyes of hundreds of strangers took their wedding tour, whilethe papers glowingly described the dress and beauty of the bride, thenecktie and the trousers of the groom, and pictures of the two werelabeled "The Happy Couple. " In two years the bride came home to herparents wrecked in health and broken in heart. 

There is a beauty in a golden wedding that truly celebrates a happyunion of half a century. But when life is all untried, when perhapsthe two young people know nothing of what is before them, it may beare but little acquainted with each other, and have mistaken thethrill of passion for the steady exaltation of love, then it wouldseem wiser to make the occasion one of most solemn import, free fromglitter and show, and full of that deep meaning which makes the heartstand still in reverence for life's deepest mysteries. 

 O, gallant young groom, it may seem a slight thing To take this young girl as your bride; To place on her finger the plain golden ring, Around her these bright flower-festoons to fling, But have you e'er thought what the future will bring To you in this life so untried?

 Have you thought how your temper may often be tried? That you may grow gouty and old, That the fair smiling face of your bonnie young bride May grow pale and haggard, and wrinkled, beside, Or she prove a sloven and scold?

 And you, bonnie bride, on this glad wedding day, In the midst of the curious crowd, Do you fancy that life will be always so gay? Can you work, can you wait, do you know how to pray, Can you suffer, and not cry aloud?

 Can you watch out the hours by sad beds of pain? Can you bear and forbear and forgive? Can you cheerfully hope e'en when hoping is vain, And when hope is dead, and to die you would fain, Can you still feel it right you should live?

 O, touchingly solemn and tender the hour, So full of deep meaning the vow You have uttered. And sorely you need Divine power To guide you and guard you in sunshine and shower, For trouble will come and love's delicate flower Be crushed, you can scarcely tell how. 

And yet, dear heart, there is nothing that has such unconquerablevitality as love; but it must be true love, not self-love, notsentimentality, not passion, not any of the spurious emotions thatmasquerade under the name of love, and which wither with the slightestadverse wind. 

Love is not an exotic, growing only in the conservatories of wealth. It is a hardy plant, covering desolate places with verdure, glowingamid the snows of mountain peaks, blossoming by night as well as byday, hiding defects, clinging to ruins, enduring drouth and heat andcold. 

I know a woman who says that there should never be marriage wherethere are unpleasant peculiarities, idiosyncrasies, or evenmannerisms; but should we act on that principle, few would marry. Loveis sometimes said to be blind in the days of wooing, but wearingmagnifying glasses after wedlock. True love is never blind, but he iscapable of judging of true relative values, and will count as naughtthe slight defect when measured by the overwhelming perfection. Whohas not seen men devoted to wives who were homely or peculiar, but whowere genuinely pure and true?

"I don't care, " said one woman, "if my husband is bald and cross-eyed, he has a heart of gold. "

True love is not blind, but with a deep, keen insight looks throughthe encasing garment of human imperfections, and sees within thedivine ego, and because it recognizes the true inner self that isworthy, hopeth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things, and never faileth. 

THE END. 

Offices _of_ Publication

¶ IN THE UNITED STATES. TheVir Publishing Company, 200-214N. Fifteenth St. , Philadelphia, Pa. 

¶ IN ENGLAND. The Vir PublishingCompany, 4 Imperial B'l'd'g's, Ludgate Circus, London, E. C. 

¶ IN CANADA. Ryerson Press, Cor. Queen and John Sts. Toronto, Ontario. 

"What a Young Girl Ought to Know. "

BY MRS. MARY WOOD-ALLEN, M. D. 

Condensed Table of Contents

 PART I

 The origin of life--One plan in all forms of life--How plants grow from the seed--They feed on the soil, grow and mature--How the plant reproduces itself--The flower, the pollen, the pod, the seed--The office of bees and insects in fertilization. 

 PART II

 Fishes and their young--The parent fishes and the baby fishes--The seeds of plants and eggs of fishes, birds and animals--How fishes never know their baby offspring--Warm blooded animals--Lessons from birds--Their nests, eggs and little ones. 

 PART III

 Animals and their young--The place which God has prepared for their young--Beginning their independent life--Human babies the most helpless and dependent of all creatures--The relations of parent and child--The child a part of each parent--Heredity and its lessons. 

 PART IV

 The value of good health--The care of the body--The body a temple to be kept holy--Girls should receive their instruction from their mothers--The body the garment which the soul wears--Effects of thoughts upon life and character--Value of good companions, good books and good influences--What it is to become a woman. 

"What a Young Girl Ought to Know"

WHAT EMINENT PEOPLE SAY

 Francis E. Willard, LL. D. 

 "I do earnestly hope that this book, founded on a strictly scientific but not forgetting a strong ethical basis, may be well known and widely read by the dear girls in their teens and the young women in their homes. "

 Mrs. Elizabeth B. Grannis

 "These facts ought to be judiciously brought to the intelligence of every child whenever it asks questions concerning its own origin. "

 Mrs. Harriet Lincoln Coolidge

 "It is a book that mothers and daughters ought to own. "

 Mrs. Katharine L. Stevenson

 "The book is strong, direct, pure, as healthy as a breeze from the mountain-top. "

 Mrs. Isabelle MacDonald Alden, "Pansy"

 "It is just the book needed to teach what most people do not know how to teach, being scientific, simple and plain-spoken, yet delicate. "

 Miss Grace H. Dodge

 "I know of no one who writes or speaks on these great subjects with more womanly touch than Mrs. Wood-Allen, nor with deeper reverence. When I listen to her I feel that she has been inspired by a Higher Power. "

 Ira D. Sankey

 "Every mother in the land that has a daughter should secure for her a copy of "What a Young Girl Ought to Know. " It will save the world untold sorrow. "

"What a Young Wife Ought to Know. "

BY MRS. EMMA F. A. DRAKE, M. D. 

Condensed Table of Contents

 HUSBAND AND HOME

 The choice of a husband--One worthy of both love and respect--Real characteristics necessary--Purity vs. "wild oats"--What shall a young wife expect to be to her husband?--His equal, but not his counterpart--His helpmeet Wifehood and motherhood--Should keep pace with his mental growth--Trousseau and wedding presents--The foolish and ruinous display at weddings--Wedding presents and unhappiness--Wise choice of furniture--The best adornments for the home. 

 THE MARITAL RELATIONS

 The marital state should be the most holy of sanctuaries--Its influence upon character--Modesty--Reproduction the primal purpose--Love's highest plane--The right and wrong of marriage--The wrongdoings of good men. 

 PARENTHOOD

 Preparation for motherhood--Motherhood the glory of womanhood--Maternity productive of health--Clothing--Exercise--Baths, etc. , etc. --The child the expression of the mother's thoughts--The five stages of prenatal culture. 

 PREPARATION FOR FATHERHOOD

 Questions which test the fitness of young men for marriage--Many young men of startling worth--Effects of bad morals and wayward habits--Tobacco and Alcoholics--Attaining the best--The father reproduced in his children. 

 ANTENATAL INFANTICIDE

 The moral responsibility of parents in heredity--The mother's investment of moulding power--Parents workers together with God--Ailments during expectant motherhood--Maternity a normal state--Development of the foetus--Minuteness of the germ of human life--Changes which take place--Life present the moment conception takes place--The sin of tampering with the work of the Infinite. 

 THE LITTLE ONE

 Baby's wardrobe--The question that comes with fluttering signs of life--Importance of wise choice of material and style of dress--Choice of physician and nurse of real consequence--The birth chamber--Surroundings and after-care of the mother--The care of the baby--The responsibilities and joys of motherhood--The mother the baby's teacher--Common ailments of children and how to treat them--Guarding against vice--The training of children--Body building--Helps for mothers. 

"What a Young Wife Ought to Know"

WHAT EMINENT PEOPLE SAY

 Mrs. Margaret E. Sangster

 "Joyfully I send you my unqualified endorsement of the excellent book, 'What a Young Wife Ought to Know. ' I wish every young and perplexed wife might read its pages. "

 Charles H. Parkhurst, D. D. 

 "It handles delicate matters in a manner as firm as it is delicate, and dignifies even what is common by the purity of the sentiment and nobility of intent with which it is treated. "

 Marietta Holly (Josiah Allen's Wife)

 "It is an excellent book; if every young wife of to-day would read it and lay its lessons to heart it would make the to-morrow much easier and happier for all of Eve's daughters. "

 W. G. Sperry, M. D. 

 "Young wives, for whom this book is intended, wilt receive great benefits from heeding its wise words. It is good for incitement, guidance, restraint. "

 Mrs. Joseph Cook

 "It illuminates the Holy of Holies in the most sacred of earthly relationships with the white light of truth and purity. "

 Julia Holmes Smith, M. D. 

 "Be sure Dr. Drake's book is part of your daughter's outfit. I have never read anything which so thoroughly met the use it was designed for as this volume. "

 J. P. Sutherland, M. D. 

 "A subject difficult to treat has been handled by Dr. Drake with delicacy, earnestness and straightforwardness. It is a practical book destined to do good. "

"What a Woman of Forty-five Ought to Know. "

BY MRS. EMMA F. A. DRAKE, M. D. 

Condensed Table of Contents

 KNOWLEDGE OF CLIMACTERIC NECESSARY

 Why women are not prepared to meet the climacteric--The fear that unnerves many--Error of views concerning "Change of Life"--Correct teaching stated--Influence of medical literature--Three periods in a woman's life--Relation of early habits to later aches and ills--The menopause--Conditions which influence the period of the climacteric--The age at-which it usually appears--Effects of heredity--Childless women--Mothers of large families--Effects of different occupations--Excesses. 

 HERALDS OF CHANGE--DISEASES AND REMEDIES

 Mental states during menopause--Change in blood currents--Flushes, chilliness, dizziness, etc. --Nervous symptoms--Disturbed mental and nervous equilibriums--Nature as woman's helper--Troublesome ailments--Mental troubles considered--Suggested help--Cancer--Benefits named--Apprehensions dispelled--How to banish worry--Simplifying daily duty--An eminent physician's prescription--A word to single women--Reluctance of unmarried women to meet the menopause--How to prolong one's youth--Dress during this period--The mother "At Sea"--Guarding against becoming gloomy--Effects of patent medicine advertising--Drug fiends--Lustful indulgence. 

 WHAT BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE SHOULD REMEMBER

 Slights and inattentions keenly felt by her--Need of patience--A word of private counsel--Value of little attentions--Wife's duty to her husband--Holding husband's affections--Making home attractive--Unselfishness. 

 AUTO-SUGGESTION AND OTHER SUGGESTIONS

 Influence of mind over body--The mind as a curative agent--How to rise out of depression--Mental philosophy and physical betterment--Relation of health to sight--Care of the teeth--The hair--Constipation--Self cure--Choice of foods--Exercise--Physical development--Exercise of mind and soul. 

"What a Woman of Forty-five Ought to Know"

PRAISED BY THE PRESS

 "Will dispel apprehensions aroused by groundless forebodings. "--_Reformed Church Messenger. _

 "If the hygienic advice in this book is followed it will lengthen the lives of women and make their closing years the happiest and most useful of all, "--_Herald and Presbyter. _

 "In no line of literature, perhaps, is such a book so much needed. "--_New Haven Leader. _

 "Those who peruse the book only from prurient curiosity will be disappointed. "--_Cleveland World. _

 "Should be read by every woman nearing and passing middle life. "--_Pittsburg Gazette. _

 "Written in that wholesome sympathetic manner characteristic of all the books in the Self and Sex Series. "--_Cleveland Daily World. _

 "Full of most admirable practical advice, and it is written in a sympathetic manner which is the outcome of oneness of sex between the author and those whom she addresses. "--_Syracuse Herald. _

 "There are some things that a woman of forty-five does not know--things which she regards with more or less terror in the expectation--which terror it is the object of Mrs. Drake to dispel. "--_Rochester Herald. _

 "There is nothing in the book that could not be proclaimed from the house-tops, and there is everything in it that intelligent and thoughtful women should read and keep for their daughters to read when the proper time comes. "--_Newark Daily Advertiser. _

A New Book by Charles Frederic Goss

More Important than the Simple or the Strenuous Life is the Home Life

"HUSBAND, WIFE AND HOME"

By CHARLES FREDERIC GOSS

Author of "The Redemption of David Corson, " etc. , etc. 

 "This is the kind of book that one desires to read aloud to all the family. Its captivating stories, humorous often, pathetic at times, will brighten one's face into a broad smile or bring the tear unbidden. The stories are the windows that Dr. Goss opens upon the practical themes that brighten every page of this winsome book. It will drive away the "blues" and make a cross and glum person look pleasant and feel pleasant. The divorce courts would be forced to go out of business if its blessed home truths were put into practice. "

 ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSED BY THE PRESS

 "There are nearly fifty short chapters. It boxes the compass of its subject, skipping no point. Wide experience and keen observation of real life yield material which is treated with plain, common sense, good wit and no lack of humor. Thus it hits the need of the average man and woman, and all others that reckon themselves above the average. The whole book is pervaded by strong and pure moral feeling, and the chapters are well dotted with pithy anecdotes and amusing stories. "--_The Outlook. _

 "These talks are practical, pungent and full of the sap of experience. "--_Bookseller, Newsdealer and Stationer. _

 "The call of the hour is for such a book as this to be read and heeded. Every chapter is on a subject bound to come up sooner or later, and discussed plainly but from a high Christian standpoint. "--_Religious Telescope. _

 "This book is a wholesome, exceedingly digestible oatmeal of literature which is better for the mental and moral stomach than many a higher-flavored repast. "--_St. Louis Republic. _

Price, $1. 50 net, post free

A NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK

"Faces Toward the Light"

By Sylvanus Stall, D. D. 

 Every phase of the Christian life--its joys and sorrows, its temptations and triumphs--is treated in a reverent and deeply spiritual manner that is sure to prove helpful and inspiring to every reader. 

 SOME CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK

 Glory After Gloom. The Dangerous Hour. The Concealed Future. Gleaning for Christ. Hunger and Health. Direction and Destiny. God of the Valleys. Coins and Christians. Reserved Blessings. Comfort in Sorrow. The Better Service. Not Knowing Whither. Good, but Good for Nothing. No Easy Place. The Dead Prayer Office. How God Reveals Himself. Starting Late. Source of Power. Toiling at a Heavy Tow. What He Gave and What He Got. Vacation Lessons. Wheat or Weeds. The Christian's Power. Disclosures in the Cloud. Healing and Living Waters. The Concealed Future. Suspended Animation. The Source of Power. Lessons from the Leaves. Etc. 

Just Published. New Revised Edition. 

FIVE-MINUTEOBJECT SERMONSTO CHILDREN

Through Eye-Gate and Ear-Gate Intothe City of Child-Soul

By SYLVANUS STALL, D. D. 

 A book for preachers, teachers, parents and all interested in the training and culture of children. 

 ENTHUSIASTICALLY COMMENDED

 "These little delightful sermons are models at point and brevity, and reach the little hearts through the eye and ear. "--_Christian Observer. _

 "Boys and girls will devour every one of them with relish, whilst we children of a larger growth will be children again. "--_Lutheran Observer. _

 "These sermons cannot help being suggestive to every preacher who would interest children, and they also have a much wider scope than for the pulpit. The book should be eagerly sought by all Sunday-School Teachers, leaders of children's meetings and the clergymen of all churches. "--_Wesleyan Methodist. _

 "Dr. Stall has the happy faculty of presenting to children, sober truths in a manner interesting to them. The author's object is to implant in the child's mind seeds of truth and love, nobleness and justice, and all the virtues that go to make a manly boy and womanly girl, as well as a God-loving child. "--_Boston Times. _

Talks to theKing's Children

_Second Series of "Five-MinuteObject Sermons"_

By SYLVANUS STALL, D. D. 

Invaluable in THE HOME, THE SUNDAYSCHOOL, THE PASTOR'S LIBRARY, THE MISSION FIELD

 A CHILDREN'S PREACHER

 "Dr. Stall has few equals in this particular line of writing. He shows a fine reserve in not allowing the object used to overshadow the truth taught. "--_Nashville Christian Advocate. _

 "The Rev. Dr. Sylvanus Stall is one of the best preachers for young people in the American pulpit. His 'Five-minute Object Sermons' to children was an ideal book in its class. The present volume is a second series of the same kind, and will be found to have no less point and charm than the volume published two years ago. "--_New York Independent. _

 "The author is well-known in this community, having been a pastor in Baltimore City for several years. He is an adept certainly in furnishing bright, interesting talks to children. He writes with a vigorous, irresistible pen. "--_Baltimore Methodist. _

 THE CHILDREN GOOD JUDGES

 "Those who have had the genuine pleasure and profit of Dr. Stall's first series of children's sermons will welcome this second volume. We have read them with the children and commend them very highly. The children know a good sermon when they hear it. "--_Reformed Church Messenger. _

 "Irresistibly interesting, especially to the young mind. "--_Christian Work. _

JUST PUBLISHED

 Two Important Booklets

 By Mrs. Adolphe Hoffmann, who is widely known in France, Germany and Switzerland as a talented writer, lecturer and educator. She is also prominent in the great reform and educational movements in Europe. 

 The Social Duty of Our Daughters

 _A mother's talk with mothers and their grown daughters. _

 BY MRS. ADOLPHE HOFFMANN

 An affectionate and confidential talk to mothers and their daughters on the responsibility, power and maternal duties of woman. These counsels should do much to dignify and elevate parenthood to the place intended by the Creator. 

 Before Marriage

 _A mother's parting counsel to her son on the eve of his marriage. _

 BY MRS. ADOLPHE HOFFMANN

 This booklet embodies the counsel of an earnest mother who imparts to her son the information essential to the happiness both of her son and his bride. 

_Unique Original Uplifting_

God's Minute

 A book of 365 daily prayers, 60 seconds long, arranged from January 1st to December 31st, a prayer to each page, _written expressly for this book_ by the most eminent preachers and laymen in the English-speaking world. At the top of each page is a selection of Scripture on encouragement to prayer. 

 Prayers by Drs. Wilfred T. Grenfell, W. W. Keen; Reverend Doctors, F. B. Meyer, John Clifford, James M. Gray, Timothy Stone, David James Burrell, Washington Gladden, Hugh Black; Rev. W. Griffith Thomas; Bishops W. A. Quayle, Charles E. Woodcock; President E. Y. Mullins, Mrs. Alice Hegan Rice, author of "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. " Clinton Scollard contributes an original poem. 

 _Full cloth bound, printed on thin Rag Feather-weight paper, 384 pages. Specially priced at 60 cents a copy, cloth; in leatherette, $1. 00; in art leather, $1. 50. _

THE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANYPHILADELPHIA, PA. , U. S. A. : 200 N. FIFTEENTH ST. LONDON: 7, IMPERIAL ARCADE, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E. C. CANADA: RYERSON PRESS, QUEEN AND JOHN STREETS

[Illustration]

"_Touchstones of Success_"

WRITTEN BY

_160 Present Day Men of Achievement Especially for This Book_

 Opinions of Great Business Men

 _From a California National Bank_: "Please find enclosed order for five copies of 'Touchstones of Success, ' which we will keep in the bank for the present and future young men to read at their leisure time at the expense of the bank. "

 _From a Widely Known California Engineer_: "I enclose check for $10. 00 for eight copies of Touchstones of Success'. "

 _From a Big Business Man, Boston, Mass_: "This is a splendid book for young men and it ought to be of great value to them. "

 _From a Prominent Manufacturer in Detroit_: "Please send six copies of the book. I want to distribute them among some of the employees in our office. "

 _From a Great Manufacturing Concern of St. Louis_: "I am passing copies of the book among the boys in our office because it contains some wonderful messages. "

 _From a Widely Known New York Jurist_: "I am enclosing my check for $25. 00, which makes $50. 00 that I have invested in extra copies of this book, so you know what I think of it. "

_Price, full cloth Bound, $1. 25 net per copy_

THE PUBLISHERS:_The_ VIR PUBLISHING COMPANY200-214: NORTH 15TH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 

_A Book About Our Wonderful Bodies_

Marvels of Our BodilyDwelling

_By_ MRS. MARY WOOD-ALLEN, M. D. 

_Author of_ "What a Young Girl Oughtto Know, " etc. 

Introduction by SYLVANUS STALL. D. D. 

 In the form of an allegory--comparing each part of the human body to its counterpart in a dwelling, the author has succeeded in making this human study as interesting as a Sherlock Holmes detective story. She has laid under contribution the best scientific authorities and this book will be found abreast of the Science of today. 

 _Cloth with cover in four colors, stamped in gold. 328 pages with fine half-tone pictures and 72 line drawings. _

_A Marvelous Book Upon a Marvelous Subject_

THE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANYPHILADELPHIA. PA. , U. S. A. : 200 N. 15th StreetLONDON: 7, Imperial Arcade, Ludgate Circus, E. C. TORONTO: Ryerson Press, 29 Richmond Street. W. 

Bible Selections for Daily Devotion

Selected and Arranged by

SYLVANUS STALL, D. D. 

 This book brings to family worship 365 passages best suited in character and length to such service. 

 It is intended to relieve the father or mother of perplexity and apprehension concerning the passages to be read, and to enable them to bring to the service that frame of mind indispensable to the conduct of real worship. 

 The Gospel narrative is chronologically arranged. 

 The text is from the Authorized version, while the verses are merged into paragraphs as in the Revised edition. 

 Difficult words are pronounced. 

 The selections are suited not only for use in family worship, but for the chapel service of colleges, universities, and by teachers in the opening services of public schools. 

 Readings are from three to five minutes in length. 

 _Cloth. 686 pages. Price, $1. 50 net. _

THE VIR PUBLISHING COMPANYPHILADELPHIA, PA. , U. S. A. : 200 N. 15th StreetLONDON: 7, Imperial Arcade, Ludgate Circus, E. C. TORONTO: Ryerson Press, Queen and John Streets

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