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Show f HABIT. 1 Few men realize the influence exerted on theni-slves theni-slves by habit, whether it bo of speech or any of those unnatural desires, such as smoking or drinking, drink-ing, which constitute so large a part of the lives of civilized mankind. Few there are, if any, wha can boast of coming into the world with well ordered or-dered intellects and with a select and choice bundle of habits neatly tucked away in the domains of their anatomy. We start out with no intention of accumulating any mannerisms or bad habits, but by the time we realize that we live only once on this earth and learn the relative value of good and bad habits in their effect upon our physical, mental and moral well-being, we find ourselves loaded down and circumscribed by a lot of stupid and illogical habits hab-its which irritate us when we take time to think of them or have them frequently brought to our attention. Life is largely made up of habits, though just where is the point of divergence from natural and spiritual law to satisfying the cravings of unnatural unnatu-ral appetites it is difficult to point out. We eat. and sleep, but the amount of each required to restore the energies dissipated by work varies so largely in individuals that those whose food is perfectly assimilated as-similated tell us we eat too much, and those whose nervous energy is restored by little sleep tell us we lie abed too late in the morning. Eating may be a habit as to quantity consumed, and the man whose intellect taught him to reduce his daily supply of provender one ounce each week until he had reached the minimum which would sustain his body affords an example wherein there are too morals one of economy and frugality, and another of self control. And that other freak who regularly retired at 10 o'clock and each week .set his alarm clock one minute min-ute earlier, in a year had reduced his sleeping time uearly an hour, and in four years cut it nearly in half with no apparent deterioation of his physical and mental capacities, furnishes another example with two morals one of regularity of habits and another of self control. But people generally would object to having their food weighed out to them on an apothecary's scales, and the alarm clock is looked upon as an abomination. However, the methods of these reformers furnish fur-nish a rational means of ridding ourselves of those irrational habits which irritate the mind, and which have grown into our lives by continual repetition. repe-tition. The frequency with which New Year's pledges are shattered is but an evidence that the habits affecting the body cannot be seized, drawn and quartered without protest from the nervous system. Instances are not wanting where strong men with strong wills, after years of smoking, suddenly sud-denly abjured the weed and almost as suddenly abjured ab-jured life itself. The sensible way to break away is to methodically measure out the quantity required re-quired for a day's indulgence, and then reduce it gradually. The nervous system and all the organs of the body affected by the habit will perform t!,., . natural functions wilhiU r iiiffVying a blow fr,, .. the mind which would free itself of the bui-d-r.- ,-a ,-a bad habit. Habits of speech vulgarity, profanity. o ity or any minor deficiency need to be d v. ' more severely. These require a radical r. m, There is no danger of stopping the wheel- , if t!i.; brakes are suddenly turned 011 tln-in. a:,d requ re a hard jolt to put them out of emmi-i No j !i as ure can be derived from flie luibi: '' ; fanity; it is all -0 iisele-s and senseless, -., ie ,- without excuse of any kind. And the on,,,,:,, .,1 God i- so j In i j and so forcibly stated rL- need say nothing more -on the subject. Hut if you want to quit any habit alien;,: ; bodily function.-, now is the time t.. begin the : para tii n for next New Year's resolutions. |