The Noonday Hour

The human system, taking in ail it.s . pavts, is á very Wonderfiil self-goveming, and at the sanie lime, dependent machine. In order to lfppp the machine in goo;l runnirig order- and nc are using the word machine ín the highest sense - it must have fooö and rest. All experimenta that have been triad to test the retmlts oí the absence of food upon the animal system have been ended, it' carried to their 1'ullest extent, in the same mahher with that sö aften cpioted experiment in horse keepirig, in which, as ïclaled by the ihviiit: "Just as I got him to ba coiild gc& alom; oit mie straw aday hc died." ïliesysleia will assert its Iemands lor food in the severo pangs of hunger, and the laek of vest will makt1 itself known ín involunt'ary sleep. Out o(' these necessities of the case there lias grovvri the common-sense custom of "taking :i nooning" of an hour or so in the middle ol' tlie day, in which fhe system is repleniehed with f.od, and the nevves and muscics icCreslied by a period of inactivity. A .lanishAmeviean town is in the niid -day as quiet as one in Xew Einglaud on tlie Sabbat h. One IVom the north in visiting such countries i:s apt to look' upon the people as indolent, hut he soon falls in with the costóte, and Rnds that the siesia. as tlie Qóon-day nap is called, and Which is taken by the piches! and ioorest alike. is nol a iiianireslation o1' laziness, a mere habii, !uit a wise eom pliance with the (Iemands oí tlie clmate. The head of the i'ainih (inds rest in the oewspaper, and is refreshed with the knowjalge of the doinga of the greatèst men and active world beyuiid the bonndarics of bis farni. In the hour diviflrngthe labtosóf ilie forenoon trom those of Wie afternoon he. aeqnires a 1'und of' information that keepa hina abreast with the vvorld rad alive to tlie impdrtaiice ui' iiis own calling. A little time thus taken i'romthe tuils of the day relïoshes ,ind strengthens tlie man and inakes the whnie Life iuller, and, theivi'niv, noble and better. The noon hour should nót bé a time of thouifhtless inactivity, bul of intelligent recreatiou. '■Are yon a good ridei?" asSSi'cJ á liveiy man. "] ;im," replied thecustomer, and jusl Ilion tiu; liorsu siuuleil, stoml cu ts liumls, c;U!H: (Iowii ;md buóked, and tke cüstomei' weni mi, from bis se.-kt in the l.-iy mow, "See liow easily I get cift?"