EARLY RISING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6494, 14 April 1908, Page 6

EARLY RISING

THE EIGHT AND WRONG OF IE

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, February 30. An amusing discussion has been in pro* gress among the readers of a popular London daily "ha’porth" concerning th« merits or demerits of early rising. .It was started by some Continental mcdnto quid-nunc, who in highly medicated phraseology calmly sought to pereuadl us that early rifling was in reality a vicious Und dangerous habit. Some .01 us wore quite prepared to accept hii dictum without further inquiry and b nail to the proverb counter as eponout that ancient couplet bepmuag: "Early to bed, early to rise." But there came along right speedily medical men of Ut least equal eminence who swore by oil their gods that the honbeds were simply courting premature old age, insanity, and a host of other evils. Then the laymen joined m and the fun waxed ftist and furious, lor tnc lie-abeds and early risers were very equally matched as masters of assertion* and equally well provided with "oases in point." The lieli.beda numbered hale nonagenarians who swore that the secret of longevity and health consisted off lying in bed till the day Was well-aired, and hearty old stagers on the other side were just us positive that they owed their fine physical condition mid immunity from doctors bills and other evils to their habit of being up with, the lark. Both (rides proved their case beyond cavil. So did the medicos, and the general public ore left m the do-' lightful position of knowing that r- - (a) It is positive folly to nee early. (b) It is positive ferity to get up late. (o) Early rising tends to promote to(d) Bate rising tends to promote fan. sanity. . te) The early morning hours arc the healthiest for human beings. _ (f) The early morning hours positively reek with danger to mankind'. (g) The secret of longevity i» early tie-

me. (h) The secret of longevity ifl to get as much bed as you can. (i) Jt is courting physical disaster to lie in bed after 5.30 a-m. (3) The man who rises before_ the eon has been up four hours ia really doing his beet to commit suicide. And so on, through the alphabet. In the face of these things the ordinary person will no doubt "carry on" as before in the matter of his uprisings. If the sun is shining and vour garden calls you, get up early; if the morning is dull and skies are weeping, or fog enshroud* the land, lie in bed as long os you can. So. according to the either party. vou will be talcing the poison with the antidote in quite a pleasant mixture, and will probably find life go just as pleasantly with yon as if -tou noted strictlv on the rules laid down by either the get-ups or the lie-abeds. Just a little story to conclude. An inquisitive journalist, who had noted tho fact that two of the oldest and most boastful contributors to the discussion were on opposing sides, paid a visit to the veterans. He found the self-confessed lie-abed to be a particularly fine specimen of the octogenarian, who took _hj« walks abroad minus overcoat or stick, and .really seemed to be enjoying Kfe. Then he visited the residence of the early riser—the man who scorned bed as a plague-spot after 5.30 a.m. A lady answered the' door, and in response to the journalist’s inquiry said. You can t sc© him to-day:, he’s very ill in bed. I think it’s influenza." Perhaps some of yon, gentle readers, may discover a moral in this story.