Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1881 — Didn’t Know His General. [ARTICLE]

Didn’t Know His General.

During the war General McLaws, now Postmaster at Savannah, was riding down his picket line and encountered a son or the Old Pine Tree State on duty, who had taken his gun apart with the intention of giving it a thorough cleaning. The General halted in front of him. ‘Look hare, my man, are you not a sentinel on duty?’ ‘Well, y-a-s, a bit of one.’ ‘Don’t yop know it is wrong to take your gun apart while you are on duty?’ . , ‘Well, now, who are you?’ The General saw his chance, and with a sly twinkle of the eye, replied: ‘I am a. hit of a General.’ ‘Well, General, you must excuse tne. You see thar is so many fools riding around here a fellow can’t tell who 7 * General and who ain’t, if you will jist wait till I get Betsey Jane fixed I will give you a bit of a salute.’

Beet Ttoetor grata Wet*. , A writer In tbe London Lancet, in sscsSuiS jts&sis ment that the early morning te tbe test dime for mental labor; llurt the brain, having had a few lion noC rest daring sleep, Is at Its lest. He rays: “Thoee who do not feel thus on awakening are either the subjects of some morbid state, or the slaves of a habit which, however common, ia eaaenthdly unnatural." The sublects of some morbid state are ao common that they may include all those who do not find their brains moet clear, ready and useful in the early morning, but we have auother explanation to oflfer to them, ono which will account for It In those who are not willing to acknowledges morbid state or unnatural habit. Our explanation is, we think, physiological, natural aud sufficient. It is this. As a rule our bodily organs are at their best when “under way,” as is said of a steamer. A pedestrian cannot do his best till warmed up to his work. Racing horses are not started In a race until they have been “speeded” once or twice round the track to - limber their muscles. Though sleep rests our muscles, we arc not likely to wake in the morning in tlie l>est condition for an athletic contest. It takes the muscles sometime to wake up and get accustomed to their regular business. Sleep affects the brain even more than muscle, aud to hurry the brain from a state of absolute resposo to its condition of greatest activity is neither an easy nor a good thing to attempt. Most persons find their brains at their “best” toward the latter part of the day, when that organ Is not only berter prepared for work by a few hours of exercise, but also because the blood circulation is then more free, rapid and forcible than it is at early morning, and active blood circulation is very necessary to good brain work. The early morning is a good time to use for awakening the muscles and blood circulation with a little exercise, thus awakening an appetite for a g .od solid breakfast. When all the bodily functions are invigorated and refreshed, the brain will, like a well-fed horse that “feels his oats,” be ready for whatever it may be called upon to do.