cakes and pies, and things which are not food, such as mustard, pepper,
and spices, do not give us strength, and are likely to do us harm.

~5. Over-Exertion.~--We ought not to exert ourselves too much in lifting
heavy weights, or trying to do things which are too hard for us.
Sometimes the muscles are permanently injured in this way.

~6. The Clothing.~--We ought not to wear our clothing so tight as to
press hard upon any part of the body. If we do, it will cause the
muscles of that part to become weak. If the clothing is worn tight about
the waist, great mischief is often done. The lungs cannot expand
properly, the stomach and liver are pressed out of shape, and the
internal organs are crowded out of their proper places.

~7. Tight Shoes.~--People are often made very lame from wearing tight
shoes. Their muscles cannot act properly, and their feet grow out of
shape.

~8.~ In China, it is fashionable for rich ladies to have small feet, and
they tie them up in cloths so that they cannot grow. The foot is
squeezed out of shape. Here is a picture of a foot which has been
treated in this way. It does not look much like a human foot, does it? A
woman who has such feet finds it so difficult to walk that she has to be
carried about much of the time. Do you not think it is very wrong and
foolish to treat the feet so badly? You will say, "Yes;" but the Chinese
woman thinks it is a great deal worse to lace the clothing tight about
the body so as to make the waist small.

[Illustration: FOOT OF CHINESE WOMAN.]