answered at once, as when we move away from danger, or reach out our
hands and help ourselves to butter, or take off a shoe to shake out a
pebble. But there are other messages that do not call for an immediate
reply, and are just stored away for future use in the big "central
office" of our Body Telephone, in what we call our _memory_. And
later, when the proper message is sent in by our eyes or ears, or
other sense organs, which reminds us of this message which they sent
before, perhaps several weeks, months, or even years ago, it wakes up
the old message stored away in the memory, and we say we "remember"
what happened to us, or what we learned at that time.

So, when your teacher asks you to recite a certain poem, and your ears
hear the title or the first line, you recall the rest of the verses
and the lesson about it. How many things does the word "Christmas"
wake up out of your memory? or the sight of soldiers marching? or the
first taste of strawberries in May?

You think about a great many things that you never _do_. Really you
are thinking almost all the time you are awake. And besides the
messages that "Central" just stores away for future use, there are a
great many messages being carried back and forth along the "telephone
system" all the time, that you don't keep track of at all--the
messages that keep the stomach and the heart and the lungs and
everything in your body working together properly.

How are we to take care of the telephone lines and "Central" of our
_nervous system_? Whatever you do to build up and help the other parts
of the body will help your brain to _feel_ and _think_ and _remember_;
and will help your muscles and nerves to answer promptly and truly
whatever the message may be. Plenty of good food, plenty of sleep and