The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-03-01
A FRAGMENT FOR THE YOUNG

''Iends VINO desire TO preserve heaIll
land cheer!uIness through life, and
I'eng'h 10 reach good old age.
50, listen 10 what / am about 10 tel
you a considerable time ago, read il
one OF the newspapers of The day tha'
man had died near London, at the ad
V'nceo age oil no years. ths, he nev,,
had been III, and tha' he had mainlainea
through life cheerful, happy 'empera
ment. | wrote Immediately to Londor
begging 10 know if, in the old man'>
treatment Of himself, there had been
any peculiarty which rendered his If
so heightened sod 80 happy: snc
The answer | received, was as FOL.
lows;--
'He was Uniformly kind and obliging
every ybody. he qua'rIed with no
one, he ate and drank merely that he
night not suffer from hunger or thirsl.
and never beyond what necessity requi.
red. From his earliest youth, he never
allowed himself TO be employed. These
were the oul y means he used
| ook uoIe o. this in little book
where generally write all that [ am
anxious 10 remember, and very soon
afterwards observed in another paper
that q woman had died near Stockholm.
at ll5 years of age; tina, she neveI was
i'll, and was always Of contenred,
happy disposition. Immediately wrote
to Stockholm to learn what means this
old woman had used for preserving
her health, aud now read the ans.
wer;-
'She was always great lover Of
cleanliness, and in the daily habit OF
washing her face, feet, and hands IT,
cold water, and as Of en- as opportunity
offered, she balhed in the same; shr
never ale or drank any delcacies OF
sweet-meais; seldom coffee, seldom tea,
and never vine
Of this, likewise, | took a nole in m,
little book.
Some time sfier this, again read
hat near St. Petersburg, a man diec
who had enjoyed good health till he
was 100 years old. Again | took m,
pen and wrote to ST. Petersburg, and
here is The answer;--
Gle was an early riser, and never
slept beyond seven hours at time h.,
never was idle; he worked and employ
ed himself chiefly in the open air, ano
particularly in his garden. Whether h,
walked, or sat in his chair, he neve,
permitted himself to sit away, or ia j.,
)enr posture. but was always perfectly
straight The luxurious and eG-mnst,
habits Of citlzens he held in great con
tempt
After having read all This in my ItI,
book, | said to myself, you will ba
foolish man indeed, not to profit by tn,
xample aud experience Of these OLD
people,
| then wrote out all that had been
,ble 10 discover about these happy old
people upon a large card, which sus-
pended over my writing desk, so tha, |
might have it always before my eyes, to
remind me what | ought 10 do, and
rom what | should refrain. Every
morning and evening | read over the
contents Of my card, and obliged myself
to conform TO its rules,
Aud now my dear young readers,
c'n assure you, on the word ofan honest
man, that | am much happier, and in
better health Than / used TO be. Form
Ierly, had he rdache nearly every day
and now suffer scarcely once in three
lr four months. Before began thesr
rules, hardly dared venture out in
rain or snow, without catching cold. L.
former times, walk Of half an hours
length fAtigued and exhausted me- now
walk miles without WEAKNESS.
Imagine, then, the happiness | expe-
cience; for there are few feelings so
cheering to the spirit as those of constan'
good health and vigour. But alas, there
IS something in which cannot initiate
hese happy old peopIe-and this is,
that have not been accustomed 10 all
his from my youth.
Oh that were young again, that
might initiate them in all things, thai
| might be happy and long-lived as they
were!
Little children who read this, yol
are the fortunate ones who are able lC
adopt in perfection this kind of life
" hal, then, prevents you living hence
forward as hesllhily and happily as lh
old woman of Stockholm, or as lonl