The Evansville daily journal., 1854-11-30
Ola Age

Theodore Parker gave utterance 10 a
happy thought when he wrote the follow
ing:
What beautiful thing is the old age
which crowns noble life rich or poor. How
fair are the latter days of many woman you
and have known. How proud were the last
years of Washington; the old age of Frank
lin! How beautiful in his late autumn is
Alexander Won Humboldt! The momentum
Of manlness bears on the venerable man In
his four and eightielh year. There you see
the value Of time. 1t takes much to make
great life as to make great estate. No
amount of genius that God ever gives man
could enabla one to achieve at forty what
Won Humboldt has only done at more than
eighty. 1t was so with Socrates, Plato,
Aristotle, Leibniz, every great man who
has awed the world by the action of mighty
intellect, with corresponding culture.
These are men Of high talent, station,
genius, perhaps. But the old age off Qua
ker tailor in Philadelphia and New York
was not whit less fair. The Philanthropy
of Isaac Hopper blessed the land; in his
manhood it enriched the world; in his old age it
beautfed his own life giving an adSed glory
to his soul.
How many farmers, mechanics, traders,
servants, how many mothers, wives and
aunts, have you and known, whose last
days were a handsome finish to handsome
life; the Christian ornament on the tall
column of time! Their old age was the slow
setting Of the sun, which left
The smile of his departure spresd
oerthe warm colored heaven and ruddy mountain
| head
There is a period when the apple tree
blossoms with its fellows of the wood and
field. How fair time il is! All nature is
woosome and winning; the material world
celebrates its vegetable lovers; and the flow.
er bells, touched by the winds of spring,
usher In the universal marriage of Nature,
Beasts, birds, insect, fish, plant, ichen, with
their prophetic colors spread II float forwa rd
on the tide of new life. Then comes the
summer. Mony a blossom falls fruitless 10
the ground, littering the earth with beauty
never to be used. Thick leaves hide the
process of creation which first blushed pub
lie in the flowers, and now unseen goes on.
For SO hfe's most deep and fruitful hours are
, hid in mystery. Apples are growing on ev-
cry tree; all summer long they grow, and in
early autumn. AT length the fruit is fully
formed; the leaves begin to fall, and the sun
approaches more near. The apple hangs
there yet-not to grow, only to ripen
Weeks long in it clings to the tree; it ganis
nothing in size and weight. Externally, there
is increase of beauty. Having finished the
form wthinN ature brings out the addedgraces
OF color. 1t is not trickey fashion painted
on, but an expression which of itself comes
out-a fragrance and lovliness of the ID.
ple's innermost. Within, at the same time,
the component elements are changing The
aple grows mild aud pleasant. 1t softens,
sweetens; in one word it melows. Some
night the vital forces Of the tree get drowsy,
and the autumn, with gentle breath Just
shakes the bough; the expectant fruit lets 90
its hold, full ripe, full coored too, and with
plump and happy sound the apple falls into
the auiumn's lap; and the springs marriage
: is complete.
Such is the natural process which frui,
goes through-blooming, growing, ripen.
ing.
The same divine law is appropriate for
J every kind of animal, from the lowest rep
: tile up to imperial man. 1t is very beautiful.
: The parts OF the process are perfect the
whole is complete. Birth is human blossom
Iyonth, manhood, they are summer growth;
old age is ripeness. The hands let 60 the
mortal boueh; that is dear, good God VIII @
orders all for the apple-tree and for man.
kind.