National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-08-26
The Feeling Of Growing Old.


not quite define the strange senslDlllty
that slowly creeps over the heart like
distant forerunner of the last ice GOODNESS
DO You feel your age . We ask of
some octogenarian, making our self
solicitude in pathetic style of politeness.
But the answer seldom shows any light
on the wonder we are valnly striving to
master. Then We endeayor to probe
our own emotions and here, too, we
are batiied. Why should Christmas
come around so soon Why should years
crowd so fast on each other And even
space-familiar space-why should 1t
contract itself so marvelously The old
farm the encircling hills, the remote
mountain tops, the very heavens-none
are as large as they once were, and yet for
it no reason
The first shock of surprise with which
advancing life announces itself Is IA very
definite experience 1t is deep-cut
notch, and the bark of life's tree never
grows over it, And then sets in the
sophistry of devices, of all deXterous con
ceits. of perpinacious logic, to persuade
ourselves that we are not quite SO old as
the calander testihes. A spice of fool
spirits are zealouslv encouraged. Young
ways put on, fashionable attire assumed,
light manners cultivated, boys and girls
patronized, small print resisted, big type
eschewed extra lights refused, SO as to
disguise the fatal symptoms. But
grandchild comes, then another, and vet
another and SO the sharp reality moves
on us apace, the thin veneering rIbs OFF,
and the conclusion is plumply met that
we are getting old. And there is touch
of pathos in it, something that WHITES
one to ones self, something that empties
the memory very suddenly into present
consciousness, something that amazes us
by the immense contents of the small
world Life.
Not that the struggle is all over The
resistance to the thought of age is not
ended. it is only intermitted and back
it comes on fine bracing days, on festal
occasions. and when enterprises of pith
and moment challenge our pluck. Ii we
chance with elderly individuals. men that
are very bald. women that are very fat,
the weakness gets uppermost again, and
asserts It-elt with charming buOyancy,
yerEing on little deceit. But at last
the true nature begins to recover its lost
ground The gathering time of the
harvest is at hand soon the beautiful
fruits are ours and then appear one by
one the sweet COmpensatlons for what has
been taken away from rs. Slowly, too,
a new insight is granted to our inward
beng and this touches the heart with
strange tenderness. \ deep quietness
prcVades MS We do not need oui mallg-
naut passions to quicken our intellects
for We can be strong without anger, firm
without ohstinanCy. decided without dog
mausm. and earnest without tanaticism.
If our senses have decayed, has not the
soul gained thereb. ? The outer world
has narrowed how small is its horizon,
and how few friends stand i'll its faded
light 1t Is All very sad, but the world
within has gloGously enlarged its hori-
zou has widened into shining place, and
its zenith is far higher, and its lofty sky
burns with serene histre.
The PEBus OF FASHION. -U Under this
head the London Luucet, known to be a
medical journal of wide circulation and
Influence. dscourses in the following
9'l ~ 81 "'llioli4'loIl anu iCp''he on GER
tam fashionable ioILes of female dress.
Ina previous article on tight Iacng,nouce
was taken OF the decrepltude induced 10y
TINS practice as exhibited IN the tottennl
walk OF oa[ modern me Adles and then
I II} llh slllcjuIf' ON uSht-hclne
SHpttI" ne aSs''ldtea 'ho't on another
fashionable folly which assist in the pro
ductlon OF the above evils, and has some
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