Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-11-18
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Will You Love Ne When I'm
.s."' Old. tt'-.'"I'.,.

Taken half my joys, and all my glec,
| But just for once to make amehds,
And since thy hand must leave iis trace
Turn locks TO grey, turn blood TO cold
But spare my heart from growing DID,
When We are full Of life, vigor and en-.
tbusiasm. aud all the world looks bright
and beautiful before US, we end love
showered bountifully upon us from every
side as voluntary tribute to our lovea-
blesess. There is an irresitable charm
in youth itself that wins all hearts. Very
repulsive and ugly, both in mind and
person, must be the child that no one
loves. All through infancy and youth
the charm remains, but as middle age ap>
p-Oaches, very many grow sharp, rugged.
care-lined aud repulsive in feature. mind
and disposition and year after year there
is less and less of that genuine, universal
love anG admiration bestowed upon them !;
and as they 60 On past the prime Of life
and begin descending the bill, charm
after charm departs to return no more |;
and ohly those who have interested mo.
hves. few friends, relatives and very
intimate associates, really care for them
or hardl. know that they exist. True
there are exceptions to this rule as we'll
as 10 n,ost others. There are a few who
grow wiser and better and more loveable
as year is added unto year, and they be.
come guides and rbenefactors Of the race
by being wiser than their time" But
we are now treating not Of exceptions
but Of generalities-of things as they
usually are. 1t is very sad thing for
most Of US, to find that they are growing
old, to feel that we are actually dying
from day to day. First comes grey
hair, glisteuing in all its unlovely white
ness amid our dark locks-almost angrily
we pluck il out and east it quickly away
from our sight bat 10! Two more come
to attend its funeral. these also are ruth>
lessly, eagerly sacrifced-But vainly do
We strive to get rid Of the FIRST unwol :
come messengers of age, decay and death !
They keep on coming even by bandsfull
till before we hardly realize 1t, we are
grown grizzled and grey, our teeth one BY
one decay. drop out. and break off, Our
limbs grow stiff and rheumatic. Our
sight fails US though we are 10th to ac.
knowledge it; We hold our book. paper or
work further and further from our eyes
and last put on "specks" owning to cur
selves, and what hurts still more to others,
we are "old folks we are dying
that part Of US is already dead-goue
from US to return no more.
Il is not the actual loss or depreciation
Of our faculties that we hold as much as
it is the thought that with each onward
step towards the grave, we are loosing
not only our physical health and strength
ana very often our mental requirements,
but what Is more than all the rest. the
power Of winning and retaining the love
Of those around US is slipping daily from
US! This is the sting that enters the
heart and pierces to its very innermOst
recesses. "Wiil you love me when
am old is the involuntary cry Of the
ulaideL as her lover tenderly and passion.
ately caresses her gazing upon her with
loving. admiring and worshipful eyes,
"Will they love mo when / am old"
asks the mother with trembling lips as
she gazes around upon the little ones
now S, dependent upon her for every JOY
and comfort Of life. Alas How often
are these questions Prophetic Of the
end p How very few are loved when
they are old? How many are barely toI'
Grated, and others still are actually hated
and disliked. It is true, love is involun
iary and wc cannot love as we wish. but
must love as We are compelled by our At
fractions. There Is however one thina
We can do, that is try with all the energ,
We have, to make ourselves worthy Of love
to keep on growing loveably BY ever,
means 10 eur power. As We begin Il
| iind ourselves Of less and less use in 'h,
world, an1 consequently Of less accoun
! to those about US, We must be more anG
more careful to cultivate oil that n pleas
ing and attractive In our natures. w
must study how to be unselfsb, gentle
: syupathiring and kind. We must reat
and think 50 as TO keep up youthfulucs
Of heart. sOd intelligence, thus rendering
, our society and conversation instructive
+ pleasing and agreeable to those arOun'
, us, and especially to those of cur owl
, household. live would be of the wOrlt
we must become part Of il. and stay
part Of it BY feeling and manifesting al
interest in it. and not drop out of Sigh