The Portland daily press., 1881-03-21
now as shadowy beings as Arthur's Knights of
the Round Table and the Paladins of Charlie
maone.
The Cheerfulness of Old Age.
[Fraser's Magazine.

ltraser's Magazine
You don't feel the horizon pressing you too
closely. You have space in which to stretch
yourself. A little will do if your mind be
healthy. Nor is the lookout, in fact. SO mucb
shorter. All you have had of life is so much
saved out OF the fire. You never were sure of
1t till you had lived it. You never could
count certainly on day ahead at any time,
however early in your life. And you are in
no worse condition now. The possible time be-
fore you is much less, doubtless. But you hope
for the best. You look for the best. There is
better, doubtless But you know what mean.
The consent of wise and good folks free from
morbid and transient moods, has concluded
that long life is blessing. 1t cannot be the
greatest or it would not be denied to so manv.
1t may be a kindly permitted illusion that it is
blessing at all but it is we'll the illusion is
permitted, if it be one. And as for averages,
we disregard all such calculations in our own
case. You fancy yourself to be such an excep-
tional person that you look (most look) for ex-
ceptional length of life, too. have remarked
this decidedly in men who in fact are wiser
than men in general. Besides that the short
Lookout contents; that we can enjoy the golden
and brown Autumn leaves without intruding
thoughts of the bleak wet Winter boughs; be-
sides the TACT, too, that transience sometimes
adds singular enjoyment as we'll as a beauty
which Is all its own; the healthy mind lives in
pervading atmosphere rather than a defined
convection that the end is not so near after all,
and cheerfully calculates on good long time
yet. A little while since, talking with a dear
friend who has been lifted hign, my friend
Brown said something implying that they must
both soon bid the beloved work and the beau
tlful surroundings farewell "Not at all, said
10 md hoe f,,l lx1;ll Al g.
II look forward, please God, to another 20
years." And Brown was corrected, for even
after the 20 years the pillar of the State would
only be IA; and wherefore count on an abridg-
ment OF honor and usefulness? Brown was
SIX months the younger; but by being over
worked and worried he had got into the way
OF mistily thinking that about three or four
years would see the last of him. And, indeed,
there are those who early in September feel as
II the Winter were upon them; and who at 81
talk OF themselves as old. But this is wrong as
we'll as depressing. Some cannot help it. John
Forster was great man; but his ways of
thinking on most matters were essentially
morbid. Never more so than in the grievous
soon the Winter which he specially dreaded.
L have seen fearful sight to-day" he once
said: II have seen buttercup." He could
not enjoy the present greenness and warmth
for intrusive fears of the coming cold and DESC
latlon. He was wrong, far wrong. You don't
oi"iio niii, you Plty nun. DuI DOuy ana mlnd,
he never knew brisk health. There are a great
many thoughts which it is quite fit that we
resolutely put away. A mischievous mortal,
desiring to overcloud the blink of sunshine in
which others are rejoicing. does not need to
tell them anything that is not true. You re-
member Mr. Croaker and his frequent senti-
ment: "Heayen send we all be as well this
day six months!" Then shadow would fall
upon the faces of middle-aged folk; as when a
meddling idiot asks them what they are TO
make fbalr Hhnaa hipnr
of quite often enough. be sure without the i'd
lots iDopportune interference