Ellsworth American., 1881-03-31
The Oheerfulness Of Old Age.

'at'hS-l
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 much shorter. All YOU have had Of
life is 30 much saved out Of the fire. You
never was sure of it till you had lived it.
You never could count certainly on a day
ahead at any time, however early in your
life. And YOU are in no worse condition
now. The possible time before you is much
less, doubtless. But YOU hope for the best
lsu look for the best. There is better
doubtless. But YOU know what ! mean.
The consent Of wise and good folks, free
from morbid aud transient moods, has con-
cluded that long life is blessing. IL can
not be the greatest or il would not be de-
MED to so many. 1t may be a kindly per-
miited Illusion that it is a blessing at all;
but it is well the Illusion IS permitted, II !,
be one. And As for averages, we disregard
all such calculations IN our own case. You
fancy yourself to be such an exceptional
person that you look (most look for excep-
tional 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 with
out intruding thoughts of the bleak wet
Winter boughs besides the fact, toQ, that
transience sometimes adds a singular enjoy
msnt as well as a beauty which is all its
own; the healthy mind lives in peryading
atmosphere rather than a defined conviction
that ths end is not so near after all. and
ehcerfully calculates on a good long time
vet. A little while since, talking with
dear friend who has been lifted high. my
friend Brown said something implying that
thry mus, both soon bid the beloved work and
the beautiful surroundings farewell. Not
at all" said the energetic and healthful pill
lar Of the State. II look forward, please
God, to another N years" And Brown
was corrected, for even after the 20 wears
the pillar Of the State would only b. Il
and wherefore count on an abridgment "
hotor and usefulness Brown vas slH
months the Younger but by being over
worked and worried he had got into the way
OF mostly thinking that about three or four
years would see the last Of him. And, in
deed. there are those who early IN Septem-
her feel as Il the Winter werr upon them
and Who al 50 talk of Themselves a. old.
But this j. wrong as we'll as depressing
Some cannot help IL John Foster Was
a great man but his ways of thinking on
most matters we're essentially morbid New
er more 20 than in the gricsou fashion N
which he anticipated nredlcssly soon the
Winter which be specially dreaded. Il have
seen fearful s,g.t TODAY" he once said
Il have seen butiercup" lie could no;
eajoy the prcsen, grccnness and warmth
for intrusive fears Of the coming cold and
desolation. lie was wrong. Ear wrong. You
don't blame him. YOU pity him But body
and mind. he never knew brisk health.
There are a great many thoughts which It Is
quite ft that We rr,ou,ely put away. A
mischicvous mortal, desiring to ovcrcioud
the blink Of sunshine in which others are
rejoicing. does not need to tell them any
thing tha, j. not TRUE. You remember Mr..
Croakcr and his frequent sentiment "Heav-
en- send We all be as we'll this day ,iN
months :" Then a shadow would fall upon
faces Of middle aged folks; As when a med
ding idiot asks them what they are To make
Of their BOYS. These things are thought Of
quite often enough, be sure without the ID
lots inopporiune interference.