The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-05-05
The Cheerfulness of Old Age.

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 look
out, in fact, so much shorter. All you
have had of life is so much saved out of
the fire. You never could count GER
tainly on day ahead at any time, how
ever 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. You look
for the best. There is better, doubtless.
But you know what I mean. The con-
sent of wise and good folks, free from
morbid and transient moods, has con-
cluded that long life is blessing. It
cannot be the greatest, or if would not
be denied to SO many. 1t may Il
kindly permitted illusion that it is a
bles sing at all; but it is well the illusion
is permitted, if it be one. And as for
the averages, we disregard all such
calculations In our own case. You fancy
yourself to be such an exceptional being
that you look (most look) for exceptional
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 fact, too, that transience some
times adds singular enjoyment as well
as beauty which is all its own the
healthy mind lives in pervading atmos-
phere rather than defined conviction
that the end is not SO near after all,
and cheerfully calculates ona long time
yet. A little while since talking with o
dear friend who has been lifted high, my
friend Brown said something implying
that they both must soon bid ithe be-
loved work and the beautiful surround
ings farewell. "Not at all" said the
energetic and heathful pillar of the
State, :" [ look forward please God for
another twenty years" And Brown was
corrected. For even after the twenty
years the pillar of the state would only
be seventy-four and wherefore count on
an abridgment of honor and usefulness Z?
Brown was six months the younger but
by being overworked 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
though the winter were upon them :;
and who at thirty-three talked of them
selves as old. But this is wrong as we'll
as depressing. Some cannot help it.
John Foster was great man but his
ways of thinking on most matters were
essentially morbid. Never more so than
in the grevious fashion in which he an
ticipatedneedlessly soon the winter which
he specially dreaded. 81 have seen a
fearful sight to-day" he once said: !"
have seen buttercup." He could not
enjoy the present greenness and warmth
for intrusive fears of the coming cold
and desolation. He was wrong, far
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 fit that
we resolutely put away. A mischievous
mortal, desiring to oyercloud the blink
of sunshine in which others are reioic-
ing, does not need to tell them anything
that is not true. You remember Mr..
Croaker and his frequent sentiment:
"Heaven send we all be as well this day
six months !" Then a shadow would
fall on the faces of middle-aged folks
as when 9 meddling idiot asks them
what they are to make of their boys
Those things are thought of quite often
enough, be sure, without the idiots in
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