The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-03-02
The Cheerfulness Of Old Age.

line CneeFIulQeSS OF UlQ Age
You don't feel the horizon pressing
you too closely. You have spacein 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 mean. The con-
sent of wise and good folks, free from
morbid and transient moods, has con-
cluded that long life is blessing. 1t
cannot be the greatest, or if would not
be denied to SO many. It may be
kindly permitted illusion that it is a
blessing 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. I 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
hat hn &c off a
and cheerfully calculates on long time
yet. A little while since talking with
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, 81 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 ?
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 well
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 greviousfashion in which he an
ticipatedneedlessly soon the winter which
he specially dreaded. 81 have seen a
fearful sight to-day" he once said: az
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 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 rejoic-
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 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
opportune interference.-Frds Mag
Gzi71e.
Force Exerted in Piano Playing.
The celebrated pianist, Gottschalk, was
highly amused on finding his performances
studied very closely by scientist who
had published treatise on the num-
ber of muscular efforts that may be made
in given time, for this learned
savant found that in one brilliant piece
Gottschalk exceeded'greatly the estimate
he had made after careful consideration.
The number of consecutive percussions
given out were found to be quite aston
ishing. Although Gottschalk pretended
to be grately entertained by his critics
and their widely differing points of view,
yet he must have already known that his
physical strength was great Although
to all appearance delicately constituted
he wrestled with the muscular giants
who we're engaged in moving his heavy
concert pianos, and with success that
astonished them so greatly as to make it
subject of conversation to the present
day.
When Bulow was on his concert tour
through Germany and Austria he met
Rubenstein at Vienna. They we're both
playing on the Bozendorfer pianofortes,
but Bulow would not play on Ruben
STEMS instrument. He would have an
other one provided for his use. Prof.
Schmidt, of that city, being curious to
learn the real reason of this determine
ton, examined the ''touch - of each in
strument, respecting the depth the key
sank and the weight required to depress
them to the lowest point. The piano
forte that Rubenstein played required
an average weight of eighty eight grams
Zone gram being equal to fifteen and a
half grains), while Bulow's required an
average of 105 grams. Therefore the
keys of the Rubenstein pianoforte were
easier to put in action than those of Bu-
lows pianoforte but on the other hand
the keys sank fully twenty-five per
cent. deeper than Bulow's, SO that the
action of both pianos made pretty equal
demands on the physical powers of the
respective performers. But if Bulow
had played on Rubenstein's instrument
he would have found his hands sinking
too deep, for they are small. To play
on an instrument with deep touch one
must have long fingers. .a
Prof. Schmidt counted the number of
notes played by Rubinstein at one of his
concerts and found them to be 62, 800 in
number, and therefore equal to pres
sure of 1884, pounds in weight. On the
Bulow instrument they would be equal
to pressure of 1,190 SO pounds.
When it is considered that something