The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-02
The cheerfu1ness of Old 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 q OF
the fire. You never could count GER
tainly on a day ahead at any time, how
aver 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 a blessing. 1t
cannot be the greatest, or if would not
be denied to SO many. 1t may be a
kindly permitted illusion that it is q
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. o fancy
yourself to be such an exceptional being
that you look (most look for exceptional
length of life, too. 1 have remarked
this decidedly in men who in fact are
wiser han men in general. Besides
that, the short lookout contents /; that
we can enjoy tine golden and brown
autumn leaves without thoughts
of the bleak, wet winter boughs; be-
sides the fact, too, that transience some
times adds a singular enjoyment as we'll
as q beauty which is all its own ; the
healthy mind lives in a pervading atmos-
phere rather than a defined conviction
that the end is not SO near after all,
and cheerfully calculates ona long time
yet. Alittle 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, ct 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 a 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. ST have seen q
fearful sight to-day" he once said: so
have seen a buttercup." He could moi
enjoy the present greenness and warmth
for intrusive fears of the coming cold
and desolation. He was wrong, fal
wrong. You don't blame him, you pity
him. But, body and mind, he never
knew brisk health. There are a grest
many thoughts which it is quite fit tina
we resolutely put away. A mischievou'
mortal, desiring to overcloud the blinl
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 daN
six months +" Then a shadow woult
fall on tho faces of middle-aged folks
as when a meddling idiot asks then
what they are to make of their boys
Those things are thought of quite Otter
enough, be sure, without the idiots In
opportune interference.-FraSer's Mag
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