The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-11-25
rnE yETERAN Oh LIrE,s srAGE.

THE VETERAN ON LIFE'S STAGE.
Last week was remarkable for the num-
Der OF deaths among the very old people
years Of age, one in Boston was ll2, one in
Georgia was ll8, aud 30 on with about a
dozen other cases as reported by the dis
patches. II might be Of some interest to
know something of the lives, habits, di.po.
sitions and ancestry Of these old people
who seem somehow OF other to have had
their days heightened unto them be-
You'd the average allotted time, and
the proyerbial extreme Of "three score
years and ten" TO surrender
this life even when full Of It's cares and bur
dens It's failures and disappoint-
ments, It's mental pains, and those
chronic fortunes that rack the limbs
aud to exchange it for that something
which lies beyond, that bourne whence no
t'ayeler returns that flight to ills we
know not Of Is not within the desire Of
but very few. Hence, in all eras and
among all peoples the search FOR the "eli1-
ir vitwn has been prosecuted with avdity.
How long may man live under favorable
circumstances, through great care Of him.
self, 10 likewise a question OF indefinite re-
sponse But this much we may soberly af-
firm. that the duration of life is often and
largely within ones own power. Some
who die at even 100 years Of age
die prematurely. The advance ia lberc.
bic professions OF medicine aud surgery
has done much to stay the hand OF death.
TIE comforts OF life have alao been vastly
instrumental in delaying 1.-THE appointed
hour for man on earth" The average
duration of life to-day considerably exceeds
that Of couple Of centuries ago In the
civilized nations. And the average varies
with different classes Of society, and with
different occupations. Better food, better
clothing, better houses. improved vetila-
ton and drainage, u better understanding
Of climatic diseases and the changes which
produce these, all tend toward the triumph
OF life over the destroying forces.
A French writer, referring TO the too
common neglect OF means and precautions
prescribed for proonging life, remarks
that "Mon do not usually die; they kill
themselves" And 1t has been very prop
erly urged that did persons take rs much
care of. themselves.in their youth and their
middle age to siave or the ravages which
dissipation or even neglect is sure to bring
they would have much less to do in the
line Of effort TO conceal the unwelcome
changes OF personal app arauce which
time allots all too soon, Bat we aacrid &C
ourselves In the iollles OF that youth, Ia
the fashions OF an exaoLing society, and
to the preiudioes Of Ignorance and mar
row.mindGdness. And there is no period
OF life when one should watch himself
more carefully, or when the son or daughter
should watch the rapidly retreat ing father
or mother than when the irosls OF the six
tiesand the seventies come. The most 70
bust Of lite up to lity may by carelessnes
quickly come to grief whereas on TIM
other hand delicacy Of constitution an,
sickness up to and into middle age u
often trnnsluso themselves into health.
oil age,
Bu. the question is pertinent, Is longey
lily really desirable? When comes tn
snow OF lifes winter which knows no com
= log spring to penetrate It's eternal white
. ness, and only the grave with It's lmpenC
trable darkness when liie's acliy
duties must DO abandoned, when We 80,
I not to reap, when the oden friends ar
: falling away and new ones are not 30 cas-
: OF utilization, is II indeed desirable to pre-
= long the inevitable blown AS We said In Tn
l. outset, the conduct and Efforts of mankn
l. seem TO answer In the Affirmative. Tho
i since this is so the boltar way is to max
the most of whatever may be left of III
strange unwlnding thread, Old age ma
. be made to abound with vigor Of though
q aud action, and be saturated with consoli
+ tions and even with delights, The glory
% autumn may sometimes DO grander than II
. splendor OF summer. Some OF the yer
& best works and grandest achievement
B. have been made In the literary, the sole
n tlhc, the political, the business and the pr
D. fessional world. These are heritages tn
10 may be proudly left TO descendants and
le the world ut large. Aud finally when dea
T. comes to end delusive dreams, or even
nip substantial joys, and transfer us fro
- what is here labelled = happiness" to sor
n. other sphere, there "a more reason wi
- we should lament the change any mo
:, than we doin earlierllie the transiormOtio
/, we have been told occur septenuially. Il
, while we do live let us make tho most
life, doing all the good we can to oursely
=, and to our fellows, remembering tn
~ character walks the world, ana that I
good or the evil tina, we do lives after II
~, and is not entered with our bones, liy
- to yield dividends, oven rs from the fall
~ forest tree we gather Goals for lustrous fiji
~ after lapse of ages or corals from the con
We nent reefs that the little insects built ~
vu | hAinra.