Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-04-24


DR.. Holmes mentions. amona ths dis
covsriss OF maturity that sQe wsl
older once than nos To fifteen
seventy seems like the spsn Of Aetaa
seish. To forty. ave il 10 but . ueaflns
milestone by the way, aud b. no means
tie goal ia the rsss Of life. But, Be
Q dss that. there Is no doab, that age Hsal
older once than nor. Everybody re.
nemhers seeing, - q child, very old
ueople. sans eyes. sans hair. sans
teeth. sans everything" L1cky ~as
Tie small spectator il these decrepii
psfRisrchs we're not his venerable an
ceet0os, extoriiooate ut duty y1sits
usueh tribute of reluciana kisses. and
enforced eompsnicnshigL For children
are mos cumbered With Traditional senti
ment. and arrive BY swift processes q
the conclusion that aga h sot, Of itself
venerable or interesting. They may b
patient or pipfui, or c1nsciantlo1siS
polite; bot II tbs dear grandnother Il
foolish and seIfish, theT recognise that
fast With clearness; If the sear grand.
father bores tkleu 20 death, they Know
hat they are bored.
The hind Of grandfather and grand
mothez, however, on vhom fun page
pictures we're bestowed in the juyeElle.
Of forty years ago Is becoming IS rare 81
the dodo. He Who, with eountsnsacs
of infanto smile inEosenes, aud lsns
white locks falling over his shoulders
sat ia hard eaair ard passed his day.
in telling ct ories OF klis distant youth q
spell bound children, spindle shanked
and pale Of face, has ceased TO be. She
whO. in self denying cap and painful
gown, leaned back in q Boston rocker,
her window opening IN an aileQorlcal
sunset, her aatsnuated hands IN her lap
her ancient speetacies pushed mp above
hsr wrinkled forehead, and an air OF
soppo-ed sanetlty Unfolding her like q
martyrs robe, Is bat a tradition.
The actual grandfather % a keen and
active parsonage. far too busy with TIE
present to wax garrulOue over the past
He is q director OF q dozen corporations
interested in a dozen charities, public
improvements and ne~ enterprises he
drives out and gees to parties With "the
girls" Who have girls of their OWL al
most old enough to 60 with them. He
plays a capital game Of whist, and u
considered an invaluable counselor BY
the younger politicians OF his party.
Ia short, he docs with his might what
bis hand finds TO do" and when at last
aIs name appears in that somber news
paper list where all our names must one
day stand, the obituary notice remarks
that hrs death was q sarprise to his
friends, as hs was at work IN his offise
a. usual only the Friday before
The actual grandmother is even bus
Ter and more active. She never bas
time TO be looking toward sunset
der housekeeping Is elaborate, and she
IL competent to !" boss the housekeep-
ing OF her married daughters, though
principle may forbid her 20 do it. She
attends concerts, IL keen critic of the
aew play and players, reads the month
lies, wseklies, and dailies, has strong
party convictions, erochets. knits rugs
smbroiders, table scares. goes 10 ehareh
and ampses Der grandchildren like an
incorporate modern cbildren's maya
zine. She dresses With an art that ad.
mits age but does not suggest superan.
nuation. and 10 altogether an Important
figure.
Mankind 10 apt 10 ignore its benefao.
tors, among whom, conspicuous fol
their benefits. are the dentists. Per
fectly fitting false teeth have done more
70 postpone age than any one physical
cause. Before their use was general
old people were never properly nourish-
cd, because their food was never sssim
lated. Remember how people with
lockjav die in spite of liquid nourish
ment, because they cannot chew solid
food-l Their thin blood kept them u
shiveFing discomfort close TO the fire In
the one or two rooms which we're habit
ually comfortable in winter. They
looked and felt in the way. and grew
queralous and exacting. They could
aot exercise. The difficulty of bathinl
aud dressing made them indifferent
about personal attractiveness. The
adoption Of false teeth, the more uni
form heating of houses, the general use
Of modern Improvements that take 40
count Of all bodily necessities. and that
profoundly wise decree of fashion
which insists on the natural gray hair
forbiddinR both dyes and wigs to old
people, and eondemninR the hideou,
. false 'front.' of an earlier generation
to outer darkness,-thsse. OF them.
selves, might have made age younE
again.
But these have implied other changes
Habits of travel have been formed
Variety instead of menotony of exist.
snce has been secured. Most potent Of
all. life has become interesting. II Ii
related OF Q certain leader of society
THAI at thirty i've she retired from ths
gay world, her hair having kecope q
gray that her young daughters thought
il frivolous and indecorous for her &c
attend dancing parties. Having mar
ried of those intolerant guardians, she
began life again on her own account, Al
IL were, and now at eighty -four is indis
pensAble at committee-rooms and re-
ceptions, walks her i've miles without
fiinchipg. and plays the Moonlight
Sonata with unacceptable grace.
Cur dowager has found the trae elixil
Of youth. which Is mental energy. Mer
and women appear young by feelins
young. They feel young by being vitality
interested IN the pursuits Of youth
prosperity. enjoyment, ealfure, and tbs
improvement OF the race. The mind
commands the obedient body TO b
ready and alert.
Ibis buay world puts age at disad
vantage. Il 10 organized IN the intefesl
Of youth and force and progress. But
young feliovs OF sixty and seventy maj
have as good q chance aud rs coed 1
time a. young fellows Of twenty in thi'
reconstructed chronology And younE
ladies Of thrcesoore may be as welcome
and necessary at home and In society ~
thoss other young ladies their grand
daughters. - HaFper's Basar.