The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-03
How 20 Grow Old Rapidly.

Think you are growing old, aud you
will soon grow old.
Take You lace obediently ia the
groove long made.by custom tor people Of
middle age or a little past il. Separate
yourself entirely from the young. Regard
with undlsguIsed contempt their lack Of
experience. Scold at their mistakes with
no effort at Cancellation or making friends
with them. This with chem will give you
your degree as 'old fogy. An 'old
iogy' may simply be a child who has
stopped his learning with the idea that
he knows it all" There are ''old fog
les at % as well as at %.
hlll all inclination 70 indulge In what
are called youthful sports" Learn not
to run. Cultivate 10 your limbs dignity,
slOwness. stiffness. Regard with serenity
your slowly escaping vigor, suppleuess
aud elasticity of muscle. Say its the
inevitable way of all flesh, and because
this has always been so with past gener-
atoms SO it must always be with the com
ing ones.
Say to yourself: It's a law of nature
that people must grow old, decay and
wlther when their time comes Just as
our grandtathers said Its az IN natur'
that news can be carried any faster than
horsetlesh can carry it, or that ships can
cross the ocean any faster than wind and
sails can carry them Say to Yourself.
Body and mind must decay after a Ger
tain age, and it's flying in the face Of
Providence evea to question that such
decay can be retarded, if not prevented. -
Don't recognize that every new inter
est Is as a fresh grip on life and that a.
! we innGa interest rho urI rala va1 - I,ll
Let a child be so kept that it learns abso-
lutely nothing, and even a game or sport,
and note what an old face it will have at
81. Note as to outward appearance of
age at 80 the stolied, stupid day-laborer,
little better than an animated muscle for
moving heavy weights, and the Intellectual
man OF refined tastes and varied ~associa-
tons and pursuits, and see if In the con
trast there be a suggestion how the mind
may keep the body young.
Learn nothing new. Say it's now too
late and that all your dancing days are
over. Be ashamed Of taking up any new
study or pursuit. Why? AnaIyze your
shame and you may fluid that the lack Of
skill characterizing your first efforts puts
you on the same footing as the child.
But you are not a child. You are grown
upt luH VI JCdlo anu SdSi CA ptIlCuCG ID
That dignity which assumes to know 50
much and really knows so little.
There are helps all around you to assist
! you In growing old. Kind friends from
time to time will comment on the APP
pearance or a line in your face, with the
expression in their words, Time to get
ready for the grave" BE convinced by
them-that is. as they say.
Cease all attempt at reformation or i'm
provemcnt in any direction. If you have
any manner of slipshod or s%lovenly incli
nation, whether it extend to dress or al
dress or gait, let it all go ''by the run
as they say at sea. Say to yourself: ''All
that effort will do tor a young man. But
it's no use for me at my time of life. +"
What time? Oh, say 30 or 80 or 60.
Fret a good deal and hate a good deal.
This will materially assist you rapidly to
grow old and ugly.
In your eating and drinking study only
your palate. Regard all as cranky or
'~'crochetty' who talk of eating for health
as we'll as pleasures sake.