The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-02-25
GROWING OLD.

Anu heaven mas no IrOSC.
GROWING OLD.
tcHIcAGO TIMEs.)
l.
There comes time in the life Of a
man who has journeyed some distance
beyond middle age when he begins to
experiences certain surprises. They
are not surprises in the sense of sud-
den occurrences. They are proceeded
by attentuated indications, something
rs the advent of full moon above the
horizon is announced by dim and then
increasing light against the sky. The
man thus affected notices from time to
time with astonishment that this and
that acquaintance is very much young
er than he had supposed. The number
Of the class grows, and the knowledge
Of the fact suddenly bursts into the
conviction that he is older than the
majority OF MS associates.
Impossible! 1t cannot be! And yet
the conviction on examination, shows
no flaw. The disagreeable truth is
forced upon him that he is older than
the average of the mass by whom he is
surrounded. He glances about him,
and sees that in front of him along the
pathway of time the travellers are the
minority; he looks behind him and
then Tor the first time. he is confronted
with the fact that he is growing old.
1t affects him like strong electric
shock. At first he throws of the de-
pressing conviction, and for the mom-
ent he is again young; but, a little
later, he flnds himself in the possession
Of the phantom, which is thrown off
only to return at shorter intervals un-
til it comes to 60 away no more.
III.
This unexpected visitant has the
effect to transform the life Of him on
whom it has imposed itself. Great am
bitions which have long held their
place in his life suddenly lose their SUBJ
stantial nature and become vaporous
and float away. The horizon of the
future instead of remaining at the illim-
liable distance which it has occupied
all the years now shrink back on the
fairgrounds Of life and seems almost
within the reach of the Outstretched
hand. Its once endless vista, peoplcd,
radiant with light and roseate in color
becomes deml-obscurity. gray .somber,
lifeless, save as to q few limping figures
with white heads and despairing faces.
At the same time the long past extends
its dimensions AMI increases in light
and attractlveness. The charms which
have so long decorated the future have
changed their location, and now en-
pands their glory over the area that
stretches back to infancy.
II is strange, pathetic fact in the
life of man that age should force him
to love. to long for, the unattainable
past. and to dread and recOil from the
Inevitable future. There is a lack oi
adoption. of harmony, in q condition
which compells one to accept that
which he fears, and to lose that which
he would cling to. Everything in the
future is hidden from the human vision
except-death. What is the motive ol
. plan which places in to morrow only
one certainty. and that one hOrrifyine
aud intolerable? Why should the ap'
parent future be simply mirage, and
the only real view one That permits the
sight Of q grinning skeleton. menacine
and deadly?
When he reaches the stage in lift
where he suddenly discovers thai
the living majority is far behind
him, there begin to be developed new
and curious phases in his daily expert
ences. He learns, all in q moment
that he is possessed by singular inter
est in the current death notices. His
first glance. after one at the name o.
the deceased, is at the date of his birth
lit be one trife later than his own
he experiences a shock; thought
He was younger than IT, flow.
through his soul with chill effect
II the year Of birth antedates his by .
decade or two. it affords him thrill o1
satisfaction. '.Men do live ten. twenty
thirty years longer than have live d.
is the swift conclusion.
It's with intense qualification thai
the man at the period referred to read.
OF the eighty years and the vigor
freshness aud activity of men likt
Gladstone, the late Beaconstield, anc
Commodore Vanderbilt. There is fol
him much comfort as he reads of thu
centenarian who has just died, or o
the one who is yet alive and has 8
promise Of further life.
Still other phases are present at thi,
period. He finds himself taking an in
terest in mortuary statistics. That 50
many died during such period at 9
tender age does not effect him largely
it Is rs tho deaths at certain decades
approach his own total Of years, thai
bis interest is excited. All, SO many
between so and GO. and so many be.
tween 60 and 20! How his eager curl
osity inspects these results, and his
hopes rise as they promise good or i'll!
The announcement of tho death of one
Of bis own age strikes him like little
stab in tho heart. Wait! What were
his habits. his constitution, his disease: