Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-05-29

the idol of our bOyhOod, the stay of
our wayward youth, and the sweetes
OF our after life. Whatever is
tender in us do we not owe it to our
mothers; whatever is pure, generous,
reverent and charitable does il not
come from their early teaching? While
we do honor to our fathers for the
patriotism, the courage to defend our
liberties. the industry and frugality to
provide for those we love-for all their
rugged virtues-let us not, either, be
nnmindtul of those meek and patient
helpmeets who have labored with
them in peace, and prayed for them in
war. Both are getting old. No snow
fails lighter than the snow of age; but
none is heavier, for il never melts.'
With the poet the aged may say
My feet are weary and my hands are tired,
My soul oppressed
And desire what l have long desired
Rest-only rest.
The burden of my days is hard to bear,
But God knows best;
And have prayed, but vain has been my
prayer,
For rest-sweet rest.
Aud so l cry Il weak and human cry,
So heart oppressed;
And so sigh weak and human sigh,
For rest-for rest.
Ny way has wound across the desert wears,
And cares lnfest
My path. and through the lowing Of hot
| pine for rest.
Aud am restless; twill soon be DER,
For down the west
Lifc's sun is setting, and see the shore
hnT / hall
But after all our veterans are not cad.
They think with Cicero, who said -
'As L approve of a youth that has
something of the old man in him, SO 1
am no less pleased with an old man
that has something of the youth"
Age is not all decay. 1t is the riran-
ing, The swelling of the fresh life with
M, that withers and bursts the husks.'
In this land where it is honored, cher
ished and sustained, where to neglect
the feeble aud the old is shame next
akin to crime, age has its compensa-
tions. Ii is the season of wisdom, con-
sultatIon, contemplation. However
much we NAV sing ward, flow
backward. . tide of the years!" how
few Of us there are who would be
willing again TO undergo the trials of
our past lives, their temptations and
their sufferings AT least the old man,
who fears his God and loves his neigh
Dor, is safe for eternity and what can
be more blessed than that? He may
soon have to leave the scenes of his pro-
bationary stay on earth, but his Gimp
scs of Heaven have SO dwarfed its
beauties that he does not much regret
it. His lamp is trimmed and he is
ready. Unlike the young man, his
affections are more there than here.
The love-light of his sweetheart's ewes
! are awaiting him over yonder. The
friend whom he loved in youth has
been gone so long! The girls and boys
who played around the old school
house in the long ago, o, where are
theyl All with their Lord and Master
on the other shore. Then why should
it be hard to die-to fall asleep and
| awaken in Paradise with the scores
whom we have loved and lost? No,
there is nothing about hale old age to
he c0mmisserated. 1t is honorable,
beautiful, eloquent; and nowhere have
we seen it more honored, more beauti-
ful and more eloquent than in this as
| sociatiom, where its cares have been
alleviated by loving hands, and its
hopes based upon blessed immortali-
ty through the redeeming grace of the
grandest name that has ever charmed
the human ear, or held enthralled the
hosts of Heaven-the name of Jesus
| the Christ.