The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-07-26
Growing Old and Feeling Young.

"Growing old" does not seem to
have reference to the number of years,
months and days of life, when we call
to mind some hale and hearty people
| of ninety, and others broken and
feeble-at forty. We all know that a
weak condition of body makes one
appear old, but firmly believe that
the state of ones mind has primarily
more to do with preserving youth or
Fastening, febleness tnan anything
else; therefore occupation of a profit
able, congenial character seems to
me the best antidote for feeling old
do not mean exhausting work, but
occupation SO absorbing that it will
take one away from ones self.
Indeed, SO far as / have observed
and experienced, there is no occupa-
ton SO belittling, Improbable and
destructive as q constant cOntempla-
tion of ones self. / have in mind a
woman of means and consequent
elegant leisure, who has spent years
in studying the condition of her pulse
and her bodily symptoms generally,
and prescribing therefore, until she is
now, at the age of forty, broken,
nervous woman. If she had been
obliged to concentrate her energy (of
which she had an abundance) upon
earning her living, she would prob
ably have been well and strong to-
day. | know another woman of
means who has called herself an
<,l< Il Il ,ha
twenty-five and dressed according
ly, and grown sour and wrinkled,
because that seemed the proper thing
to do, while her less fortunate (?)
schoolmates, some ofwhom are single
and obliged to earn their daily bread,
and others of whom are mothers of
children are cheerful, bright eyed
women.
Another woman of my aquaint-
ance, not less than fifty years of age,
the mother of a large family, has
kept the fire of her youth by great
activity, not only at home, but in
society. AS a girl, she was a music
ian, and, contrary to the usual GUS
tom, has kept up her music under
circumstances that would have been
discouraging to a woman of less en-
ergy. 1t is not unusal now to see
her arranging for musicale for some
charitable purpose. In this way she
has kept herself interested and her
heart youthful. And just here wish
to say that a woman is unwise to
relinquish any accomplishments if
she can possibly retain them. Can
she not see that they are a power,
and that anything that gives wom-
an power cannot fail to bring her re-
spect and happiness.
Do not imagine that over-dressing
will retain Or bring back the beauty
of youth; it only serves to call atten-
ton to defects, if any exist, and to
make the wearer ridiculous. There is
beauty that belongs to every age,
though we do not see it as often as
we ought, as so few people grow old
gracefully; but the beauty of sweet
and noble life cannot fail to be re-
| fiected in the face, and in many q
woman such beauty outrivals that of
her youth.
Although the most blessed lot of
woman is that of a happy wife and
| mother, there is no reason why a
single woman should grow cross and
grabbed and snarled and wrinkled;
a single woman, if lovely and lovable
in character, may always find some
thing about which her affections may
entwine, and as for using her surplus
energy, there is plenty of work in the
world for those qualified to doit. In
these days, with the numerous ave-
nues of work open to women, it is not
necessary for a single woman to grow
old as a drudge in her sisters family,
with a compensation of board and
cast-off clothing, as was formerly the
case. She can now take care of her
self, and be as well dressed and as
highly respected as her married sister.
With men, as well as with women,
| a moderate amount of occupation
| rather than abundant leisure will pre-,
serve youth. Most of ourpublic men
break down, grow prematurely old,
and die from overwork and nervous
strain. Business men as a rule take
| too little recreation, or at least a
change of occupation; it will not an
swer to allow the mind to dwell con-
tinuously upon one subject. But my
| observation of business men shows
that it is better to die in the harness
than to retire from business and rust
out. When a man of boundless ac-
tivity, in good health, makes up his
mind to retire from business, he
might as well make up his mind to
die. The active mind must feed upon
something, and in this case it will
feed upon his very life. / have seen
men grow old sitting by the fire at
home, smoking, or sitting on the
barrels at the country grocery, smok-
ing and meditating upon smoke Il
imagine), while their wives were wear
ing themselves out by exerting energy
enough for themselves and their hus-
bands too.
| We are never too old to learn,
though some of us seem to stop learn
ing early in life. Some people reach
the highest tide of success at n time
generally regarded as the ebb of life.
1t is said that Fanny Fern had never
written a word for publication until