San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-17

urea; a-d the world aliti-l still go on, as We
have done after the various dates specified
by the Millerites for the destruction of the
world. Thackeray's warning was evidently
one of his practical jokes upon the boys. He
was pleased to dress up a bugaboo to scare
the younger generation withal
The truth is, Of course, that boys do not
cease to be boys at forty; and now that this
bubble is pricked, l have my doubts whether
their boyish state ceases at fifty either, or
at sixty or seventy, for that matter. Nay, /
met a man the other day who owned to seven
and-seventy years, and such was his coyish-
ness that was almost surprised into feeling
old myself, in comparison with him. In
short, my young friends, this whole affair of
old age, about which you hear SO much talk,
is canard and a humbug, which we who
have existed a certain time impose upon you,
with view to commanding your respect
and services.
Some well meaning persons, possibly,
being of a peculiarly credulous and impress
sionable cast, have been 80 far prepossessed
by the insidious assurances of their elders,
that when they themselves arrived at forty
year, they took it for granted that they must
be old, and being themselves thus deceived,
innocently carried on the deception. Others,
again, may have been misled by certain
symptoms of infirmity occurring on the
physical plane. The plausibility of these in
dications may be admitted; but they really
amount to nothing. The mind Is the man;
the body is but an instrument. You would
not call a carpenter old because his turning
lathe has begun to wear out. Besides, with
proper attention, this bodily instrument can
ho taip nod in,
after forty year. DR.. Hammond, indeed, and
several other sages of repute, have main
tanned the theory that the decay of the
bodily powers, and death itself, can be in
definitely postponed by proper regimen.
But leaving all extreme views aside, the
man Of 40 makes great mistake if he allows
bis bodily health and strength to deteriorate
under the impression that they have seen
their best days On the contrary, the per-
lection of physical well being may be and
ought to be enjoyed between the 10th and
5Oth year. When we were boys in college we
exercised at the gymnasium and on the river
and the ball ground. For ten years after
graduating we kept up our practice more or
less-we did not altogether lose the custom of
it. From 30 to 40 the business of making q
living became so absorbing that we suffered
gymnastics to fall into desuetude, which, if
not absolutely innocuous, probably had no
very serious consequences. But at 40 or
thereabouts a certain Incidence begins to
supervene; we tell ourselves that we have
done enough and deserve a little rest, and if
we listen to this self indulgent whisper it is
apt to be the worse for us.
Do not listen to it, fellow travellers of forty
year, Take up once more that old habit of
exercise that has fallen into allegiance, and
you will find your account in it. Not that
you are to carry anything to extremes-to
labor two hours daily in gymnasium, or to
train for race You did that when you
were in your teens, and once is enough What
Is necessary is easily done. When you are in
the open air-and be in it as much as posi-
BILE, either on foot or on horse back-breathe
deeply and regularly, and breathe through
your nose. Eat no trash, and eat too little
rather than too much Of anything In sum-
mer, play lawn tennis, or row a boat. In
autumn and winter, walk at a round pace
for at least one continuous hour day. By
one means or another, contrive to get into a
visible perspiration once every twenty-four
hours, and rub dry with towel afterward
So will your wrinkles disappear, and your
gait lose its heaviness And after all, body
is but body; and even if it be paralyzed, or
disabled by railroad accident, you must
not let it bully you into fancying that forty
year spells old ags.-Julian Hawthorne in
Once Week.