The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-02-20
THOUGHTS ON OLD ACE.
Worn-Out Men and Women Passing Away
More Comfortably Than Formerly.

I am afraid that old people found life
rather a dull business in the time of
King David and his rich old subject
and friend, BaIZillai. who. poor man.
could not have told teal from can
vas-back. nor enjoyed symphony con-
cert. if they had had those luxuries in
his day. ThereEere no pleasant fire.
sides. for there were no chimneys.
There were no daily newspapers for
the old man to read, and he could not
read them if there were, with his dim
eyes, nor hear them Eead, very proba-
bly,, with his dulled ears. There was
no tobacco, soothing drug, which in
its various forms is great solace to
many old men and to some old women
Carlyle and his mother used to
smoke their pipes together,you remem-
ber
Old age is infinitely more cheerful
for intelligent people, at least. than it
was two or three thousand years ago.
1t is our duty, SO far as we can, to keep
it SO. There will always be enough
about it that is solemn, and more than
enough, alas. that is saddening. But
how much there is in our times TO
tighten its burdens! If they that look
out at the windows be darkened, the
optician is happy to supply them with
eyeglasses for use before the public.
and spectacles for their hours of priya-
cy. If the grinders cease because they
are few, they can be made again by Il
third dentition, which brings no tooth
ache in its train. BY temperance and
good habits of life, proper clothing.
well-warmed, well-drained and we'll
ventilated dwellings,, and sufficient
(not too much) exercise, the old man
of our time may keep his muscular
strength in very good condition. !
doubt if Mr.. Gladstone, who is fast
nearing his eightieth birthday, would
boast. in the style of Caleb. that he was
rs good man with his AK rs he was
when he was 40 but would back him
If the match were possible-for 100
shekels against that oyer-confident old
Israelite to cut down and chop up Il
cedar of Lebanon. / know Il most ex-
cellent Clergyman, not far from my
own time of life. whom L would pit
against any old Hebrew rabbi or Greek
philosopher of his years and weight, if
they could return to the flesh, to run
quarter of Il mile on a good, level
track.
We must not make too much of such
exceptional cases of prolonged activity.
l often reproached my dear friend and
clasAnate, james Freeman Clarke, that
his ceaselesS iabors made it impossible
for his coevals to enjoy the luxury of
that repose which their years demand
4 a.,
james Walker, president of Harvard
university said that the great privilege
of old age was the getting rid Of re-
SpoaSibiHtieS These Woodworking
veterans will not let one get rid OF
them until he drops in his harness, and
so gets rid of them and his life togeth-
er. How often has many a tired old
man enyicd the supcrannuated family
cat, stretched upon the rug before the
fire, letting the genial warmth tram
quilly diiluSe itself through all her in
terual arrangements! No more watch
ing for mice in dark, damp cellars; no
more awaiting the savage gray rat at
mouth OF his den; 10 more scufIying
up trees and lamp-posts to avoid the
neighbors cur who wishes to make her
acquaintance 1t is very grand to "die
in harness." but it is very pleasant TO
have the tight straps unbuckled and the
heavy collar lifted from the neck and
shoulders.
The feeling must Of necessity come
to many aged persons that they have
outlived their usefulness; that they are
no longer wanted, but rather in the
way, dragS on the wheels rather than
helping them forward But let them
remember the oft-quoted line of Milton:
They also serve who only stand and wat
This is peculiarly true to them. They
are helping others without always be-
ing aware of it. They are the shields,
the break waters of those who come
after them. Every decade is defense
OF the one next behind it. At 80 the
youth has soJered into manhood, bul
the strong men Of 40 rise in almost un-
broken rank between him and the APP
proaches of old age as they show in
the men of so. At 40 he looks with Il
sense of security ut the strong men of
30 and sees behind them the row Of
sturdy sexagenarians. When 80 is
reached, somehow 60 does not look so
old as 1t once use, TO, and 20 is still !
afar Off AT 60 the stern sentence of
the burial service seems TO have a /
meaning that one did not notice in
former years. There begins Ia be
something personal about II. But ii |
one lives to 20 he soon gets used TO the /
text with the threescore years and ten |
in it, and begins to count himself F!
those who by reason OF strength +!
InStinnI n tnnch fnnpcnnra Of
whom he can see number still in !
good condition. The
loves to read about peo-
pie OF 9Gand over. He peers among
the asterisks OF the triennial catalogue
of the university for the names of
graduates who have been seventy years
out of college and remain still unstar- |
red. He is curious about the biogra- |
phies of centenarians. Such escapades !
as those of that terrible Old sinner ana |
of great men, the Rev. Stephen /
interest him as they never /
did before, But he can not deceive /
much longer, See him walk /
ing on a level surface aud he steps off /
almost az we'll as ever; but watch him
coming down fight of stairs and the !
family record could not tell bis years
more faithfully. He cut YOU dead, you
say? Did it occur to you that he could /
not see you clearly erough to know /
you from any Gther son or daughter of 4
AdamP He said he was very glad to /
hear it. did he, whom you told him that /,
your beloved grandmother had just |
deceased? Did YOU happen to remem- |;
Der that though he does not allow that |
he is deaf he will not dery that he does
not hear quite so well rs he used TOP
No matter about his failings;the longer I
he holds an 70 life the longer he makes /
life seem to all the living who follow |
him. and thus lie is their constant bone |
factor 0irer HcRz,aN Holmes, ia the |
Enough 20 Puzzle anybody.
" II