Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-02-08
Growing Old and Feeling
Young


have reference to thenumber of years,
months and days fife, when we cail
TO mind some hale and hearty people
of ninety, and Others broken ana
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 than anything
else; therefore occupation OF a profit
able, congenial character seems 20
me the best antidote for feeling old.
| do not mean exhausting work, but
occupation so absorbing that lt VIII
take one away from ones self,
Indeed, SO lar rs have observed
and experienced, there Is no oecupa.
ton so belittling, Improbable aud
destructive as IL constant contempla-
ton of ones self. have in mind n
woman of means and consequent
elegant leisure, who has spent years
in studying thecondition OF her pulse
and her bodily symptoms generally,
and prescribing therefore, until she Is
now, at the age Of forty, Il broken,
nervous woman. Ii she had been
Obliged To concentrate her energy (ui
which she had an abundancel upon
earning her living, she would prob
ably have been we'll and strong to-
day. | know another woman of
means who has called herself AN
old maid ever since she was
twenty-five and dressed according
", and grown sour and wrinkled,
because that seemed the proper thing
TO do, while her less fortunate t2J
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 aqunint
ance, not less than fifty years of age,
the mother Of large family, has
kept the fire Of her youth by great
activity, not only ut home, but ia
society. Asagirl, she was music
ian, and, contrary to the usual Gus
tom, has kept mp her music under
circumstances that would have been
discouraging TO d woman OF less en-
ergy II Is not unusal now to seo
her arranging for musicaleforsome
charitable purpose. In this way she
has kept herself Interested and her
heart youthful. And just hers wish
70 say that woman is unWisa To
relinquish any accomplishments II
she can possibly retain them. Tan
she not see that they are a power,
and that anything that gives won.
nm power cannot fail To bring her ~
spect and happiness.
DO not imagine that oyer.drrasine
viii retain or bring back the b.nuty
OF youth; Il only serves 10 call atGcn.
ton to defects, II any exist. and To
make the wehrer ridiculous. Thcrrisn
beauty that belongs 10 every aye.
though we do not scc IL as often ~
we ought, as SO few people grow old
gracefully; but the beauty III d sweet
aud noble life cannot nil To b. re-
tlected in the ince, and in many
woman such beauty outriyals that Of
her youth.
Although the most blessed lot al
woman Il that ofa happy wife ANA
mother, there il no reason WHY n
single woman should grow cross and
grabbed and snurlcd and wrinklssl;
q single woman, ii lovely and Iuvubls
~ character, may always find some.
thing about which hernflCctious mny
entwlne, and aa fpr using her surptus
energy. there is plenty Of work ia tho
world for those qualified to duft. In
these days, with the numerous ave
nues Of work open To women. il ii not
necessary for n single womnu To grow
Old as n drudge in her sisters family.
with compensation Of board ma
fast-oit clothing, rs was formerly tho
case. She can now take care of her.
sen, and be M we'll dressed and "a
hlghly respected ~ her married sister
WITH men, fs well az with women.
q moderate amount Of ocrupatinn
rather than abundant leisure will pre
serve youth. Most Of public men
ure,lk doWI, grow premnturcly old,
ana Gle from ovcrwOrk and nervous
s1raih Business men as rule take
TOO little recreation, or Mt least n
chahge OF occupation; It will not nm.
swcr toallow the mind to dwell con.
tlhuously upon one subject. But nv
MI
observation y, Of business men shows
mat u IL better TO die in the harness
IMAM to retire from business aud rust
OUT. when a man of boundlcss mo.
tlylty, IN good health, makes IN his
hlind TO retire from business he