The morning call., 1894-02-15
HOW HE GREW OLD.
The Veterans Last Advice to the
Rising Generation.


The following unpublished interview with
Colonel j. ID. Stevenson, shortly before he
gave up visiting his office, has peculiar interest
at this time
He was asked how one might grow old grace
fully, and willingly contributed OF bis expert
ence his advice being interspersed with RI
Gus personal "reminiscences OF interest. His
summary 10 the young "avoid excuses" Is a
peculiarly appropriate compendium OF the les
son of bis long life
What POINTERS would you give the rising
generation, olonel Stevenson, on the subject
of How 10 G. ow Old?'''
II would tell them TO avoid excuses OF every
Kind. replied the old veteran promptly.
Looking back over my long life l can see
that IL was by that rule that L steered clear OF
Scylla and Charybdis. / never Used tOb eco III
any TO M and very little wine. If l pariook OF
any wine that thought affected me harmfully,
would find out what brand IL bore and would
never touch that again.
The same way with my acquaintance. II |
found any OF them contracting habits which
were unsuil able / discarded them. Fond as /
might b. OF womans bright eyes, 1 never
allowed them to lure me TO destruction.
81 remember i usrd TO have friend, Phin
Cannon, who was my constant associate until
other friends 0bjec ed TO him, pointing out that
he spOnged upon every one, and, although well
of. never spent cent himself. i had simply
become accustomed TO his society and never
noticed that had always been paymaster and
that lie even used TO wear my linen and never
,eturu IT, AS soon as observed this, however,
L dropped Phin Cannon.
THAT is the secret. A man must be a law
unto himself and while avoiding selhshness
follow out the needs of his own nature Let
one lesson be enough. ana IL anything is found
hurIful drop II.
This principle was beaten into me with a
mat. My father was revenue officer in New
York ana man of clear ideas. When / was
10 bad sickness, and after that was allowed
TO start out In life by going 10 work for a wage.
one day after work induced by some boy
friends to go out into the street to join in some
kind of game. and so my father found me en-
gagged when he came home. He called m to
him very sternly. and after asking whether he
bad not taught me 10 behave as a gentleman,
whether was not wor' Ing for myself now as a
man, suddenly inquired why / was such a
lubber as to play with boys 10 the gutter.
With that he seized and lambasted me with a
dirty OLD mat that lay handy.
II never forgot the lesson. Whenever L
found was doing something not consouant
with my condition or progress / gave IL up.
Il believe In certain regularity OF habits,
every man pursuing that course which best
suits his requirements. For instance. we have
dinner al o'clock, and afterward. unless apy
friends call. go to bed al 8. / get up al a
regular hour ana have my regular office hours.
and every day 1 undergo treatment OF ell c.
available aud ae not lndulgences. don't be-
lieve in cul waiting a taste for luxuries.
"For instance, am not an epcure. 1 can
ear anything so long as il is clean and nicely
served, and frequently make as hearty diuner
now as ever did. i will dine a. well on some
simple dish like cold pork or mutton as any
THE great trouble with people Is that they
do things because other people do them. They
are like sheep. What is one mans meat is
anothers poison. Now, l never allowed any
one TO dictate 10 me what / should do.
ION one occasion l remember / was in.
Guided in party of friends who met on Mont
geometry street after separation OF years.
ala not know all the company, but was In =
vted into neighb0ring hostelry to take a
glass OF wine. could not well decline the In
tended courtesy, but at that time mad one of
my determinations OF, |. e., l was not drink
ing anything. We'll, all our glasses were filed,
and everyone took his glass but tine. One of
The gentleman chose TO take offense, and
threatened II did not drink 10 throw the wine
IN my lace. told him If ne only touched the
glass L would whip him as be had never been
whipped before, nd j was so much In earnest
that he apoogZed. We became good friends
afterward. and he has since told me that ne felt
sure would have whipped him If he had at.
tempted 10 carry out his threat.
III sometimes requires me little determIua-
ton" concluded Colonel Stevenson "but 1t
always pays TO avoid exeesses, and leads to a
healthy and happy old age"