Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-06-11
INVITING OLD AGE.
SOME or THE WAYS IN WHICH WON
EN- LOSE THEIR YOUTH.

Mothers Neglect Their Own Needs In Ex-
sgserated Devotion to the Children.
Those Who Claim the Immunities OF Are
When Only In the Midday Of Life.
The Oldest woman ever knew was %
AT marriage the graces of girlhood passed
forever from her life. Economy became
the god enthroned on every altar of her
home. Ruftles and ribbons were tbe
insignia of levity and extravaganza
Dresses robbed of yard or two grew
ungracefully short and narrow. Books
and papers were regarded as Injuries
not necessities. An hour spent in read
ing left feelingo guilt for wasted time.
Devotion to VIII and the children,
came to mean self assumed slavery.
Luster left the eye, elasticity the frame.
Through mistaken sense Of duty she
grew unkempt, narrow souled, repulsive.
1t has been said that the true age is what
we look and feel. have known sweet
fresh faced women of 20 who were
younger than she.
In the great middle class of America
the wife TOO often invites age by conceo-
trating all ambition in money getting
10 save the wages OF servants she de-
s;roys the Joy of life, the buoyancv of
health. Pushing the growing daughter
to the front, she sees less and less of
society. dresses with increasing plain
ness and sinks to household drudge
self made and valued at her own esti-
mate.
Ihlrty-fve has no more right to the
styles and tone of 20 than to those of II.
The appropriation of the one is scarcely
less ridiculous than the assumption of
the other. Far better than the expen-
sive boarding school is the example of
the mother in imparting to the daughter
the faultiess taste of dress, the gentle
repose OF manner, the gracious spirit so
admirable IN woman. A part of the
money devoted to the education of the
daughter would be well spent in procUr-
ing TO the mother the time for self Gull
ture. As the fair, snowy page is not so
useful or beautiful as the one written
with pure, uplifting thought. so the i'm
mature maiden Is less valuable to home
and society than the ripe. cultured wom-
an.
People of 40 and so should not shelve
themselves and claim the immunities of
age. They are in the midday of life: the
time for the exercise of knowledge,
power, grace and beauty. for the up
| lifting of humanity. These gifts may
be enhanced by dress and manner. The
influence of the attractive, self respect
ing wife, mother, sister or friend is more
ta, Cd ,,,. IL.
neglected person and unlovely mind.
Discomfort invites age. Indulging the
unrest of the dissatisfied is destructive
to looks and temper. In his STORY of a
Country Town" Mr. F.. W. Howe SAYS,
BE contented if it kills YOU" The adj
vice Is not so bad as it looks. Content
ment and stagnation are not necessarily
| synonymous. One may be free from
worry while striving for higher planes
or work. Woman should have the cour-
age of repose. 1t is infinitely better than
the morbid conscientiousness that goads
TO endless toll. Effective work requires
effective rest.
Judicious mental work may help to
| lift one out of the ruts of premature cid
age. Read and think of what you read.
Don't use your mind as if it We're n
sieve and you Were trying to see how
much You could pour through it. There
Is belief extant that knowledge, if
gained at all. must be acquired in youth.
Fallacious theory! Behold Galilei at
threescore and ten pursuing his studies
with unfiagging zeal, Cato beginning
Greek when advanced in years. Ogilby
commencing classical studies when past
90. Gladstone is rs much the student
today as when the bloom of youth man.
| tied his check.
BE kind TO the feelings and fancies of
youth. If they prove perennial, SO much
the better. Don't forbid yourself glad.
recreative thought and action. Don't be
ashamed to make yourself as pretty rs
| you can. \ sensible woman may feel q
thrill Of pleasure innocent as a maiden's
when receiving a glance of respectful
admiration from manly man. Smile
without affectation. be pleasant without
being silly-in short, be young as long as
| you can.-Alva Rose in Kate Fields
Washington.