The record-union., 1899-10-08

the pulpit opens and out steps an IN
innate friend of the grooms family-an
old family physician who, years before,
had removed to another city, and who
had come from his home in honor or
the occasion. As he walked toward
pew to take his seat he espies, sitting
in the front aisle the old colored nurse
who had cared for the groom in his
babyhood and who. decked out in all her
finery, was given a seat of honor on
this, to her. very great occasion. The
old nurse and the old doctor see each
other at the same moment. and the
old physician, in the presence of the
great congregation, hastens over to
shake the dear old nanny by the
hand and to congratulate her upon the
happy event they are both about to
witness. The old woman seems more
than delighted at the thoughtfulness
and kindness of the old doctor, ana
her face is filled with happiness and
sunshine at being SO cordially greeted
by the distinguished physician in the
presence of the great assemblage. The
old doctor, his genial face full OF
CHEEKY smiles, starts to go to his seat,
glad faces in adjoining pews Of old
friends and former loving patients No
sooner does he stop to shake these
hands and to exchange a few happy
words of recognition, when. yet other
hands are outstretched from other
pews, and so he finds himself forced
to march down one aisle and UP the
other shaking hand after hand and
dropping pleasant word here ana
happy thought there. For the moment
the bride is forgotten, the groom is
forgotten, the wedding is forgotten;
the attention of the entire con2re-
cation is centered upon the figure or
this benevolent looking old man-hls
dear old face with its rosy cheeks sur
rounded by a beautiful head and beard
of pure white making him the picture
of ideal old age; the picture of one who
is thoroughly loved and loving.
Il would rather be able to do what
the old doctor has just done" said
friend sitting near by, than to be the
Governor of the State"
l have presented these two contrast
ing pictures to show how old age can
be made a blessing or a curse; how II
can become a source of delight or
vale of sadness and sorrow: how old
age can become a burden and a cross
or a period of joy and happiness.
What a convenience it would be If
hard cash could buy love and affection.
respect and esteem; what a splendid
business a company would do If, IN
consideration of so many dollars paid
monthly or annually, it could. on the
life insurance plan, guarantee in old
age a sort of endowment of so much
love and affection, of SO much esteem
and respect.
Think of it, What an advantage
such a scheme would seem to many OF
us. For years and years we could go
on leading thoroughly selfish lives. We
could indulge ourselves in sensuality;
in vice: in all sorts of wickedness. We
could give ourselves up wholly to our
lusts and passions, safe in the knowl-
edge that, despite it all, we would
have at our command unbounded love
and affection. the highest regard and
esteem of the world, to be furnished
on tap by the Love and Affection In
surance Company, with its guaranteed
capital of several millions But alas!
alasl mans ingenuity, great as it IS;
mans intellectual power, marvellous as
it has proven itself. has as yet found
no way whereby love and affection, re-
spect and esteem, can be bought with
cash Mans brain has as yet been
unable to devise any scheme whereby
cold dollars will take the place OF
warm heart; whereby a piece of golc
will replace a spirit of unselfishness;
whereby money will buy love, or coin
bring affection. Even the philan-
thropist finds that the mere giving OF
his hard cash does not bring him that
which, as rule, he prizes most high
ly-the love and affection of his fellows
and of the recipients Of his bounty, UNI
less his money goes accompanied by
his heart and soul; unless his SYM
pathies and his personal interest go as
a part of his gift to others; unless he
is prepared to give his time as we'll as
his hard cash to the cause he means
to help.
Love. affection, sympathy, unselfish-
ness. personal interest in others are all
qualities which, as a rule, cannot De
cultivated over night and especially
not in old age The instances are ex-
tremely rare where men who. all their
lives have been skinflints, have grown
generous in old age; who, having been
selfish all their lives, have grown
warm hearted as they neared the
grave; who, all their lives have been
unloving, have become affectionate as
they found their days drawing to a
close The foundation for a happy.
/ loving, kindly old age, must be laid
early. very early in life. We may
change our garments at will. but we
cannot change our habits, our thoughts.
our temperaments, our dispositions at
will These latter become an insep-
arabic part of ourselves, and the older
We grow the more they become con-
firmed and the harder it is to change
or even to modify them
The wise man never forgets that, If
he lives the time must come when he
can no longer toll as when in his full
strength, the time must come when his
mental vigor and his physical energies
will have been sapped and that. if he
is not to become burden to others, lie
must, in the years of his earlier man
hood lay up a share of his earnings
and thus accumulate a competence to
save him in his old age from being n
charge upon friends or society IN
/ like spirit, the wise man knows that.
with the flush of youth gone, with the
strength of manhood gone, old age is
| likely to be unattractive and unlovable
unless. in like manner. a capital is
carefully garnered of qualities of the