The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-08

1 have always entertained great
sympathy for the man who sought,
and sought il vain, the fountain OF
perpetual youth. Of course, he vas
on the wrong track, but his ignorance
does not condemn him. You know
our wisest teachers have always la
bored to teach US how right it is to
have respect for the motive; provided,
the motive is good.
Had that fountain, that the explo-
rer hoped to find hidden away In a
tangle of vines and flowers in the sun
ny Southland, been located, and its
waters been as magic as he dreamed
they were, there would be a page or
Two less Of the history we now have
because there would be no record OF
his fruitless wanderings, and his
death, maybe, for youth is brave
combatant OF death.
But the fountain Of youth was not
found. No gushing waters have ever
come dashing up from hidden springs,
which we might drink or bathe in,
and never, never, show wrinkles or
gray hairs or walk with the stoop or
the limp that often belongs to age.
It might have been truly discourag-
ing for the explorer when he failed to
find his spring. 1t was hopelessly
discouraging. Now, if he had lived
in this day and age there would have
still been left him the hope Of keep
ing passably fresh looking and supple
by taking to physical culture, or
riding bicycle, or even applying a
face lotion, or harmless" hair dye.
For it is very hard nowadays to tell
sswhere nature ends and art steps in. -
Women are the most persistent
seekers after the fountain Of youth,
and have been for many years. In
the long ago men may have been just
as ambitious in that direction-and
maybe they still are but they say
less about it, or pursue their quest
with less noise. Not that woman
means to proclaim her dislike of ap-
preaching age, but she does SO, never
theless, in thousand little ways.
The modern man and the modern
woman are wiser in their quest for
youth than were the older-time men
and women. Art is still employed
yes, and who will say that this should
never be so?-and yet nature is the
main dependence and stronghold:
Fresh air, fresh water and exercise is
the up-to-date watchword. When
women wore shoes too thin to walk in
and laced SO tightly that fainting was
common, and "chest expanding was
unheard Of, the woman Of 80 was quite
passe, unless she was married and
then she took quite "back seat, :"
and sometimes sighed and told about
more than half regretfully what she
did "when she was young"
Try to get the modern woman under
40 to say that she is anything but
young! and, indeed, even long beyond
that age, she will not admit the fact
that her youth is over, whether she is
maid or wife, and she is right. You
will seldom, anyway, guess that she is
as old as she really is. and often when
she confdes in you the date of her
birth you will not believe her, though
she does not wear wig or 'touch up"
her hair. Indeed, the gray hairs may
show very plainly for aught she cares.
But her hair is clean and well kept
and as fluffy as any girls. Her face
is smooth and pink and OILY after
careful looking, can you discover a
few wrinkles. There is no pensive
droop to her mouth to bring deep and
disagreeable looking lines, and her
eyes are not sad and dreamy, but
sparkle with good nature, and happi-
ness. If art has anything to do with
the freshness Of her appearance, as [
! have said, it is decidedly hard to tell
"where nature ends and art steps in, .
and I for one will not blame the wo-
man who turns bit to art when ma
ture has wearied Of being generous.
I might add to the popular beauty
prescription Of fresh air, fresh water
and exercise, good nature and chari-
tableness.
A bright woman has said that she
thinks there should be an eleventh
commandment and that it should read:
IsThou shalt not meddle in other
folks business, and that she would
.:..1..1r ;rpprocc tbic upon tho