The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-10
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s HER POINT OF VIEW ::
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CHE WAS A handsome lady not
- past middle life. and she wore her
modish costume as one who had
inherited the attitude and serene un-
Consciousness of taste IRON several
generations of people who had been
accustomed to fine raiment and low
toned converse.
Just as she was stepping into her
carriage she overheard IA remark made
by an acquaintance passing which
caused her to shut the door with un-
usual force. "That is old Mrs. Blank"
had said the acquaintance.
Nowadays If Ii Hung Chang's curl
osity Is emulated in polite society 1t is
with the question "Ifow young are
your" not How old are you?" and
Mrs. Blank was in no sense old. She
had Il fine, soft complexion. a charm
ing figure and young laugh. She
read the new books and the literary
reviews. she was the leading member
of an up to date reading club. 1t had
never occurred to her that she was
old, but she had recently acquired
daughter-in-law. She was a nice
daughter-in-law, gentle and lovable.
and had been most welcome addition
to the family, but a sudden thrill of
hatred rose up in the elder woman's
heart as she half whispered. while the
most unpleasant smile which had
crossed her lips for years, distorted
their curves: "And now am old Mrs.
Bank!" 1t wasn't a mean jealousy of
the fair girl who was probably now
considered by their friends as Young
Mrs. Blank" 1t wasn't a foolish desire
to pose as younger than she was.
neither did she so much dread facing
| the shortening years, but every in
stinct rose up against the term, which
| she had heard applied to herself.
I've always hated it," she unused.
II don't recall ever using it in my life
even when it might have been in con-
| nection with some very old person in
| deed. I always think Of the senior lady
of family as Mrs. A., the others are
Mrs. George. Mrs. James, Mrs. John
etc. but l never wanted to call her
! ''old Mrs. A. because there were
younger women of the same surname" ;"
The truth is, that this expression is
all too frequently used in this city. 1t
is quite common to hear the elder lady
| of a family name called "old Mrs. So
! andSo." and it isn't pleasant to SEN
sitive ears. We do not want to be
| "Old Mrs" anybody. We do not Sc
much mind If we are no longer termed
Young Mrs. Somebody" for perhaps
the gently added years have brought
| with their flight a recompense which
| even the silverlng head and the dim.
ming eyes cannot quite outweigh.
Perhaps the impetuous. violent ma.
ture has been softened, the swift anger
blurred. the hasty Judgment tempered
, Perhaps now we speak more kindly oi
the absent, think more tenderly of the
foolish weak ones in our way, have
time for more merciful deeds, have
more pity for the sadness of the grea
world.
Our losses; may be great. In the cas-
ket were fair illusions that are now
shattered. the mirror in it's lid ono,
reflected a face tinted with the ros,
and hair of glossy beauty. Sometimes
as in vision, we catch a faint glimpse
Of that portrait, but as we bend closer
we see instead the wrinkles on tht
brow and the gray locks above. w,
treasured beautiful friendships in tina
casket, but there remains of thei
grace only little heap of ashes. W.
had beliefs that were glorious in thei
sincerity, but their pallid ghosts are al
that are left. We have still the with
cred roses from many a coffin. and tn
false picture of many a hope. but ye
there may be some treasures in an
other casket which somehow conso
US for our deprivations. hut we do no
| tn he lad al
vince when the minister speaks Of tn
feeble steps of age, tottering on tn
verge of the grave. for that is wha
age means-the grave. To the healthy
normal mind there is ever a shrinkin
from death, no matter how bright ma
be the hope of that which lies beyond
Emerson said: I'VE do not count
mans years until he has nothing els
to count" and no truer sentiment wa
, ever expressed.
That is why we continue to wav
our hair and spend our oatrimony O
facial massage.
So we do not want to be called ole
, | 1t is more the tendency of the time
to speak thus Of women than of mer
If a man has a grown up son it Is nc
the signal for the father to be terme
"Old Mr.. "" but if the son takes
wife. the mother-in-law may be rea
sonable sure that whether she kno'
it or not. some of her acquaintance
, speak of her as "Old Mrs. "
The stately New England fashion
5 which was indeed general in colonii
times of calling the senior lady Of tn
family Madame" was enc that shoul
. yet prevail. The dignity, respect an
indescribablc charm it conveys can b
= conveyed by no other term. MADAM
Q Jones" may mean a miliner or q dras'
maker. but applied to a lady who rcr
\ rcsents the seniority Of the women {
' the family it is almost Il title Of n
< bility.
. Harry Thurston Peck, in his voun
= of essays recently published under tt
n title of Good English" comman,
strongly on the American tendency
= designate an elderly lady as "Motht
). So-and-So," incidentally deprecatin
;, President McKinley's reference
Mother Hobson" in speech mao