Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-09

doing the houSeWOfk IO1' neTSeil anu d
sister for many years an invalid.
| Calling recently on a lady whose
years had passed the sixth decade. l
found her reading and hugely enjoying
The Dialogue of the Gods" by that
| trenchant satirist Of the second CEN
tury, Notwithstanding it too in the or
iginal, which l learned she had ac-
lquired knowledge of since she passed
her .55th birthday
In Stamford and Berkeley UNIVERSE
ties it is no unusual sight to see a
springlng of silvery- haired women in
many of the language and history
classes. One busy women who had the
usual family cares and labors up to
her fiftieth year, had nevertheless ac-
CURED reading and writing knowl-
edge of French and Spanish before that
time. Since then, with more leisure
at her command she has mastered Ger
man and is now beginning Latin with
her youngest son who is just entering
the high school. She laughingly says
that she enjoys it more than gossip and
tea.
There is thought in this that /
would bring to the notice of women,
and particularly of farmers wives.
Only those who have lived the life
know anything of the awful loneliness
and isolation of the wives of many
western farmers. 1t is said that the
insane asylums are largely filled from
this class.
l have been enough in touch with the
life to know that there is little time for
study. especially where there are grow
ing children, but there comes a time
when the children grow up and leave
the home when from the limitations of
added years, If for no other reason,
women are debarred from many of the
activities of life. Shall these years be
devoted to knitting in the chimney cor
ner, or is it not possible to get some
higher enjoyment from them? Since
for some of US there may come a time
when failing eysight will render study
impossible, it will always be we'll to
keep a sheet to windward and not lose
the art of knitting, but If a woma,
would keep young let her have some
higher interest in life. Study soms-
thing, history, languages, science, what
ever most appeals to YOU Assistance.
and advice can always be obtained by
joining a Chautauqua circle. Do no.
say you have lost the power of concen-
tration-acquire it; or, that you have
no memory train 1t.
People your lonely hourse with the
thoughts of great minds. If you have
children at home who are still students.
study with them. Don't be afraid to
begin at the bottom If you need 1t. I
am humbly thankful to sit at the feet
of my boy of twelve in order to learn
in compact way, without mental eff
fort the English and United States
history, which / was never properly
taught, and have in a large measure
forgotten.
No great time is required. One wom-
an who has acquired good knowledge
of four languages tells me that she |
never spent more than an hour a day on
them. taking about four years to feel
herself at home as to reading and
writing in any one language. After that,
a few minutes reading each day kept
her knowledge fresh.
Take it all in ALL think there is no
better rule for keeping young-fresh
air, plain food. and activity of body and |
physician told me that a woman of 80 |
came to him to ask what could be the
matter with her. she was perfectly we'll, |
except that when she ran up one or
more flights of stairs she found herselfi
out of breath. So you see that not
growing old is largely a matter of the
will.