Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-09-22
CONCERNING OLD AGE.
Septemb Der, 20, 1904.
now write on Old Age.

now write on Old Age.
Man is child until twenty-one,
young until forty, full man until sew
enty, and an old man thereafter.
Old men of well regulated minds, not
too critical or ill-natured, pass very
desirable old age. But a discontinued
and ill-natured disposition is irksome
in every age. The best thing for
happy old age are the practice of the
virtues which yield good fruits in any
age. A peaceful life brings happy
old age, like that of Plato. VINO died 10
his eighty-frst year while writing, or
that OF lsocrates, who wrote a book in
his ninety-ninth year.
There are four causes why old age is
thought to be miserable. One, II takes
us out Of business affairs. But this is
not altogether true. II is true that II
takes us out of the affairs of young men
where physical strength is required,
but in matters of state, where counsel
is needed, The wisdom that comes
through experience, wide observation
and reading, makes man at eighty
man of great affairs. The greatest &C
tions are not achieved by muscular
strength, or speed on foot, but by mind,
iudgemnt, wise counsel. To keep on
learning something new, and withall TO
be pleasant, makes one an agreeable
friend and wise counsellor who is
sought by even the young. And what
is more delightful than old age sur
rounded by the interested attention Of
youth
Though am eighty-four years old,
the Senate house does not miss my
strength, nor the roStrum, nor my
friends, nor my guests for | have new
er agreed 10 that old prOverb, If you
would be an old man long become old
early. | would rather be an Old man
for u little while than TO be an old man
before | was one. Mlninlssa, at the age
of ninety, is doing the work of King.
Exercise and temperance, even In old
age, can preserve some remnant OF our
pristine vgor. like Young man IN
whom there is something Of the old,
and an old man in whom there is some
thing of the young. Thus, though the
boCy be more feeble, the mind Will yet
be strong, and the service Of soul is
greater than that Of its bodily strength.
Then it is said old age is deprived OF
all pleasures. This is not true. The
pleasures ofthe passions may full, but
the pleasure of soul need not fail. Rea
son can reign and bless the life with
perennial pleasure, and the virtues
can give satisfaction that fills old age
with peace and JOY unfaiilng.
Then it is said that old age is not far
from death, and therefore it has no
pleasure. We seem to forget that death
is near every One-even the young.
Whateve r time is assigned To each to
live, with that he ought to be content.
TIE short period of life is long enough
for living well and honorably, and If
you should live long, you need no more
grieve than farmers do when the love
illness of sprngtime hath passed, and
the summer and the autumn have come.
Each part of the year hath its joys,
and so with life. Only plant well and
cultivate and gather in wisely, aud sun
shine will bless and make glad all the
way. The harvest of old age is in rec
objections abundant Of well spent
life. Young men die at the flush of
life and all are sad old men die like
WEAKNESS going to rest and like eyes
tired for sleep. Green fruits are pluck
ed by force from the trees, but rlpened
fruits fall easily. To grow old grace
fully, sweetly, to become mellow and
full and savory, is a beauty anu bless
ing given only TO the aged. 1t Is so de-
lightfu TO grow old that the nearer |
approach death, | seem to be getting
sight of land, and that after long vOy-
age, to BE- Just coming into harbor.
CICERO