The San Francisco call., 1906-08-12
When Does a Man Begin TO Grow Old?

when the claim was disputed. or, In
deed. feeling any. must confess. how
ever, that by that time had come to
cherish the secret conviction that 40
was, after all, the natural dividing line.
1t was only out OF Difference to the cal
low opinions OF youths still in the
twenties that there was any question
about the matter at all Why. when I
was SO 1 heard some one say that was
a clever young fellow. 1t was man
OF forty who said 1t. and although he
was one whose opinions had despised
up to that time. still. think that on
the whole he probably knows what he
Is talking about.
Now 1 am not so sure about 40. 7
am inclined to think that 45 would be
nearer the mark Mind. do not wish
II to be thought for a moment that I
am 40 myself. Such a suspicion would
do me a great injustice No I am still
the thirties and shall be for a con-
siderable time, probably after this ar
ticle appears in print But still wish
to consider the question impartiaIly.
and il Is really absurd to pretend that
the difference between a man OF AZ or
43 and a man OF. say, 39% Is so very
marked. And, IL this is so, IL Is obvious
that another two years added cannot
affect the matter either one way or the
other.
Well, at present. then, am inclined
to leave It at forty-hve. without prsJu-
dice to my right to alter my opinion
in a few years time. But II were
put to II. I think could write an ar
ticle equally convincing to show that
actual age has nothing TO do with the
question at all might try to show
that marriage ends IL. or fatherhood.
but do not think I should. I should
be mora likely to follow the glimmer
OF light that has come to me In the
course of this inquiry, and point out
that youth ends when personal vanity
begins to diminish might say that
when trousers which have acquired a
very slight bagginess at the knee are
not instantly discarded from the ward
robe. II is a sign that middle age IL
encroaching- / might use other Illus
trations OF the same sort; and should
certainly bring In the example OF the
hair and the anointment.
But IL I did that I should have %
acknowledge that I myself was now
we'll on in middle age, and that alb
solutely refuse to do. Why, am still
| In the thirties; I still like chocolate
eclairs. though I do not ache for that
form of sustenance as I did fve-and-
twenty years ago; young fellows In the
twenties very seldom think II neces-!
sary to put Mr." before my name, and
still feel at ease In their company.
though I prefer that OF the rather
older young men OF about my own
standing Away with splitting o$
hairs. and away with false rnodestys
Whatever may be said OF forty-hve.
youth has not ended at thirty-nine. and
l hold that opinion against all opposi-
/ tion.
P. 81 have just overheard a subal-
tern with whom had a slight diner-
ence. OF opinion at the club yesterday.
In connection with a diamond declara-
/ tton, giving a highly colored account
| of the episode to a companion in arms
I did not hear distinctly all he said.
but caught the expression, silly old
fool" am not seriously annoyed, but
do not feel quite so certain about
thirty-nine.
P.P.S.-It has just occurred to mo
that the words I overheard were prob
Kably applied to one Of our opponents
at the table who took very little part
in the discussion. They would be more
applicable to him. as he was forty last
week. Let II stand.