The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-03-30
THE INERTIA OF OLD AGE.
How senile Decay May Best BE Com
batted.


established In human nature AZ Id the
world Of matter whore the moving OBJ
ject must stop at last unless the pro.
pulsiye power is eternal There ii some
thing in all Of u.s. that ii earessed byl
the thought of suspended activity, OF
letting 20 the impulse BY which our en-
orgies and activities are moved III Il
this sentiment, strongly intrenched, that
lcomposes SO many epitaphs, judged con-
soling, about eternal sleep, endless re-
pose, unbroken rest after life's iitful few
err. Sweet fallacy, caressing idea, not
based on what we know Of human en-
ergy, nor the anaIogies on which we pin
our faith Of future existencei For
eternal sleep. endless rest, can he bus
lanother's mode Of expressing annihila
tion, painful idea To contemplate even
for those who have given up the hope
Of Immortality.
It i strange that, though extinction
is abhonent to the soul, the thought OF
endless rest is secret sedative that
soothes and comforts the mind The
vague idea Of the suspension Of the men
tai powers is more familiar TO US than
any positive conception Of the other
world. Sleep and its brother, Death,
have taken a strong hold on human mag
ination, Old age and its RENTED labors
seems TO many gradual preparation for
the final sleep that, perhaps, shall know
no waking. The rooted belief that at
certain period of life, say 10 years,
exertion should be relaxed Or suspended
without taxing note of the almost inf
mite yarietry ef temperaments, hetedi
4 tary endowments vital force and men
tai capabilities, ii probably responsible
for more Northumberland and senile
decay than any other cause.
1t IS curious that the lids Of the bible
should inelese records Of people who liy
ed several centuries and were hale and
\ vigorous at the advanced period 81 100
years. and also inclose the statement
that mans years are threescore years
and ten, and any Term over and above.
say fourscoTe years, is attended BY Ia.
Dor and sorrow
Many men and women arc obliged tol
sretire, though perfectly capable of doing
good service ia active life few years
longer, because Of the prejudice against
the old in business. But ii thus forced
TO get out Of harness when their expert
enee and acquired ability ought to be
ESPECIALLY valuable, IL ii 4 pity to retire
into the conviction that quiet corner
and a stagnant life Is the only resource
for the old. AIT 4 certain period "a life
inert habits and the sleepy comfort 81 a
warm fireside, tendefly nnrsed, quickly
break down the energies OF mind and
body The belief that one il superan.
nuated often leads to approximation.
Relaxed yigof Is like letting 90 Of the
floating spar that Is to save the Yife OF
shipwrecked man.
The mental powers are kept awake by
alert interest In their stimulation. The
notion that one is laid on the shelf and
needs no more bracing of mind or body
is very apt to end in putting one there.
The idea that the time has come To-
adopt sedentary habits with safety Is
very apt To put brakes on the vital en-
erRies For what Ii the sedentary habit
but the sitting habit In eontradistinction
to the active, walking and exercising
habit that 50 many people believe may
be safely given DIP at some specified
period of life, whether the physical pow.
ers be impaired or sound Undoubtedly
senile decay is often the result Of lying
IN bed Or sitting too much and exercising
too little TO grow into a tchair may
be the means Of growing out Of active
interests, intellectual sharpness and
acuteness Of thought and perception that
prevents the slothful body from destroy
ing the functions Of mind as the rusty
scabbard eats up the sword II sheathes.
Undoubtedly, owing TO greater case,
relaxed hardship, more variety Of pleas
ures and enioyments, longevity II In
creasing; but length Of life is not TO he
desired if it cannot be made useful and
efficient 10 the end. Surely to hang like
withered apple on the tree Of life until
the late winter winds shake MS down is
not an enviahe fate. To save others
from bearing 4 torpid and inert burden
should be an incentive to The exercise
Of all the preventative means within our
power. We should disabuse our minds
Of the notion that any hard and fast
lime has drawn by nature between the
Iaetive and inactive ages While human
beings remain At, they ought 10 be ac.
tive At any time OF life; and It isssour.
business, as far as in US lies, to preserYe
and extend fitness TO the remotest term
Of our allotted years.
We should watch carefully that impOr-
liant epoch az life when the desire TO
become inert ii IN danger of overcoming
the good habit Of open-air living, breath.
ing, and exercising when the freside may
become d tyrant, and too much sleep a
caressing but dangerous drug.
There Is no dread SO poignant as the
fear of losing the athletic habit Of the
+ mind the power TO grasp and hold IDEAS
But the mentally sedentaPy slip into this
state by degrees, little more indul.
lgence each day, and tho fatal thing has
happened. The mind is dulled and re.
fuses 10 grasp principles. More and
fmore it reyerts 10 childish dreams, TO
1.-THE neglect Of living interests, falls ont
of touch with the present, and lives
lin vanished past, Enthusiastically dressed
lby memory Why should we feel that
second childhood IS inevitable2 Are
there not glorious examples Of aged PEG.
pie who, BY exeftion Of will, the care
to keep awake, 20 brighten constantly
BY use the mental powers, have never
fallen into any kind Of decrepitule, but
have kept alert and interested with vivid
hopes and anticipations, with broad sym
pathies, with cnlaraing faith and bright
euing vision up 10 the very moment
when nature called bedtime Christian
Register.