The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
THROWING THINGS AWAY.
MIR. %FIittinsby at the Time Of Ilfe When We
Begin TO Clean Things Up.

Il am beginning to throw away things, :
said Mr.. Flittingby; going through my
papers and things and throwing things
away.
Il find among them newspaper clippings
about things that 1 would never have
thought Of again but for this reminder
and some about things l AVE forgotten
so completely that ever the sight OF the
clippings does not recall TO me why l cut
them out and saved them; 30 unimportant,
really, are many Of the things about which
we bother ourselves OF which at some
time we found OF interest.
There are letters from men long
since dead, and old bills that recall for
gotten periods OF our life, that now seem
strange to us, we live so much in the present.
And why keep these old reoeipts2 The
men that gave them are dead now or
moved away and these accounts will never
be sent in again, and il they were they
nave long SINCE been outlawed by the
lapse of time. Throw them away.
Here are old birthday cards. with pretty,
with affectionate, with loving greetings;
bringing most pleasant memories, though
they do remind US Of the years that have
gone since first they came to us. And why
bllOulu VIC III totlN z iOhbci' We Ooh
remember, we oan cherish those who sent
them, without them to remind US, and
they would only lie there with the old
p apers in the drawer. To the basket
gently with them.
And here, as | live, are some old valen-
tnesI Well, WELT This does make us
long ago. Why should we keep them
longer? To the basket, gently. We have
the valentine herself now.
There are so many things that we put
stretch away unfortunately before us when
we are young, and we are going TO keep
these things always. And 1t takes us
happily a long, long time to get to where
we can see the beginning OF the end. Youth
envelopes us with a b~uoyancy and strength
hat make life seem a JOY that is to 60
on forever, and in sturdy middle age, in
deed, we take little account OF the years,
but then comes a time when we begin to
realize that two and two make four and no
more.
Nov l ave arrived at that time OF life
when / begin to know. Don't for heavens
sake think that l am taking a mournful
view. Far from it.
Life never seemed to me SO full Of Joy
as now, and I'm good for a good long stretch
Of it yet, with senses keen and understand
ing broadening, finding enjoyment In
everything; and taking his broader view
OF things, not occupied too much by detail,
this stored up accumulation OF long gather
ing truck seems s~uperfiuous and useless.
and so I'm just going through it and throw
ing things away.
This lot that I've been going through
to-day is just stuff tina has accumulated
in the cubby holes in my desk; but I've
got boxes and bundles Of such stuff stored
away. and i must get it out, a box or a
bundle at a time and go through 1t. and
throw 1t away. For Of what use will it ever
be to anybody? What becomes Of this
sort of stuff, anyway, when people-er-r~
l mean why shouldn't l sort this stuff out
now myself, and not leave it to cunber
things up for somebody else to throw
away?
There may be some things, to be sure,
that III want TO save, things that other
people will want to keep, and these things
! will save; but as to the bulk OF this stun,
why, it's just so much hindering useless
baggage, and this I'll throw way, and with
the decks cleared start life anew