The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-06-08
TY, SOUTH DAKOTA, JUNE 8, 1907.

youth, but this bugaboo is the merest
wrath imaginable; moments
thought dispcls it. We all know that
oldness is not necessarily concomi-
taht with extensive knowledge and
varied experience. Measured in
thought and feeling, in accomplish
ment, in travel and acquaintance
with different nations and different
phases Of life, some people live in
several generations.
Other old-age bugaboos- literally
mere Pigments of the mind'-are
pessimistic theories concerning life:
such, for instance, as Max Nordau's
where the genious, the criminal and
the foolish are alike theorized. into
degeneracy. Without doubt pessim-
ism inoculates not a few susceptible
people with the mental virous of
old age. The effect of mental con-
tagion plus personal timidity is seen
In the prevalent subselvience to So
cial opinion. For man to cele-
brate his fiftieth or even his fortieth
birthday by acting as young as he
feels-if ne be blessed with a good
liver and ii sense OF humor- for
him to be just himself in outward
expression without conventional re-
serve or hypocrisy or affection, re-
quires a degree of individuality to
which only a comparatively small
number of persons have yet attained.
How often an old appearing per-
son declares, I'm just as young in
my heart as | ever was!" Why, then,
does not he or she live up to such
son declares, "I'm just as young
IN my heart as ever was!"
Why, then, does not he. or
she live up to such youthful
ness of heart? Generally there is
no real obstacle to hinder. The OBJ
stacle that seems insurmountable to
all save those who have seen '"The
Clean" is, as Edwin Belamy puts it,
the binding, binding influence of
conventionality, tradition and pre-
judice."
Madam Grundy might point the
finger of ridicule at any who dared
to disregard the Take Notice sign
that reads Conform to Custom. .
The majority of people are uncon-
sciouly afraid Of what this satiric
old lady might say should they ven
ture from conventional moorings
There is, in reality, no valid reason
for such deferential timidity: Mad
anne Grundy is now, as she was when
the playwright Morton, created her,
over century ago, an arbitress of
social destinies who herself never
appears on the stage 1t was Dame
Ashfield's projected Imagination that
first made, what will Mrs. Grundy
say?' matter Of Importance; and
1t is our projected imagination and
our coWardice that enthrone her to-
day. Her sway is wholly dependent
upon the homage paid to her by in
dlvlduals. AS soon as person
ceases to cover and cringc, her pow-
er over his life ceases Moreover,
let a person make declaration of
Independence, act for himself and
succeed, then Madam Grundy and
all her train will hasten to pay him
the high compliment of imitation. No
other cause would espouse more
heartily than that of successful ven
ture in the art Of prospecting old
ness.
Let us put by the garments of
make-believe. Let us have done with
self deceptions and slavery to bug
aboos. Let us rid ourselves of use
less fears and agonies of spirit, and
without prejudice seek to find a way
to postpone the advent of organic
old age than which nothing is more
undesired and unlovely.