The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-11-12

ing of time but the death of youth. as
medical writer once said somewhere.
1t is not the passing of so many years
that makes us old. A youth of 20 may
be old; man of 70 may still be young.
we live not by flsetlng years, no matter
how many,'but by the experiences we
have had for the moments or longer
periods in our life. when We were able
to lift ourselves to the nOblest heights
| 1T was possible for us to attain under
the circumstances.
We are young as long as we keep alive
the pure and noble sympathies and af-
fections that constitute the true hap
plness OH earth. Let us grow as far
away as possible from the dangerous
idea that we become old with the lapse
of years. To get genuine knowledge
as to how long we really have lived,
let us never count our past al passing
anniversaries but the hours, the min-
utes, the seconds that brought to us
something that makes life worth while.
"The reading of good book, the agree
able things we have seen, the pleasant
and beautiful places we have visited,
the lntercourses with men and women
of nObls minds and pure characters
who befriended us, and the ideals and
aspirations III our own soul that have
enabled US, the strengthening hopes
which have cheered US, that constitutes
life and the length of it," Who will de-
ny that there is life in the sweet hours
we spent by the dreaming sea and in
the green fields, when every thing was
young and joyful around US, and sick
ness and decay was far away even
from our thoughts. We live only by
moments, not Uy years. What strength
of life, of hope, of health in friends
trusty handclasp and in the eyes hat
beam upon us with trust and hope and
love Overlooking! these and only these
are the things that makes life I'VE are
young" says the same medical writer l
referred to ABOVE, "While our
hearts are ailame with the rich spiritu-
alities of life. We are young while We
take vital interest in ali the things
that concerns our common humanity.
We are young " hiIe We love. We are
young while we sy mpathize with every
cry vi human agony; while our eyes
fash and our hearts grow Indignant
over the brutaltieS and crueltles and
gieeds Uf mankind We are young
WhiIe we are tolerant and ) eL helpful,
while We Wet p with thuse who suffer,
while we help thuse who are helpless,
while We bind up the bruises of the
Injured
There is furthermore no poison more
sure in its killing effects upon the'main-
springs Ut lie in ourselves as degrad-
ing aud decaying thoughts, thoughts
| OF passion, dissipation aud tear. There
is proven Instances in which individ-
uaIs have Contracted deadly diseases
and died from them, mainly because of
fear. There is other Instances in which
individuals have sickened and died at
certain time, just because they were
told once in their life by a oothsayer
or III dream, that they would surely
die in that or that year. They believed
it and murdered themselves by auto
suggestion.
A man who keeps himself young i'm
thoughts, sympathies, affections and
ideals, who fights with the vigor of
youth mingled with wisdom of expert
ence, in the struggle of humanity for
nobler, better, purer life, a life of
true justice, kindness and right, life
OF ennobling knowledge, light and love,
such a man cdn never grow old, no
matter how many anniversaries he
looks back upon, aud a healthy soul,
healthy mind, Will keep the physical
part of us healthy and vigorous also.
Wise, says noted writer, were the
Greeks who crowned youth with gar
land Of roses. but wiser were the
Druids whose snowy-headed priests
crowned their wisdom with the simple
oak wreath, for the rose garlands with
er and the th0rns are left, while the
acorn produces the mighty oak that
outlasts the storms of thousand
years. L. III.