The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-06-27
Pulling Up Stakes

contrast, no more radical change. We
had gone from the clang Of gongs, the
tolling Of bells, the shrek Of locomo-
tives, the blare Of brass bands, the
doleful piping Of corner bands, the
cries Of newsboys, and the oboe honk
Of the automobile horn to the piping
Of crickets and the mathis OF thrush
and robin, the warbling Of bluebirds
and orchard orioles.
We had been thoroughly forgotten
by our friends in the city, and had
stepped tacitly to an unrecognized
place in the human procession where
there Was no possibility Of our being
numbered With those who are sup
posed to lead the strenuous life"
Society, so-called was merely an abb
straction: we we're like those who
have been lodged on some secure
shelf on q cliff where they could see
the food 90 by while they watched
and waited, Two years before we had
been Of that clamorous and unrefec-
tive mob. We had never lived for
the days as they came, but always
reached out for some beckoning to-
morrow. We had yearned for repose,
but the everyday grind OF triyiallties
had burned up our time and eaten
away our vitalities.
Tnsensibiy, in the city, we had
learned the lesson Of imitation. For
however men and women hold fast to
their individuality, a constant attri-
tion OF numbers Of their kind will
wear them to a certain extent alike,
as all pebbles are worn smooth by
the waters action. Custom, custom,
how that artful tyrant cows even the
boldest How many a jeans-clad con
gresham succumbs at last 10 the
Simian contour OF the dress suit! The
days are very much alike In a city;
always the frame presents the idenu-
cal grays and blacks. the hard, bald
finish Of metropolit2nism.
The happiest natured take their
pleasures sadly there. The Mephis-
topheles Of cynicism mocks them with
the old refrain, Eat drink, and be
merry, for tomorrow you die" The
young grow old too fast; and the old
grow hardened rapidly. AS in certain
chemicals all things harden to petri-
faction, so the steady immersion OF q
man or a woman In a city leads to the
deadening OF the sensibilities. Apart
ment life! Was there ever anything
more artificial? Apartment life is
more than ordinarily similar in the
penitentiaries and the modern fats.
But TO live on a farm? How can
you live on a farm and not vegetate
or go crazy? Nine miles from a
lemonl What a shuddery thought
And yet remote as we were from the
city, there was a sadness in the eyes
OF the friends who at rare intervals
came to see US How quickly the
crows feet seemed TO creep about the
eyes Of men whom had expected Il
see buoyant and hopeful as In bygont
days. What was that tiresome re
frain I had preached to me so often
Were getting old" Who's getting
oid2 Speak for yourself John" Yes
they DO grow old ia cities, and th'
fountain Of Ponce de Leon will never
spout from a public square.
Is II worth a mans while 70 grow
old? / doubt itl Rarely, in a city
even, you will find a man who hal
steadily refused TO give In to The
years; but believe you will alwayi
nnd, on investigation. that this mar
has renewed his youth from the field
and woods Age is a chilling Of thu
heart not a whitening Of the tresseG.
''Never. my heart wilt thou grow old;
Ny hair Is white, my blood turns cold,
And one by one my powers depart
But youth sits smiling In my heart"
But the spirit Of youth is just as az
parent in the mind as in the body
and you cannot preserve a youthful
ness Of spirit by communing with tn
beasts Of the fielo, nor by turninl
hermit; nor even by having thos
near you who are dearest to you. Uu
less one is serenely ox-like in one
disposition, the stage music, liters
ture, sculpture, war, peace, strife, In
word-life-will always hold an a
traction which keeps the mind alert t
the changes which are going on, an
which, by giving the brain It's neede
exercise, keeps elastic and vibrant th
tissues Of the mind.
A plunge in a river invigorates tn
body, dusty and inert from toll an
waste OF bodily energy A dip in
new book, a mingling for shoI
space In a crowd a night at the th'
ater. an afternoon at q concert, eve
gay supper at some brilliantly ligh
ed and musicstirred cafe will sen
the dull blood spinning through III
veins, and drive away perplexin
thoughts Of time and mortality.
But there amid those wide field
surrounded by hills and forests, ther
was the touch Of peace, and theT
was also the lethean menace Of Nj
vana. The march Of the seasons wa
one lingering panorama Of green an
gold, or dusty scarlet and barbari
splendor. Each dawn was vision
each sunset a revelation. The starr
winter nights we're more beautiful
their quiet splendor than all th
mama of rnvthnlnpN, and vet m