Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-30

Are we ever too old? That. per-
haps. is the best way of putting the
question. As matter of fact. | nave
known wearied old men Of 20 and
fascinating youngsters of 80. 1t is all
a matter OF temperament
There is living at this .moment a
well-known Lcndoner whose father-a
portrait paiDter-went out TO India at
20 years of age to paint the native
Princess. At So he migrated to China.
and at 95 he was established as por-
trait painter in the palace of IA
nous mandarian Shortly afterward
the favorite wife of the great man was
hurriedly beheaded, and the artist fed
the country in disguise.
The cry OF the employer is today
that man is too old at 40, and you
will find few men who really obtain
a good position after 30, and yet they
are not even at their best physically.
while mentally speaking they have far
to GO Lord Kitchener has just taken
I'D what may be the most important
post of his life at 60 years of age. and
Lord Roberts was just upon 40 when
he took command OF the British troops
in South Africa And yet, according
to the senseless dictum Of these idiot
&c employers, man is unfit for the
duties OF life after he has passed his
fortieth birthday. This policy is not
only stupid; it is absolutely suicidal.
for | repeat that mans best years
for almost everything except cricket
or football lie between his fcrtieth
and sixtieth birthday. and it is then
that of all periods during his life his
mind is capable of the greatest strain
and of the most brilliant output. A
hairdresser told me once that ii wasn't
ladies' or cid danAfes who invested in
hair dyes, but mechanics. middle-aged
clerks, dissenting ministers and Gu
rates-aii of them between 40 and 50
many CT them thoroughly experienced
and well trained in their iife's work
and at the very top OF their powers.
= And yet their employers. with a ca
pacity for suicide OF which few but
Eazlishmen would be capable. had
turned them adrift in favor of stupid
and incompetent youths and girls
1t is. curious question. this Of age.
Only within the-last few,days I nave
heard CT two splendid meu who hunt
three days a week and each Of them
IS in his ninety third year. while Rev.
John Lord. who died few months
ago. used 10 preach two vigorous ser
mons every Sunday after his hun
dredth birthday. And it is a curious
fact, which have often proved in my
own experience. that 1t is not the Old
man who is oid-fashioned in mis- no
ticns. but the young man: the older
a man is the more he appears to keep
pace with the times. Fer the simple
reason that this IS a CROWNS mind
General Booth is remarkable case
~ point Al 50 years OF age he IS IN
touch With the whole Of life. and while
he is more at home IN a motor car
than any one have ever met. he Is
hurrying to and fro over the face Of
the whole globe and absolutely up 20
datc-to usc an odiOus but rather *
pressave p1rsse--iE every particular
u Is often said that to youth especi-
ally belongs the joy Of life and love.
And I often wonder Il it Is really 20.
In seven cases cut Of ten yos uili
md that the young woman Of the
present has has no use for the Young
man Of her cwn age she finds him
crude. rude. narrow IA his outlook up