The Tupelo journal., 1909-12-10
Cheerfulness of Old Age.

llSAS 40 w S&tA ASPOoO
cheerfulness about most old
people which undoubtedly exer-
cises a healthy influences upon
the young, who are easily dis
couraged and naturally impa-
tient, not willing to wait, in too
many instances, for the tardy
revolutions of fortunes wheel.
They must put their shoulder to
it forthwith and furiously. To
such impatient youngsters the
cheerfulness of old age is a
soothing atmosphere and acts as
a sedative.
To be sure, it has taken these
cheerful old people four score
years, perhaps, to find out the
folly of fretting. 1t has taken
all this time to discover the
futility of jealousies, the salts
faction of loving ones neighbor
as ones self, but they rarely ap
pear to feel as if they had paid
too dearly for this infinite knowl-
edge. Being no longer in the
maelstrom of public affairs, and
being simple onlookers, they can
afford to smile indulgently at
the eagerness Of youth in its
hlsty pursuit of baubles, know
ing all the while that the richest
attainments will fall far short Of
the desires and expectations.
They have acquired, moreover,
the fine art of living in today, of
welcoming every hour. apparent
ly contented with what it brings,
never sacrificing it to the next;
they have learned self-repression
and appreciation of tri1es as
we'll. If few envy the considera-
ton enjoyed by the oldest in
habitant neither does he envy
youth it's illusions, its ferment,
it's self-conceits and intolerance.
If he has outlived his usefulness
he has also survived many weak
nesses and vicissitudes. His
bIunders have earned for him
the right to advise. His sue
cesses have taught him the value
of defeat. There is a comfort in
his companionship. Harassed by
no mean anxieties of tomorrow.
selfshness has fallen from him
like a wornout garment. He IS
not competing with US for the
prizes of life. He can offer dis
interested criticism and counsel
without offenses to our egotism.
He is the connecting link be-
tween us and the shadowy past
that seems too unreal for our
recognition or the shapes which
haunt it, but which are actual,
breathing personalities to his
fading sight.
The hearthstone is barren and
prosaic, indeed, where the grand
mother does not preside, evok-
ing with the precious wand of
memory the glories of her gener
alton, until the sad, imperfect
tense becomes eloquent with ro-
nance, and we readily forgive
her if the fashions and pleasures
of today seem furnished beside
the bright simDitudes that scin-
tillate across her yesterdays and
seem to be but travesties upon
the customs and ceremonies of
her heyday.
The conversation of old people
seems to kindle the imagination.
1t puts US on familiar terms with
the heroes of a dead and gone
period, until we know their very
tread, so to speak, and the trick
of their speech, while it abridges
the awful distance between us
and our ancestors and establishes
a bond of human sympathy.
There is a cheerfulness in old
people that is communicative and
which brightens all about them,
and there is a confidence in their
opinions which may be gorgiven.
The past contains the brightest
i nages. There will be no tomor-
.ou,, ELa tho yyocfordavc apd in