The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-23

the heart does not always age with the
iacel' out why should this remarkabl
woman want people to think her un-
cha1 sed at 20?
Inc years are no less wonderful In their
indian summer days" than when spring
spread her tender enchantment over the
world.
Ihere are ever those who love the goI,
ana crimson splendor of autumn, even
more than the budding green of young
April and the springtimei
Each season has its place and makes its
own appeal.
So
With human life
For any of us to be eternally sixteen IS
the very first indication of arrested de-
velopment-arrested mental deveIop,nent.
Each period of life has its particular
charm, then why this frantic grip on thu
young girl stage?"
III your memory serves your right you
recall your witty Lady Montague's OBJ
servation on woman friends exuberant
youth.
"Of course 1 do not say" wrote Lady
Mary in one of her immortal Letters"
which none can forget. that Sophie will
not always be Is. but the point 1 am try
ing to make is that it is tiresome of her
to remain years old for so years to
come"
Isn't that delicious?
Youth-too much youth. in the matron
who is getting along' does prove a tax.
and may be carried too far.
Do you happens to remember the old
couple husband and wife) in the ancient
Fairy Tale?'
The old man found wonderful
Spring, which by the mere drinking
of the water renewed youth and sent the
years ffying back like so many winged
things. Drinking deeply of it his age
dropped from him, so quickly that upon
his return to his spouse she scarcely
recognized the husband of her old age
since he was a beautiful young man now,
debonnair and gay.
Quickly she learned of the Spring.
and brushing past him went toward it
as fast as her poor old tired, worn feet
could carry her.
The old gentleman waited for her-pa-
tiently-at first, but seeing she did not re-
turn he hastened to the spot which had
renewed his youth-only to find no trace
of his dear old companion of many, many
years.
Instead
He saw a young infant, lying in the
grass near the spring, cooling and billingi
He realized in moment what the poor
old woman had done!
She had drunk immoderately of the
Spring" and by so doing the hands had
been turned back 20 years more than she
had intended,
Isn't that a subtle fling at woman's in
temperance?
Why can't women be moderately con-
tent with youth held out to them without
drinking themselves back into state in
fantile and ridiculous?
There is something fhr subtler than
pink cheeks and golden hair that pro-
claims woman's real age-be she young
old.
1t is the soul that looks from her eyes:
whether she be 20 or 5O-that is the real
way to tell her age
1t is the Truth" that dwells within
her, whether as welcome guest or unwel-
come-but still a tenant, and one holding
to it's principles.
"A Woman of Seventy, as Young as a
Girl of Seventeen'-you read in big head
lines in the papers under the news re-
portsi
Congratulations and admiration for the
spirit to play such a role, but pity for
the woman who dares not be herself
crowned with the jewels the years have
brought her, the birthday jewels of wis.,
dom that Time gives to each of his fair
daughters.
prayer that might well fit in many
cases is that women may not be ashamed
of their gray hairs, their comfortable
flesh, their wrinkles, and their age, and
that they may be given the foresight to
see how silly and vain and Improbable
they are until life has toned them down
and limned on them the colors and con-
tours that suit their own individualities:
and above all, help to be just themselves,
and not the foolish mirrors of far-off,
gilded youth.