The Washington times., 1937-07-02
Listen, World!
BIZ Elsie Robinson
THOSE MIDDLE-AGED MEANIES

QUEER isn't it. that fallen arches false teeth teeny
VI bald spot touch of deafness and sciatca should, by
common consent enttle the human mammal to become
unmitigated BORE bully pest and general pannthenecki
Sounds ridiculous but it's true And chances are, you
see dozen demonstrations of it daily amongst your own
acouaintances Middle Aged Meanies-o all malignant
tails they're the wors the casual spectator they may
pleasant socable, seconroed ladies and gentlemen
Their affairs in order they are blessed with comfortable
homes loving kim fair health But let someone some
thing rile them and they'll pull tantrum thatu make
teething baby look like an amateur
BERTHA Harding her wildly dramatic book, Golden
Fleece" dissects of these pests with wicked PEN
Golden Fleece is the touching life story of Franz Joseph
Emperor of Austria and the lovely Elisabeth he so wor-
shipped yet powere protect against the heckng of his
vicious mother.
Archduchess sophie-there was the prize Mdde-Aged
Meane OF all time No act too trivial to escape her
venomous jealousy.
Early in ife her unhappy found himself marveling
at the outrageous petty Caprce which older people per-
mitted themselves. looked almost if with advancing
each generation reverted the misconduct proper
Its nursery antrum days was your privilege to be Obsti
nate rude self conferred provided you old enough
discard elemental rules of conduct Nothing else could
count for the malice of the middeaged in giving way
churhshness for which their juniors would be thrashed
How neatly that description fits many irate elder
in your circle! Particularly those who achieved
Special Nuisance Privileges and Exemptions by becoming
parents Life long fume and fret for these aging
bghts who ruthessy disregard law of civilized
clety to relieve their spleen obtain their ends
Such teapot tyEans give of course endless for
their ructions. Sorrow worry disappointment
Yet starryeyed Youth suffers from identical handicaps
and longs ardenty to take out the innocent by
stander But does Youth get by with it? Notta chance
with the whole world waiting to slap their young
down!
What pity that the treatment cannot be meted
out to peevh adults How much happier this weary world
would be if Mad Mamas and Petulant Papas given a
sound padding it, when and where they deserve it. Instead,
they receive consideration and respect which they have
long since forfeited and naturally encouraged
being cusseder and cusseder.
If their doctors dast they'd admit that people die
of their cantankrousness than of all the hardened
arteries fatened hearts and picked vers combined.
In view of which, may wonder why once-civized
human beings should allow themselves to become such pests
The reason is pfully plain.
Mdde-Aged Meanness isn't merely bad habit which
creeps up you uneonscousy 1t deliberate and
tremey convenient racket By other method lazy,
vain, jealous bossy morals obtain much pleasing
publicity nfict such gratifying misery with little
effort their part.
THERE OUGHTA BE LAW!
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