The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-01-14


Things that are of the keenest in.
terest and most vital Importance to
us seem merely foolish to those
wise enough to have discovered
their true value.
Bewildered as many Of us are by
life as 1t presents itself. how much
more so must be older folks to
whom the swiftly moving events
are a blur through which their
fading vision cannot penetrate.
They are probably badly fright
ened.
Whining Oldsters
There are accomplishing old
folk who are good sports and seem.
even at a great age. to be able to
take what comes their way, but
there's another very trying species
that grumbleS and complains, usu-
ally about minor annoyanceS. They
are perfectly capable Of taking
world tragedies in their stride, but
incapable Of putting up with the
most trivial thing that interferes
with their comfort or pleasure.
Old ladies are apt to be very un-
reasonable - even the incest Of
them have their Quirks and bad
habits. among which is complain
ing. Now no one is trying to paint
q rosy picture of old age and its In.
f1rmities. but talking about them
does not help-in fact. it empha-
sizes them.
One naturally has hesitancy
about calling the turn on the per-
sistent wilmer whose years number
four score and ten, but is complain.
ing one Of the privileges of old age?
Isn't it better to nip such tenden.
cieS in the bud rather than meekly
to submit to them? Old ladies are
often spoiled. pampered and pet
ted. which is as it should be. unless
they are the kind to take advan-
tage Of It. Even the glamour girl
yields the center Of the stage on
occasion. Spoiled though she is. she
knows that there is q time for her
to exit. leaving the stage to an
other. perhaps not so glamorouS, q
character. but your old lady for
gets not only her lines but her exit
cue. Sweet though she may be, she
is inclined to hog the show. won
der whether this isn't something
new in old ladies. Seems to me the
old-faShioned kind just naturally
took back seat and any grum-
bling that was done was done from
that point and only within earshot
Of those who sought her out.
A Niche for Each
To begin with. old ladies In the
past were useful members Of tho
household: they did the mending
and took pride in their darning.
They took hand at looking after
the children and were consulted
and made to feel important. which
was, OF course. tonic that kept
them poppy and interested. To-
days old ladies are not consulted.
their method of caring for the chill.
dren is regarded as definitely UNI
scientific. their culinary efforts en-.
tirely lacking in vitamin content.
They are put in their place and ex-
pected to entertain themselves as
best they know how. which isn't. Il
must be admitted. very expert.
They won't go to the movies alone.
although nobody knows why. and
they seem to expect life to now
gayly along as 1t did when they
were a social asset instead Of .
damper on the party.
Grandmas and maiden aunts
have their place in the family cir
Gle. q very coy little niche q
which the children and adult mem.
bers OF the family come at inter.
walls for solace and for peaceful
interludes. but only when they Aro
sure Of finding the qualities usually
attributed to such women. Tho
family is less liable to spend time
there when the niche Is . sort az
complaint bureau and where the
ladies in question prefer to rein.
quish their privilege Of old age for
the doubtful enjoyment Of pae-
times they have. In the very nature
Of things, outgrown.