Evening star., 1950-01-03
This and That.
By Charles E. TracswsH
UNIVERSITY CLUB.

Lear Su.
Thank you for all the people who will
grow younger as they read your beautiful
article on age in The Star-and thank you
for me, who spent the day flling ia Form
67' for Federal employment which takes you
back hypnotically step by step-to the womb.
Youngness grows out Of the heart.
To-day ! am young at SOL must be young,
for every one takes 1t for granted. They say
to my husband-a venerable 43-'How did
you get such young wife?' and he loves 1t.
We just returned from a two-week trip
to the West and visit for the hrst time In
20 years to my first teaching position, and
today have two letters. one saying. Always
stay as you are and you will never grow old, >
and another. It makes me happy to see you
just the same. no gray hair or wrinkles
Time Is anathema to me. have never
owned watch, and have always had job
have arrived when got there, but have
worked happily at my desk until II pm. or
midnight. or yes. or 2 am.
Perhaps have been fortunate in never
having been rebuked for these unconven-
tional hours because I have always been in
educational administrative fields. Alexander
Woolcott, I believe, said, The trouble with
being on time Is that no one ever knows it.
Youth II we have It, Is because we know
through personal experience that life Is eter-
nal; and II you believe that, even 100 Is
very young In the history Of eternity.
Gould we all see ourselves as souls acting
character parts In the most exquisitely
beautiful setting-so magnificent 1t can only
be imaginary; 1t can't be real!
we act our parts sometimes well, some
times disappointingly-a Of us do.
How can hatred be possible?
'I cannot feel it.; because we are all i'm
personalized souls, we rise to the heights
or fall below the depths Of what our souls
desire. Could we see ourselves subjectively-
time could not wrinkle us!
Life is eternal-noW-So none Of us can
ever grow old as long as the mind accepts
that precept, and the mind and the body
are closely related one-so the body must
stay young. with the soul In command.
Sincerely. L. P. r."
We showed this good letter to our friend.
Templeton Jones. who read 1t gravely, said
Good" time or two, and then looked up.
He had on his cynical smile, and we knew
it was coming. and sure enough, it did
1T makes me think Of the great poet.
Browning" said Templeton Jones. He
wrote good one about Grow old along
with me. the best is yet to be, the last OF
life. for which the first was made
ton Jones. "He wasn't very old, when he
wrote that. He hadn't suffered much, espe-
cially from arthritis, or gall bladder disease,
or some Of the Others
"Of course, he didn't mean 1t that way,
but life has way Of tripping you up. II you
don't live correctly or follow out the dictates
OF the nutrition experts"
*#*
Templeton Jones smiled again.
TT reminds me Of Christmas.
"some one is always saying that useful
gifts are best.
"Sure. useful gifts are fine, but somehow
I like useless ones the best. One Christmas
/ got some wonderfully useful things, but the
gift really liked the best. and have re-
membered longest, was d bobble bird that
stood on the rim Of drinking glass and
dipped his bill in time after time.
Another Christmas got coiled spring
that walked down the staircase all by itself
and loved 1t. / am not so sure that old
age Is any better than these so useful pres
eilts must accept 1t, that is all.
We looked at Templeton Jones sorrowfully.
Temp. old man." w said. ''you are
cynic."
Templeton Jones just grinned.
MY soul Is III commando" he shouted,
happily. What can YOU say to q, guy Ike
that2