Cheerfulness Of Old Age

You ílou't feel the horizon pressing you U a . closely. You have space in which to stretch yourself. A little will do, ii yuur mind be healthy. Nor is the looküUi. intact, so much shorter. All you hav id of life is so much saved out of t e nre. You nevcr wre sure of it till you had lived it. You never could count certainly on a day ahead at any time, however early in your life. And you are in no worse condition now. The dossible timo before you is mucb less, doubtless. But you hope for the best. You look for the best. There is better, doubtless. But you kno w what I mean. The consent of wise and good folk, free from morbid and transient moods, has ciuded that long life is a blessing. It cannot be the greatest, or It would not be denied to so many. It may be a kindly permitted illusion tliat it is a blessing at all; but itis well the illusion is permitted, if it be one. And as for averages, we disregarcl all sueh calculatiorn in oar own case. You f ancy yourself to be such an exceptional being that you look (most look) for exceptional length ot life, too. I have remarked this decidedly in men who in fact are wiser than men in general. Besides that, the short lookout contente; that we can enjoy the golden and brown autumn leaves without intruding thoughts of the bleak, wet winter boughs; besides the fact, too, that triinsience sometimes adds a singular enjoyment as weli as a beauty which is all its own; the healthy mind lives in a pervading atmosphererather than a deüned conviction that the end is not so near af ter all, and cheerfully calculates on a good long time yet. A iittie time since, talking with a dear friend who has been lifted high, my friend Browu said something implying that they both must soon bid the beloved worjc and the beautiful surroundings farewell. "Not at all," said the energetic and healthful pillar oí the state, "I look ferward, please God, for another 20 years." ADd Brown was corrected. For. even after the 20 years the pillar of the state would only be 74; and wherefore count on au abridgment of honor and usef ulness ? Brown was six months the younger; but by being overworked and worried he had got into the way of mistily thinking that about three or f our years would see the last of him. And, indeed, there are those who early in September feel as though the winter were upon them; and who at 33 talked of theiaselves as old. But this is wrong as wcll as depressing. Some eannot help it. John Foster was a great man; but his ways of thinking on most matters were essentially morbid. Nerer more so than in the grievous fashion in which he anticipated needlessly soon the winter whicli he specially dreaded. "I have seen a fearful sight to-day," he once said: "I have seen a battercup." He could not enjoy the present greenness and warmth for intrusive fears of the coming old and desolation. He was wrong, far wrong. You don't blamehim;you pity him. But, body and mind, he never knew brisk health. There are a greatmany thoughts which it is quite fit that we resolutely put away. A rnischievous mortal, desiring to overcloud the blink of sunshine in which others are rejoicing, does not need to teil them anything that is not true. You remember Mr. Croaker and his frequent sentiment: "Heaven send we all be as well this day six months!" Then a shadow would fall upon the far.fia of the middle-asred folks: as when a meddling idiot asks tliem what tbey are to raake oí their boys. Those things are thought of quite often enough, be sure, without the idiot's