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Show Getting Old and Feeling Old. "How old Is Tompkins?" was the Question. "Oh," said the scion of the house, "Mr. Tompkins is a pretty old man. He must be at least 40." "Tompkins." said the father, who had not heard his son's reply. "Tompkins? "Tomp-kins? Oh, he's Just a youngster about 40, "I should say. He'll settle down and be something when he reaches the age of discretion." ' "It all depends upon how you look at it," said a visitor, commenting later on the difference of opinion as to a man's "youngness" or "oldncss" as expressed by the father and son "I remember when I was a boy I thought that a man of 30 was pretty far along In years, and counted on doing all my great work in the world long before that time. As 1 reached 25 I did not seem to see 30 in the same light. It didn't look quite so old. When I passed the thirtieth milestone I felt myself more of a 'kid' than ever, and looked on 40 as the time when I should begin to consider myself at man's estate. At 35, I decided that a man of 40 was, after all, nothing but a boy developing his powers, and when I got there myself I looked forward to 50 as the very earliest age at which I should begin to feel at all old. "I've passed 50, and If It wasn't for a thousand little hints that come up now and then to remind me of It I should feel myself just as young ns I used to be. "As for imagining that my wife has grown any older than the day we were married, such an Idea has never entered my head until recently. I have always made her 'dress like a young woman, and I suppose I have caused her to be laughed at on thiH account, for nobody except those who don't notice the passing pass-ing of time likes to see a middle-aged woman rigged up like a girl. Well, I was shocked the other day when she met me downtown. Sho had on a bonnet bon-net tied with strings a regular old lady's hat! I nearly cried, I can tell you. "But that wasn't the worst. Imagine finding that you arc. so old that your children are passing the age of youth themselves! Just Imagine, if you can, realizing all of a sudden, that the little baby girl you dandled on your knee only yesterday Is becoming an old maid. This was brought to me yesterday, and by my own son I "He is a boy of 15, a big. strapping chap, who pluys on his high school polo team. Ho went with lt to a neighboring city, the other night, to play. Next day at brcakfaat'hc got to talking about the girls In he town he hud visited. " 'I never say such flirtations girls,' ha said, 'and not only the girls, but the women. Why I got lots of smiles In the rink during the polo game from old hais of 25 or 2C years.' "You could have knocked me down with a feather. I glanced at my daughtermy daugh-termy baby girl. She is 27 and still unmarried. An old hag! My stars! "I put on my hat and coat and went downtown quick. I couldn't think of it any more. "But when I eot homo last night everything seemed different. I began to wonder why my girl wasn't married. "I saw signs of age In my wife's face and I felt old myself. And my boy had done it." Bonton Post. |