Show YOUTH MIDDLE M IDDLE age Is less opil optimistic lhnn youth less courageous and meets pain and ana dangers and biscom forts with less fortitude my neighbor harris shuffled into the office a day or two ago when the thermometer was registering 00 06 in the shade and in the sun had pushed its way through the top of the tube no ho was mopping a damp brow breathing heavily and presenting a general appearance pe arance of III temper and dissatisfaction well chos sold you a gold brick this time I 1 asked him rin im all knocked out today he be replied it was so blasted hot last night that I 1 sleep a wink and ru ill be no do good all day the trouble with you harris I 1 laid Is that youre growing old ive known harris diffee lie he was a boy or of ten on oa the farm he slept then in the plastered nn attic just under tinder the root roof the roof had but one little window in it it and this window gave no ventilation to the room but served only as a menns means of entrance of the suns pitiless rays that beat on the roof throughout the long august days and rendered the room a veritable furnace at night and yet harris scarcely noticed the heat then ile he had youth lie he was tired and groggy with sleep when he mounted to his bed in the attle attic and he be dropped off almost the moment he touched the hot sheets and slept until lie he was awakened in the morning by ills his mothers voice now lie be has a cold before going to his pleasant bed in ills his sleeping porch with its dozen generous windows and its electric tan fan to stir breezes for harris comfort ile he lives under the most favorable conditions and has haa every modern convenience for his comfort al night but a little rise in the thermometer puts him out of sorts for fi aa an en entire tire day I 1 visited crane in the hospital the other day he Is middle aged he has had some minor surgery done on him an In growing toe nail taken off or a boll lanced or fir something of that sort ile he is as gloomy as a grave yard and as irritable as a teething child all his bis plans for the summer have been upset and the little pain and discomfort he has suffered has put him on low it was depressing to talk to him and then I 1 remembered the letter I 1 bed bad from blum blum was at attlies att tile lieL front pit at the ae beginning of the german drive he met rain and mud and vermin with a cheerful laugh he faced a storm of bullets and mood blood and when rewrote the letter be was lying in a hospital severely wounded here I 1 am sitting on the world as the boys put it he wrote nice white enameled bed clean white sheets white blankets and all good food nothing to do but eat and sleep pretty soft dont have anya any worry about me rin im in clover and having a good rest im all right im eating like a horse and kicking because they dont give me enough sove love and good luck to everybody oh youth youth |