Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1878 — Respect for Age in France. [ARTICLE]

Respect for Age in France.

There is something very touching in the respectful affection and care with which old age was (and is still) treated in France. Not only the parents’, but the grandmother’s salon is the point of reunion of the whole family, vying with each other who should best please and amuse the old lady. They ppver failed, whatever their evening occupation or amusement, to come in first and delight Bonne Maman and Ma Tante by their pretty toilets, and be rewarded by the somewhat exaggerated admiration they elicited. But the old lady really thought her granddaughters marvels of beauty and grace. A very marked feature of French old age is its bienveillance to the young, an impossible word to translate, for it is neithergood nature, kindness, nor indulgence—rather an habitual state of the mind disposed to admire and approve. This tone of feeling is bat natural for children to their parents; and the young to the old are almost universally dutiful and affectionate. Well do I remember how pretty 1 used to think the slight inclination and kiss of the hand held out to them, which prefaced the morning embrace to Bonne Maman. Onr own royal family is the only one in England where l have seen this graceful custom prevail. If young women and girls knew how much charm and coqtielterie there is in this manner to their elders; how much younger they seem, how their grace and softness gains by contrast with old nge, they would not in their own interests indulge in the Get-out-of-the-way-old-Dan-Tucker style which obtains so much in onr society at present Even the young men were full of little attentions to their aged relatives. They really loved them almost as parents. When the “Prince Consort’s Life” first appeared we all wondered at the deep grief he expressed for the death of his grandmother, a relationship scarcely taken so seriously with us. Adorable el adoree was the phrase used to me only a few months ago by ayoung Frenchman of that most modern set about the venerable mother of his parents. It must be said that the grandchildren were often brought op in her house, and that shfi, bemg much younger than the same relative in England, became almost a friend and confidant to these young men, who found in her that experience in the past and sympathy in the present which made her society as charming to them as it was to thuse of her own sex. Not having in those days the resource of clubs, tne young men came in with the news of the day to pass the time till* the hour for the balls, thus bringing into these salons an infusion of youth, which obviated dullness.— Macmillan's Magazine. “ Now thin,” growled old Mr. Bosbyshell, when he was about ready to start down town, “ what fool moved that half” A little search in silence, then, “What idiot touched that hat; I’d like to know?” Silence and search. “ Some empty-headed ninny has got my hat again/’ Sees it sticking on top of his cane, where he leaned it np in the corner. Dead silence. —Burlington Hawk-Eye. —Tbe intelligent Mr. James Wilson, of Brace, Ontario, went to shoot crows .and placed lus lett hand nver the mnazle of his gunso as “to keep the crows from smelling the powder”«till the last moment.' He has more sense now, but less hands. ■ '’Ur-flu., .-.. ’ n W T e meet to part again, as the ball said (o the bat- :