Smyrna times., 1877-04-11
MISE eI/uIS e Gus .
CXI.

Ii comes TO ali at last; whether at or be-
fore three-scOre and ten, ut or before seven
score, death is one OF the certain events OF
life, as birth Is The Oth0ri and it was just
rs certain in the days of Methuselah as it
is now. For several years society and the
newspapers of New York have been wonder
ing how much longer Capt. Frederick
Lahrbush OF New York City would live; it
was clear that sooner or later he would
solve the problem, and on Tuesday last he
solved it. His longevity made him at least
u curiosity, and in some respects a useful
one. If not specially profitable, it was
interesting to see man who had seen DR..
johnson; who had shaken hands with
Napoleon at st. Helena, having previously
seen him at DaEtzic; vino had participated
in the battle Of Wagram, and who was ten
years old when the American States de-
clared their independence.
He was Il born subject of England, and
he lived in the reighs of George I'LL,
George ", William W., and Victoria.
His father was a Prussian, and the life of
the son fell in the reigns of Frederick the
Great, of Frederick William H., of Frede-
rick William ILL.,, of Frederick William
~, and of the Emperor. He served in
the French army. As a soldier he had
served under the Duke of York. Slight
memoranda like these, which the reader
may, if he pleases, extend ad infinitum,
serve to show what a wandering Ulysses
the veteran who died on Tuesday in Third
avenue had been. Then, to add TO the
interest of the instance, we find that he
was a remarkable eater cf opium, being
accustomed to daily dose of sixty grains
of the drug. Indeed, his habits were the
despair of Psychologists with a theory. Not
only did he indulge in opium, but he was a
free drinker of wine. Then this citizen OF
the world was in his way pious, often read
ing the Bible and being regular attendant
at church. Of course there were skeptics
who questioned his avowed age, and, to his
great chagrin, one writer had actually
questioned it in book. But few years,
one way or the other, in such life make
but little difference. Capt. Lahrbush was
unquestionably a very old man, and most
OF the points Of his strange, eyentful history
were confirmed by personal testimony
which there could be no reason for reject
ing
We are accustomed to speak of life al
short, and in the next breath to speak of i
as long, the truth being that our average
existence here is positively very short in
deed, while he who lives for a centur,
bAlolS lOE @ EICdb VI lOE lltbAS WniACg Jus
as we please to consider it. But to mos
men the experiences of a life like that G
Capt Lahrbush will seem tc have presente
rare opportunity of acquiring unusua
knowledge, of digesting many impOrtan
facts, and of arriving at conclusions requil
ing an unusually protracted observation
Dr, franklin used to express wish to com
back to earth fifty or hundred years afte
death, in order that he might know hoV
certain doubtful matters had turned ou
Capt. Lahrbush practically realized tn
aspiration of the old philosopher, whethC
ne made philosophical use of his oppo
Ilnltles or not. But strange and sugge
i've as being so protracted is, it is certai
mat the world advances that man throug
every succeeding period becomes happi
ana happier; that all which we may su
pose designed by our creation is secures
the great changes begin, proceed, and a
eonsummated, with little reference to u
lie OF the individual. Every century
made up of the accomplishments or failur
Oh three generations OF men. 1t is only Il
exceptional life which is of importance, {
as TO the great majority it makes no difft
ence when it dies, and would have ma
little if it had never lived.
Those who are in the strength of you
ohen wonder whether greatly advance
years will bring disrelish of life and cart
ana an anxiety to have all over but prot
Sly nobody without positive pleasure
oelng ever reached the period at which
,hn'elligent conclusion upon this point cou
oe arrived at. The original physical CO
SNtpuon has something to do with su
p.oionged life, but SO has the cheerf
sunny and contented disposition viii
makes the best Of everything and wast
10 vitality IN fretting. There is 60
nssn ason 70 believe that neither growing Il