The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-04-14
rather recently, possibly some wag who
wished to poke fun atathe antiouariao

ra1ner recently, possibly some wan wh,
wished to poke fun atathe antiquari E
, Instances of the following kind are
known I'VE to have occurred. A Young mar.
RED couple have a son whom thew name
John, who dies in infancy; twenty wears
afterwards another son receives the sa,o :
name, and then in neighbors' gossip lonp
a1terward, the one John became confused
with the other, and man really so wears
OLD figures in popular estimation "a .
centenarlan. Many aged persons # Is
worthy OF remark, like to be considered
older than they really are, on account If
the celebrity it gives them. A Metho.
dist local preacher who had been in tnrn
farmer, soldier, and dock lah.rer
was wont to claim the age of t.over .
hundred years = he drew great crowds -
near such phenomenon preacher. He
was probably sincere in his belief con-
corning his age, and at his death It was
recorded at 1903; but at a subsequent in
vestlgation showed that he was much Less
instead OF more than 100.
In his capacity of editor of Notes and
Querses for nearly quarter of a century
ne had to notice numerous marvels of
longevlty-some in support of ponular
opinion, some in REPUTATION of s. H.
1cuno many instances of all the several
KIND OF tallacy which we have lust men
tt1oned; and arrived at final conclusion
tua' chere are some cases OF ultra. centen-
a AZ! but they were very few indeed.
Inc mode OF investigation adopted nv
slr &. q. Lewis and Mr.. Thomas. often
leo them to examine the question: Who
was the first person known to have men,
toned the alleged fact? In regard to
Ola Parr, the chief authority was John
Taylor the 'Watee Poet,'' an eccentric
character in the reign of Charles I. He
puDllsheera pamphlet concerning him
at the time when Parr was in London ::
out he gave no proof that the veteran
came into the world 1872 years before
that time. OF Henry Jenkins, the chief
informant was one Peter Garden. who
d1ed IN Auchterless in IT'S at the ace of
l3l, and was SAID that he had when a
youth seen Henry Jenkins, the person
VINO had carried the horse load of arrows
TO Naturalization. But there is no guar
sntee Tor the exact age of Garden, nor
1or the correctness OF his memory con-
cern1ng events in which jenkins was con
cerncd. WV
Similarly in the case of the Countess Of
Desmond; although it IS evident that
this venerable member of the irish neer-
age lived to an exceptionally advanced
age, nevertheless there are links WANTING
IN the chain of testimony. "They tell q
tale, SAID one OF the authorities concern
Ing the lady's age; but who were "thev,"
and how did "they know?'' RALEIGH did
not name an authority for his statement
mat she was married so far back as the
time OF Edward w.; nor do we know
whether Leicester was reliable in what
ne told Temple. Several portraits are
eztant, all purporting to be the Countess:
but one IS nov known to represent some
other lady, while the inscription on an.
other is suspected t. be Comparative
ly modern. The Qumtegy Reo!! e., took
up this subject some years ago. and was
able to advanc, additional evidence Of her
s 4 age, put not of her reaching the ira
aitional 40. -"
One account, of quite recent date. led
Mr.. thompson to suspect hoax. The
newspapers, to three years ago, stated
mat an aged gentleman met a circle Of
friends at Richmond to celebrate his
Tooth birthday. Mr.. Thomas for some
time could make nothing of the story
either good or bad; but at length he stat.
ed: Information has just reached me that
the reported centenarian BANQUET at the
star and Garter has been declared to he
1 hoax!,' ~'-" w ~
Scarcely week elapses without a no.
ice OF the death of persons who have
cached 100 years of age. To assert that
Ill these notices are false is little short Of
m lmpertlnence. Here and there NAV be
mistake, but our belief is that the bn)k
u the notices are true. Nor Is it STRANGE
hey should be. It is notorious. from
medical and statistical observation. that
human life is frightening. Old people
re better cared for than they used to be.
md there is better knowledge of the
'rt OF preserving health. In fact. we
AVE come pretty much to the conclusion
hatto die at an age short of eighty, nine
or even hundred, is very much peo-
les own blame. With good consti-
luton to start with, and with exercising |
ue care, man or woman may stretch out !
ne space OF existence to ninety, if not a |
undred. ar