Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-02
THREE OLD MEN
Who Discover the Secret of Long
Life.
Regularity I'm whatever You Do,
Whether Rating, Drinking
or Abstinence.

There CHANGED to meet not long
since in quiet Connecticut town
three remarkably old men. They we're
all monagenArians. Their walk was
erect and appetite good. After
hearty old country dinner, remarkable
as we'll for quantity as quality Of the
cooking, they seated themselves on
the hotel porch together (creatuFe
comforts always make us wondrous
kind), and fell into conversation as
to their respective careers Of good
health, when each in turn agreed 10
give his reasons. The first gentleman,
who had a stern eountenAnce and wore
a wide crayat, said: II ana
CLERGYMAN,
and attribute my good health at the
advanced age OF ninety-four, and the
limit OF the Good Book is only three
score and ten, to my strict temper
ance, neyet using alcoholic drinks,
never smoking, and, perhaps, / will
astonish you with the fact thar /
never drank cup of coffee in my
life. My diet has been plain,
sometimes cup of tea at supper, but
generally lived upon a milk and water
Diet have used meat only once q day,
living largely upon vegetables. My
hours Of retiring have been early, at
from nine to ten. While | have led
the sedentary life Of a country clergy
man, have taken exercise every day,
working in my garden, and never
neglected, unless the weather was too
inclement, walking at least a mile or
two"
The other two listened eagerly, and
when the clergyman had concluded
one of the others, who had all the
4 while been putting fragrant Havana,
which he removed and blew the curl.
ing rings aloft, aud q smile wresthing
his full, red countenance, said:
We'll, | agree with my reverend
friend in many things which he has
sid, but have been constant user
Of good liquors and good tobaccossince
my boyhood, following, however, one
rule, never to drink anything. on an
empty stomach but a glass OF cold
water. | sm Of Irish descent, and
that learned from my people.
My habits Of life have been to
take after breakfast a good drink to
aid digestion, and sitting easily in an
arm chair to enjoy smoke and allow
no business to tempt me to move about
until digestion had well advanced
Then | never took more than one
more drink before dinner. At dinner
| have made it q rule TO have wine, o.
} which partook sparingly but regu'
larly.
The countenance Of the clergyman
; grew longer, and what then ?"
Taking a fresh sniff of his cigar
Then | always took a nap, After
woke up in summer | sat in the shadt
and drank mint juleps, perhaps tire,
s before supper"
!, "You didn't drink anything at sup
}, PERI" said the clergyman.
well, no; but | made it rule new
5 or to 20 to bed, which do about tel
Q O'Clock without hot Scotch in white
, or perhaps a julep or toddy in sum
q mer, and you can be assured that m,
q sleep has always been sound, and tina
y Of the just, and my digestion psrfec
Q and habits all regular. | have huntet
u and. fshed aud ridden horseback, AM
eaten always generously, and still con
q niue to do the same"
8 And what has your business been2
Q queried the reverend.
FL Before the war was a planter j
q Virginia, sir.
: The speaker resumed his cigar, an
g the eyes Of both turned toward tn
+ third, who quietly sat listening an
( now that his turn came, said: ,s
!. My experience is somewhat differ
: ent from both that of the clergyma
; and the gentleman who has just con
j cluded, except in one thing, and tina
is regularity. During a portion of m,
life my means we're stinted, and the
g | followed old Eranklin's rule, Earl
!, to bed and early to rise will make
! healthy, wealthy and wise My wor
!, was hard, my food coarse, because m
s means we're narrow. However, as
Z grew older and began to amass none
Q | lived better. For forty years Of m
9 life | never drank or smoked. Their
, when had the means, | procure
! good liquors, good cigars, never usin
r them to excess, but have been regula
!, in the last fifty years in taking nigh
cap before bed time. | have Away
( eaten three meals day, and atregula
I hours. | have latterly studied an
9 read a good deal, which did omniv
I erouSly, always going to bed, howeve
: not later than 10 O'Clock"
The shrek Of the locomotive wa
d heard, and the landlord appeared.
e Gentlemen, that's your train,
and the three monagenarians wake
o of as vigorously as three men in th
Q prime Of life.
II They were vigorous when almoi
8 centensriaus, because they had bee
I, regular in their habits. Regularit
i r