The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-01
"When | gave the captain his none,

"When gave the captain his money
L should have burst out into hysterical
sobbing only remembered the SCOT in
time to prevent shading myself in black
crayon; and Captain Boswell believed
that stature and bulk were not always
certificates Of the best materials, and"
"And," finished Dan, our jester, sit
may be said, Mrs. Boswell, that you
actually ilue to his arms"
She smiled anu bowed. as tho sonor-
Gus tones OF the driver came in among
us:
"Stage ready, gentlemon.'
Alive at 1ol.
The town Of Wilton, Conn, enioys
the distinction Of having among it's un-
usually large number Of aged citizens.
Il person who lived beyond FIVE score
years, and who is probably the only
centcnarian at this {IaIime in Fairfield
county, and proba@J in the State.
This is not new to The community IN
which she dwells, for everybody knows
ard rcveres Mrs. Clarissa Davenport
Raymond, who, humanity speaking, has
fair chances Of reaching April 25.
1884, when she will celebrate her 1921
birthday and enter upon her 103d wear.
Mrs. Raymond resides opposite tho
Congregational church in Wilton of
Which She became a member before
most Of those who surround her were
born, in a mansion which has about it
lines Of antiquity-jllst such q spot as q
centcnarian would choose as an abidinn
place. "Her GIRL" as Mrs. RAYMOND
famllarly calls her, Mrs. Nathan Com
stock, now drawing nigh to seventy
nine years and we'll preserved matron.
keeps house, and sho is assisted in that
duty by son, Mr.. John Comstock.
nearly sixty years old and his wife
and when his son, Mr.. Frank Com
stock, aged thirty years, and his wife
and children come up to the old home
from Norwalk to spend tho day, as
they frequently do, the scene under the
old roof is one peculiarly Interesting.
Mrs. Raymond takes upon her knee
children of the fifth generation, and
talks to them of events occurring q
great while ago, when she was Il child,
like them-years before George Wash.
lngton had been thought of as Il candi-
date even for President of the United
States. BY chance she might tell them
OF his first Inauguration as President
Ill New York, in 1892, when she was
row which accompanied it's announce
ment, IN 1873, when she was II years
old. Favored ones are they indeed
who can enjoy the privilege of listening
to the Intelligent narratives OF their
great, great grandmother, and this
veteran, amiablo i'll the lingering twi-
light Of the evening OF a life so pro-
tracted, can interest those who are
older by calling to their minds events,
some OF them historical, which she
actually observed, but which they knew
nothing OF save III books, and she has
frequently been known to correct the
errors made by those who have gone
INTO print as historians wearing the
garb Of authenticity, Mrs. Raymond
IS very genial, and rarely forgets face
she has once set eyes on. She hears toll
ably we'll, and her sight is 50 acute
that she can thread a coarse needle and
read coarse print unasssted by glasses.
She moves about the house with a fir
mer step than many who are fifty years
her junior, and when conditions of
weather permit calls on her friends
residing neat, walking to their houses.
She attends church seldom now, but
her interest in the church has never
Tagged, and no more welcome visitor
is Oh her list than the Rev. Frank
Thompson. a few days since she
called on Mrs. George. ~. Davenport
and vlvidly described Il thunder storm
which took place seventy years ago.
One secret Of Mrs. Raymond's lon
gevity may be compliance for untold
years with the rule, "Early to bed"
etc. In this particular her habits have
been regulated, as it were, by the
clock, and as consequence each
mornings light, to her, means glad
ness, and "day's decline and darkness
sombrc" bring neither dread nor sad
ness.
When asked day or two before how
she felt, she said, "Well, as usual,
though 1 believe Pm getting old.''
Mrs. Raymond has no lack of Visitors,
many Of whom call simply that they
may look upon the face of u centena-
rian. She has a pleasant word for
each, and she never forgets to express
an affectionate personal regard for all
her real friends.