Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-02-06
LETTUCE LEE BOWEN.

In this time Of epidemics, when outside
of Vermont the death-rate is increasing,
the people OF this healthy state can con-
graduate themselves and be thankful be-
cause their lines have been cast in this
best of states. Azure skies, and balmy air,
There is considerable OF this at times, b ut
1T is health giving air and never takes you
lover into the next county,) have their
homes here, and are here found at their
best Right here among the hills are found
the statesmen that lead in the councils of
the country, and here are found more Wig
iorous old people than, in proportion to
the population, can be found in any state
outside Of New England. People now-a-
days do not consider a person old until
that person is fourscore or more years. and
were census OF the old people OF this
state TO be taken now surprising num-
| Der of those who are nearly centenarians
would be found, Of these Miss Lettice Lee
Bowen of Gaysville is one OF the most re-
markable. Born Oct. &c, 1871, she is now
in her ninty-ninth year and until within
two years has been remarkably vigorous
and energetic woman. She never consult
| ed physician until taken with severe
illness when 96 years Of age She was the
child OF David and Betsey (Cushing)
Bowen and was the second of ten children,
the majority of whom lived to be eighty
or more. Orville, the youngest is now 49,
and he with Lettuce are the only survivors.
Miss Bowen's grandparents were Nathan
and Lettuce Bowen and Daniel and Pa
thence Gushing. The Bowens, she says,
came from Wales and were always hardy
race. She inherited a strong constitution,
has lived an industrious life, eaten what
she liked, or, she says, "such food as came
along" and has abstained from The use of
drugs and medicine. She has lived a sim
gle life from choice. When asked by a
Faia fcas a
the right offer and were to live her life a.
gain her reply was, 81 cannot tell ! have I
often read that married women live long /
est Her life does not seem to have been i
shortened by her failure TO see the beauties /
OF married life.
Her birth place was in Royalton and her
home was in that town until she was about /
SO when she moved TO Gaysviile where she
has since resided. She learned to cut and
make coats and when about 20 became a
tailoress. For 20 years she "Whipped the
cal" in Royalton and surrounding towns
Perhaps the term, whipped the cat, isn't
known TO all the readers OF the Herald but
Z WAS one often used IN Miss Bowen's ear
y years when shoemakers and tailors went
rom house TO house plying their trade
Homespun clothing for the male portion
IL the families was made by the tailOress ,
who was said TO have whipped the cat .
when she had been her rounds. When she
iad finished whipping the cat Miss Bow
N commenced keeping house for herself ,
continued TO work at her trade until she
moved to Gnysville. Living plainly, es-
hewing drugs but keeping her habits of /
industry and never fretting, taking life as i
came she has lived to see ninety eight | I
ull years. When ninety-six she was as q
igorous as is the average woman at TO- Y
he is tall and erect and many stranger !
Y bn has OlaQrVad her az oh Oh, I
he village or as she went TO the grocers to i
NY her provisions or groceries, has asked +
who is that spry old lady?n and has re- i
eiyed the reply, "Aunt Lettice Bower, one 1
I the youngest girls in town" Her neigh a
ors have been proud of her because of her .
igor and the extreme old ageto which she
as attained. She has been a great reader
I historical works and of the newspapers,
nut has never been novel reader. She 9
eads now and can read without glasses so .
Tell preserved is her eyesight She can al
0 thread fine needle without the use OF /
lasses. About eighteen months ago she
ad severe illness and her body IS now s.
Ieak, but her mind is clear and strong
he is cheerful and contented, never COM /,
lains nor finds fault. Her many friends
nd neighbors are by their kind attentions :
making her declining years very pleasant :
Ter niece, Mrs. S. p Brown, who lives
ear by cares for her The right to rest \
nd still enjoy life is surely hers and it rs
oped that she may be given many enjoy 1.
bic years before she is called away from
er many friends. She is not a member of /,
ny church but has been churchgoer. q
he does not pretend 10 know what the
ext world will be. This world is very @
eautiful and the next world will be ali 4
ght,' she says.
The so-called learned men who have at r,
'mpted 10 measure the world to come and a
le people OF this world in their own meas 4
res, and the scientific writer's who assert
lat unmarried women do not live as many
ears as do their married sisters, would do
ell 10 visit Miss Bowen. Those who have a
any way been induced to believe that q
ermont is not one OF the healthiest parts y
the world would also do well to visit her. u