The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-24
YOUNG ATFOUR SCORE
Neal Dow Tells How Any Per-
son May Reach Eighty.
EARLY RISING AND WORK.
Cassius NJ. Clay Believes i'm Marriage, bus
Objects to Prohibition-AIrs. Har-
rison's Father vigorous ut Oh.

years Washington City has had a number
of distinguished nonogenarians. George
Bancroft died when over 90. The
millionaire Corcoran had almost reached
his Goth birthday when he passed away,
and one of the liveliest old men in Wash
ington City today lives at the White
House, and he is known to every one 80
the father of Mrs. President Harrison.
The Rev. DIR. Scott is now 81 years OF age.
He was born before Washington died, and
ne Is today as Irm on his legs as Presi-
dent Harrison himself. He Is considerably
taller than the president, has q broad, we'll
filled out chest, a bright eye, and is won-
derfully we'll preserved mentally. had
two hours chat with him in his room
In the second story of the White
House the other day, and I found him
full of life and fellowship.
he Is man of more than
ordinary ability. and is young enough to
be interested in the present rs we'll as in
the past. Still his life has been very
hard one. He was for years professor in
q Western college, and he preached at the
same time that he taught Much of his
preaching was done away from the town
In which his college was located, and he
would often rise before daybreak or. ride
half the night to get back to his classes. He
tells me that he continued to mature until
he was 60 and that he thinks he was
In his prime at this time. He believes in
laughing as much as possible, in life, and
says that it was care that killed the cat.
He has not had any regular rule of diet or
OF exercise, and while he believes in tenn
perance he would not advise young men to
be too careful of what they eat, but he
would say that they should worry as little
as possible, marry young. and get all they
can out of life from day TO day.
THE HON. NEAL DOW ON LONGEVITY.
There Is no brighter mind i'm the coun-
try today than that of Neal Dow. He II
more than so years of age, but he is in his
prime physically and mentally, and he
has written for me the following article on
longevity and how TO obtain il: II is
headed "A Long Life and reads:
You wish to know what the secret Is, II any.
as to the method OF reaching long life. There
ought not to be any secret about it, for the nee
essary rules relating to IT are 80 many so plain,
and SO widely published 10 the world, that no
intelligent person should be ignorent OF them.
There is no earthly good so precious sound
health, yet there is nothing of which people are
so careless and so prodiga, constantly violating
In the most reckless manner. the plainest, sim
plest laws OF life.
As to myself, came of strong stock. My an
cestors, all OF them, paternal and maternal, AZ
far back as ] know anything OF them, were
farmers and Quakers, leading frugal, indus
trious, active, temperate life, the blood of nos
even one OF them poisoned by strong drink.
The Friends, from the origin OF the denomina-
| ton, were careful to avoid the universal abit
| OF tn ir time the use Of alcoholic liquors. This
abstinence together with that other rule Of life
.eer e as sous sn from
| fact, that a body OF men and women they
were more free from disease than other people
of equal numbers, and attained to longer llfc.
have led an active life from early youth, al
ways sustaining as q matter Of health and Chris
tian duty from strong drink and tobacco Al
ways avoiding any article of food from which
had once experienced any trouble; always care
full not TO eat too much, many people, when
hungry. are liable 10 do, without thought. Many
years ago suspected that coffee did not agree
| with me. Though fond OF 1t, took no more. /
| have never had reason TO think tea in any way
| injurious, and take that, one cup OF IL morn
| ing, noon and night Generally an early riser,
| In summer clock, in winter half past 6, with
| two hours before breakfas. for morning papers
and books; rarely keeping late hours, never en-
| gaSed In any form of dissipation. In early life
an athlete and good swimmer, but never in-
| duIging in these exercises to excess; never but
| once 70 such an extent as TO occasion abnormal
action of the heart
Never suffering from an anticipated evil; re-
| membering that sufficient unto the day are the
! evils thereof; that people suffer q great deal
more from misfortunes that never come than
| from those which actually bcfalf them. Trust
in God is not only Christian duty, but IL tends
to temper the ills OF life and makes even the
sharpest of them easier to bear. The thought
| comes to such man: Who knows but this ia
best7 And so be comes to accept ii as best, be-
cause of his belief that God rules, and God
knows.
4 have been always busy in some way: have
always had some leading object in life, which
kept and keeps me occlpied in body aud mind,
50 that time has never been heavy on my hands.
A love of books began with very early in life,
| so that my pocket money, even in boyhood,
| almost all Of H. went in that direction. Never
10 the expenditure even OF penny in sowing
wild oats, in the pay nent Of harvest expenses,
often very heavy, ana in later life the buying OF
/ books was my only extravagance.
/ am not sure that advice TO young men, es-
pecialy ii unasked, will be much valued, but
| II Is very cheap, and since you wish II, will
| say Avoid strong drink in any form, as rigor-
| ously as Jews and Mcdamniedons avoid pork.
| Never any good can possibly come from II 70
| any one, while IL has been the direct and In
direct cause OF the failure In life OF millions Of
matter very important to health and clean,
| sweet life. The young man does not know
| that be who has the tobacco habit 10 not fires
| man; he is like the galley-slaye chained to the
| bench upon which he sits at his forced
| labor. Let the young man remember that
| il is not impossible for him who has
/ the tobacco habit to be at some time perhaps
often an insrfferable nuisance 10 many persons
| who are so unfortunate as 10 be in bis company,
casually or otherwise. Let him remember that
| to such man II is also impossible always and
| everywhere, to be an honest, upright, polished
gentleman somewhere. aud perhaps often. he
| will without thought poison the air that others
must breathe, which he has no more right TO
| than TO poison the water and food which they
must drink and eat, on the sly 70
| take the purse from their pocket. Ones
| his share of the pure atmosphere for respira-
ton. The man with the tobacco habit has the
moral sense 80 biunted and stupefed that nc IL
always, unconsciouay perhaps, invading the
rIgnts OF others, II not uDconsciousy then Il IL
with no care Tor others rights. let the young
| man remember that the tobacco habit Ii
s gbe once NJ fastened upon them they are Il
shackles Of iron, that 1t Is almost impossible 10
break. friend of mine did this, and eaid aft
| England he would not again endure the
| horrors Of that struggle. Let the
| young man remember that the way
10 fortune is TO earn and save the FIRST thousand
I dollars. Honest fortunes come in that way.
earning and saving. The habit OF saving, Of
| economy, will be thoroughly Fixed while earn
| ing and saving the sum ! name. II he has
| small salsFy, save; larger salary, save more
\ knew young man who had q salary OF 100
/ year; he spent the whole of 10 a. he went on,
/ and now at the age of 80 years he has saved
| stroke Of good fortune came 10 tbs same salary.
! Up to that time he had been always
| poor, though industrious ana pfndenL I
met him in the stree. one dsy ans
/ good chance to lay the foundation OF . fortune.
/ a. needed my advice, ~ he afterward told me-
aud today ne Is man OF indePenasns iJ os1sss
/ as be had been careful and prudent y ali came
1 by elf-denfal, BY saving aud ~ wise invest
ment of what he saved The otpsr ILL LoE
/ shoe bills and grocers accounts. tne 0tner pays
cash always for bis needs. with hunareus OF Par.
and objects worthy Of help NO Young nan.
! choose which path you Will take thn on tnat;
| each leads 20 different end
| A healthy life and long one must largely az
pend uroD the comfort q ones surroundines.
4 ffafte