The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-05-13
THREE SCORE AND TEN.
Tho Biblical Span OF Life Frequently
Oversteppcd Long Distance.

inc biblical span OF Lilo Frequently
overstepped Long Distance.
Whatever may have been the case
In past centuries, the Psalmist's span
OF life, three score years and ten, is
much exceeded by large numbers Of
people, perhaps in all countries. IL
has been ascertained by DR.. Ogle, who
is,head of the department Of vital
statistics in the general register Of
flee of England, that out Of 667. 200
males living at 25 years OF age 1885,
900 die before attaining As, and $780,
900 die before reaching 65. The ex-
pectation of male life at % is So GO
years, or the age of 81. But forty-six
out Of 100 will not live to that age.
Centenarians are an exceptional
class. but. according to the San Fran
cisco Call. their number Is much
greater than is suspected. Recently
there died in the southern part Of
California an Indian whose age was
computed from 1870 to $50. In the
East there still lives the widow OF
soldier OF the war OF 1912, who is cred
tied with 115 years. 1t may be assumed
that there are scores OF people who
have passed their one hundredth year
and are still hale and we'll and anx-
ious to continue to grow old" as O
venerable member OF the Rothschild
family once remarked to her doctor.
Taking the preponderance of our pop
ulation as a factor, we ought to have
q considerably larger number of CEN
20, Al ha, he t.l LII cd
Last year there were thirty-four per-
sons of the age of 100 and upward
who passed away in England, Scot
land and Ireland. The sexes were
equally divided-seventeen on each
side. The united ages OF the thirty
four give total of 1859 years. One
is said to have been 100 years old,
two 10, two 10S, three JOG, three l05,
three 104. ten 1913, one 102, six 101,
and three 100. Out of an obituary
list advertised in a journal contain
ing 7,779 names no fewer than 1.151
had passed. the age of so.
1t is remarkable that many OF the
centenarians were in good health al
most to the day Of their death. One
venerable lady owed her sudden de-
mise to fall. Others could read
without spectacles. Not few had
ell their wits about them and had
very retentive memories, probably
not about recent occurrences, but
about those of early life. A few were
bedridden, but others could walk
about as usual and even work. A
small proportion died in the poor
house. but did not go there until they
had passed 100 years. The children
of some are over 80 years. One of
the group, only one, is described as
u teetotaler. He eschewed both beer
and tobacco. The whole of this VEN
cradle band were born and reared be-
fore temperance principles took
shape as an elevating influence of do
nestle and social life. If go minded
they might have been among
the first to take the pledge.
In the days of their
youth it was the custom to drink i'm
moderately at table. But it is quite
certain that these centenarians were
innocent of any abuse of either diet
or drink. Theirs must have been
simple food, easily digested. They
must also have had patient. healthy
work, with regular hours and prop
er allowance Of sleep. The energetic
spirits Of this generation may be in
clined to regard such a life as vege-
tative. but in spite Of sneers it is
wiser to regard it as making the best
use of the gift of life to prolong it to
the utmost. Those who burn the
candle at both ends by excitement
and indulgence do not live, as rule,
half a century. Only one of the
thirty-four centenarians who died in
the united kingdom last year fol-
lowed profession. He was clergy.