New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-20
OLD AND FAMOUS WOMEN.
AN INTERESTING RECORD.
WOMEN WHO HAVE LIVED FAR BEYOND A CEN
TURY-A BEAUTY WHO REMAINED BEAUTI-
FUL-CUTTING NEW TEETH AT

FUL-CUTTING NEW TEETH AT
VENERABLE AGE.
Statisticans who worship their long rows OF
figures and the stories which they tell. proved long
ago that the average length Of the life OF woman
is greater than that Of man. More boys, 1t Is
equally true are born than girls but fewer OF them
reach the age OF twenty years. There are approx
mately in the middle years of life the same num-
Der OF men and women in the world: but many
more women than pass the Biblical limit "a
to age. Among Europeans who are entitled TO
speak with authority upon this and kindred sub
iects is Professor Ludwig Buechner Of Germany,
whose recent work die Dauer und Erhatung
des I.ebens''-"The Length and Preservation OF
Life"-has attracted attention and favorable com
ment The work contains. among other things, an
interesting chapter upon women who have reached
an advanced age and the methods adopted by some
of them to preserve their strength and beauty.
Among the Oldest women OF modern times, &C
cording to the Professor, was the Countess Des-
mond an Irish noblewoman. who died In the reign
Of James L. aged hundred and fortyhve years.
from the effects OF a wound. When the summers
of hvescore years had beat upon the countess's
brow, she still found pleasure In dancing. Even
five years before her "untimely" end she did not
fear TO undertake journey from Bristol to London
when certain money matters there required her
attention Still older than the Irish countess-who
is reported have cut her teeth three times-was.
the Professor says Mile. Marie Prion who died in
st. Colombo. France. in 1885, at the rcputed age OF
onehundred and nifty eight. During the last dec
ade OF her life she lived almost entirely on goats
milk and cheese Although her body had shrunk
so much that she only weighed forty-two pounds
at the time OF her DEATH she retained her mental
acuteness to the last moment Her skin looked
like parchment No similar case OF longevity in
France had been recorded for centuries.
Another woman worthy Of special notice is Mrs.
Marie Prescott, who lived in the County OF Sussex,
England. Although Mrs Prescott only attained the
comparatively youthful age OF one-hundred- and-hvc
years 1t is recorded that she birth to thirty
seven children. A French dressmaker, Mile. Marie
Mallet, died spnster, undred-and-fftecn
years old. She kept at her work until she was
one-hundred -and-ten. She was followed to the
grave by forty-hve old women who had once been
her pupils in needlework.
The Baroness Therese Fielder Huelsenstein.
who died in Prague. lived four years longer than
the French dressmaker. She was born in Hamburg
in 1857. and passed her youth in the house OF the
Countess Palfy, a dy-in waiting OF the Empress
Maria Theresa. Later she became the wife OF
French major. After his death she married an
Austrian postofiice Official who, however soon fol-
low ID her first husband to the grave The Baroness
enjoyed perfect health until the end OF her life.
Even few years before her death her features
are said to have retained marks OF their former
beauty. Her voice too, was pleasant to the ear
In this connection Professor Buechner relates
number Of instances of lasting beauty In the fe-
male sex. One OF the most remarkable cases Is
that OF the famous Paula de Viquier. OF Toulouse,
a contemporary Of Petrarch. History says that she
was one Of the most beautiful women who ever
lived Whenever she appeared upon the street, 1t
IS recorded, she was surrounded by crowds or al
mrers She thus indirectly often the cause
of disturbances that the Toulouse Council issued a
decree allowing her to appear In the public thor
oughfares only when her face yelled. She is
said to have retained her beauty until her eghteth
year.
Professor Buechner also mentions n number OF
women who began to renew their youth. so to
speak, at the age when most people think OF the
trouble before them. a certain Marquse de Mira
beau when eighty-six years old cut new set of
teeth and grew a head OF beautiful hair, &C
cording to the records. A French nun, Margaret
Verdies when sixty-nve years DID, is said 10 have
lost her wrinkles, reganed her falling sight, and
cut new set OF teeth. Ten years later she died,
having the appearance Of a comparatively young
woman.
In the issue OF the Paris LA Justice" OF March
H. 1880. the following paragraph: There just
died in Tells. Tyro. woman, Margaret Lanthe,
one hum red- and years, eleven months and
twelve days old She retained her mental power
until the last day Of her life. No could guess
her age from her appearance. There were no
wrinkles in the face and she read without glasses.
Six years ago she cut fine back TOOTH"
Another instance of female longevity Is That OF
soldiers widow, Irene Rudakof, who died. accord
ing TO records in Odessa, aged northumberland
forty eight years There is an authentic record Of
the Viennese woman, Frau Anna Suda, who died
in Vienna in 1873 aged e-hundredand-eleven
wears. six months and five days. In 1873. as the
Empress of Austria, after the foot washing cere
mony," placed the white leather band with thirty
nieces of silver about the old womans neck, she
said in a strong. steady voice: Il thank the most
gracious Empress" In 1873 Frau Suda visited the
exhibition in the Prater and examined the inter-
esting things with great pleasure. Her health was
excellent until the sickness wnich ended IN her
death Another old Viennese woman was Magda-
lena Ponga, who died at the age OF one-hundred-
and.dfteen She was known far and wide
"Vienns's oldest daughter" She was born FIVE
years before the death Of the Empress Maria
Theresa. and lived under six different rulers OF
Austria"