Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-10-18
REMARKABLE OLD LADY
Who Retains All Her Mental Faculties and
thoroughly Enjoys Life at SO.


for VIII, m the ancient landmarks haven't
interest. And this healthful reverence and
admiration is appealed to still more forcibly
by the personality of one who has beauti-
fully ripaned in long years of varied expe-
r;ence, and still retains all the vigor, men,
tai and physical, of truly green old age.
It was the pleasure of Journal repre-
ssrt.,i7e, the other day, to meet one of the
,oa.- i .teresting old ladies' in Maine, to say
til: least.
The day was a lovely one, which in
autumn means that it possessed all the de-
.irable qualities to render ride into the
country delight even to those with whom
such an event is common occurrence. On
one of tie pleasantest drives in Kennebec
county in the town of Sidney is a quite old
fashioned story and half house with
a cosy porch on sheltered side looking out
upon pleasing view. The house and out
buildings indicate thrift and have the dig
ni,y of belonging to people who in the Ian
gusge of the community are termed fore
handed"
This is the home of one of the most
charming old ladies it ever was the bt of
the Journal representative to meet; viva
cious, a good convers ationalist, whose re-
marks we're punctuated with sallies of wit
and enriched by an undimmed memory for
facts to her living reality, but which to
the generations since she was bright, win
some girl would seem like dry chronicles
unless the narrative came from her lips.
Then is the story indeed an entertaining
one for Mrs. Ellis will be 9o years old the
second day of next January and seems
destined to celebrate her Tooth anniversary.
When Pbube Sawtelle was three years
old she saw the dawn of the 18th century
and when she was 1G che had been wooed
and won by a comely man, William Long
ley Ellis. She was the daughter Of Reuben
and p phe Sawtelle and one ofa family of
six children. She was born in what was
then part of the town of Vassalboro, but is
now the town of Sidney.
She became the mother Of good old
fashioned family of children, 10 in all, of
whom five are now living. One of them
re.ies in Colorado, one in Wisconsin, two
in Boston and one remains on the old home
place in Sidney, where his mother fiods old
age delight rather than a burden in the
midst of surroundings she has known from
child for it was here she was born.
Hers is a rich inheritance, sunny,
cheerful disposition and an unusual vigor
both mental and physical, all of which she
came by honestly for she has sister, Mrs.
Crosby Townsend living in Pendleton,
Oregon at the age of 81 and she had seven
aunts who lived to be over 80, so, although
old age seems "to run in the family as she
would express it. she nevertheless appears to
regard it as benefaction of providence, to
be shared as far in as she may be able with
others. She is ever ready for the kindly
word and deed and thought of others. In
deed AUNT Phoebe" is favorite with all
who know her.
She is endowed with that sturdy Ameri-
can interest in State and national affairs
that in the days of her prime was by no
means coniined to the men folks, although
it is no. learned that the women pondered
upon or longed for the halcyon era OF woman
suffrage. If you are disposed to talk
politics" you will find in Aunt Phoebe
foeman worthy of your steel, provided your
views and hers do not coincide; but don't
expect to swerve her jot from the belief
which she has arrived at in lifetime OF
nearly century. You will find her ready
on the political events of the day, and apt
in recalling those of the first half OF the
century.
Her bright eyes have merry twinkle II
there's anythiog SAID or done that amuses,
and she will declare that she is in perfect
health and thoroughly enjoys life. She
comes to the table every day and does not
presume to call her appetite delicate.
About six years ago she made the Journey
to Boston on a visit with relatives, and
almost feels equal to the undertaking now
Like all who have earned rest, she doesn
care to avail herself of it, and when we
saw her had been industriously knitting
The habit of nimbiy plying the knitting
needles as cold days and their consequent
demand for warm socks and mittens dra"
nigh, lie too firmly fixed TO be willingly iaid
aside. May the click Of her shining needles
be heard for autumns to come.
The Fire Alarm Question.