The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-09
FOURSCORIG AND HEARTY.
The Worlds Famous OctOgcnarians
in Europe and America.

Sunday Chronicle, March 31st.
Bismarck enters the ranks of the
Octogenarians tomorrow and Il world
will shout its tributes as he crosses
this rarely reached milestone OF
time. Bismarck will find himself in
eXcellcnt and brainy company on the
others side OF his eightieth birthday
anniversary. Ho will find the school
yard full Of gay old boys and girls.
He will find Pope Leo AT eighty-fvc,
writing Latin sonncts, just as in the
Olden days, when as u lad he surprised
the Pecci family by his precociousness.
He will find tho English statesman,
William e. Gladstone, discussing
essays on religion and philosophy. He
will be surprised to find Verdi, at
eighty, planning new opera for the
great singer Maurel, seeking his in
spiratiOn from no less a pleasant themc
than Shakespeare's Tempest" Here
is Professor Dana at eighty-two fresh
from Hawaii, giving the world a mass
of new facts in geology. Bessemcr is
still bright in his panOply of inventive
thought, and Sir Henry Parkes is just
entoring tho realm of 0ctogcnarians,
with new educational project for
New South Wales. Couldock comes
gayly into the ranks Of rare old men,
still treading tho boards and giving
the world delightful touches of mimi
Cry. Few have fathomed life ;ts deeply
as he. Few know how to Interpret ii
better
But the list Of famous old "rcn and
women is IL long ono, and darkencd
only here and there by the touch of
mental blight or great physical weak
ness. As u rule, these old men and
woman are still ext cmcly active
They seem to drop ont of tho ranks,
very quietly, and then it takes long
stretch of memory to find whero
history connects the links of their
past active careers with their more re-
cent works. SO Rawlinson has just
died and his first great volumes of
history look old and must IN our
shelves, like the records # i ..st con-
tury. So with Professor Blackie. Old
Marshal CanrObe"t has just died at
eighty-fve, and the third Napoleon
campaign rises like the shadow of the
past, blending its color with tho light
of the present.
But it is with tho living Wc have to
do and the laurels we can place upon
their wrinkled brows and silvery
locks are tardy tributes to repay in
some degree for humanity's past in
gratitude. Besscmer, who enriched
tho world as has no man living or dead
in the past, stood biting his lips with
rage at the sarcasm and ridiculc
heaped upon him for declaring that he
had discovered cheap process for
quickly changing pigiron ir Z" steel.
The bronZed face, tho burncu hands,
the empty purse attested to tho labor
he had devoted to his idea. Then
came his greatest battle. He had to
force the world to accept his idea.
When engineers finally appreciated
his discovery they found him dis
heartened, discouraged and ready to
turn against the world. Then came
honOrs thick and fast. He was knight
ed. Sovereigns We'd in doing him
honor. Great societies elected him
to honorary Offices. Medals were
voted to him, and he is today among
the happicst of the "Old Masters " OF
England.
So Is William r.. Gladstone. SO is
Sir James Bacon, who at the age OF
ninety-seven lives happy life OF
retired ease. Until 1886 this s. eat
English jurist sat dpOn the bench, and
tho clearest decision ever rendered by
him was that I'm case tried tive
months before he retired from the
ice-Chancellorship OF England. II
was he who said that his life proved
reverse OF Bowder's famous aphorism
The first twenty-five years Of one
life arc worth all the rest OF tn,
longest life of man, oven though thos'
| five and twenty be spent i'm penuIy an,
contempt and the rest In the possession
of wealth, honors, respectability, aye