The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

t~ripiets, Mrs. Bushnell, Mrs. Lippencott. ana
Mrs. Campbell, with only twenty, minutes Do
and the three, at IS years SiHy' Of age, II the enjoy:
ment-of tho most vigorous and robnst health. a.,
II wrote a Ions. account of old Mr.; Brennell
copied widely. A year after l met old GEORGE
La Barre he was written up by a special CORE
cording TO the corresDondent, he was then In
the same remarkable physical and mental con-
ing Cook ks St. John Of Use / sen. a a "two-coiumn story
of the !centenarian to n Now York news
paper. John Dean, Lewis Rockwell, Prudence
Lnrkin, Pompey Graham. Capt. Benner. and tho
Bethany octoRenRrian triple,s obtained tame
in the land in tho came way; through my In
The next year after l had met old Mr.. Gren-
nell and Mrs. BENJAMIN | was IN that vicinity
Ss%,n' ds Sna M mg s STrHfissob being sG He not t so much %%sR
that they were dead as that Grennell had died
six week, after the time had Written him
later. n the course of time l heard or read OF
the death of George La Barre. Cook, 81. John.
kin. Penney Graham, Cant. Bonner. and tho
Bethany triplets. 1t was not Till within n
rouDls Of tbo years sast ago Irn That; MI IN tb IHTN eWerT over one m of
these persons had died from within q month
20 three months Rfter, they had been disturbed
This, among the ccntenarihns. wac phrticu-
larly marked in the case OF Cook 81; John.
tenarian whom l found In schohAr ie county
at the timo j first met st. John. and who was
Two years older than That ROBUST CenteTuTlhn.
had been too unintorestinS a person to rako,a
newspaper article about. ST. John died inside
of three months Rf:cr the newspaper had made
him famous. Downs. feeble and moro aged,
lived two years after st. John died.
Ever since 1 made this discovery l have
been careful not to bring into the public prints
any centenarian, nonogcnarian. or ostoHs-
marian acuunintnnces | may make. FOR L cor
slider myself In a measure responsible for short
eninv the lives of all of those l have men
toned. besides MANY others. But when l see
an account In the papers of ans old person who
and who bids fair TO live many years. ! az once
keep M eye on that unfortunate old person.
for | know his days will be short. The fnct
has been proved IN every instance that has
come TO my notice for the pnet. two years. but
never more rtrik than In the case OF Philo
Goyt OF Chautauqua county. who died re-
Gently Mt MRysyille. He was within ten weeks
OF los years old. and n month before his death
was ms hale and hearty n man ma any one could
expect 10 see. even for one forty years his
nately. discovered him. wrote his story ana
printed his portrait. And now he. Is dead.
Now. when YOU think OF II. this Is al very
simple. reasonable. and natural. These aged
people lived secluded. quiet lives. used TO enc
simple routine which had become their sec
ond nature. Their wonderful existence being
suddenly made known. this quiet routine was
broken in upon by the daily visits of curious
and Garrulous strangers. BY floods OF letters.
demands for photographs. autographs. and per
lives was changed. An unwholesome excite
ment displaced their quiet ease. Their exist
ence became unnatural. they were unable to
maintain their vitality under the new and
strange condition. and their dissolution WAS
ranid and sure. That ia all there is to 1t. and
marian. or n nonogenarian. or even an octoge-
MARIAN, / will keen it to myself."