The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-05-09
TO LIVE A HUNDRED YEARS.
Capt. Baker svIms In winter and
LIS Healthy at Nearly Four
Score.

Capt. Abram Baker. the well-known
winter swimmer at Asbury Park. says
hat be hopes to live long enough to
be 100. The captain is 76. is hale and
hearty and something of an athlete.
His daily life is planned on The theory
that temperate living and proper atten-
tion TO hygiene viii bring him safely
over the century mark.
1t is not often that a man who has al
ready passed his three score and ten
starts out TO double on nature. but
Capt. Baker says he has a surer founda-
fion for his expectation than most en-
thusiasts because he belonged TO the
old "forty-niners," and gained in the
wilds of California a rugged constitu-
ton that not even the infrmity of years
can impair appreeiably.
There is no reason why / should not
live to be 100 years old" said the APP
istence is much higher now than it
was 100 years ago. a fact due in a great
measure to improved sewage and a
more general attention to the laws of
hygiene. The principal thing for an
old man TO consider Is the baneful re-
salts of ar irregular life. Having made
up my mind to live as long as ] can. L
refrain from food hat disagrees with
me. take only SO much exercise as
require, abstain from stimulants and
keep my heart beating with normal reg
ulari;y. II nothing ever happened to
disturb the heart a man might go on
and live forever. barring accidents. 1t
is a rule Of my daily life. therefore,
10 permit nothing to disturb my Sc
reniiy of mind.
Il never allow myself TO become ex-
cited or worried. You can examine my
pulse any hour of the day or night
and find that its beats are always prac-
tically the same. Another essential
practice for the man who expects to
live leo years is the cold water plunge.
l take this plunge every morningo of my
life. Formerly ard until a few months
ago l was an ocean bather. When L
discovered hat this form of cold plunge
was too great a shock for my nervous
system l abandoned ii. Ny diet is sim
pie. plain food. and plenty Of it. i
read two hours in the morning and walk
until the dinner hour. The afternoon
period is divided in much the same way.
AT nine o'clock promptly every night [
retire.
These laws are simple, and a rigid
compliance with them has given me an
un5roken period Of health from many
years. 1 feel now that my youth is
: being renewed. You will Notice that
the gray in my whiskers is gradually
becoming darker. l contend that any
may who takes care of himself and
avoids all excitement can live ic9 years
rnless nature IS thwarted by Unforeseen
accident CT the ravages OF an epidemic.
Life 70 an cd man. if he IS healthy
and vigorous is just as enjoyable as Il
I j, tc TIE ycuDg Il is 2 violation Of Inc
laws 81 arflre that brings disease and
rcrrup.iaa te the body. If nature IS
respected and her demands recognized
no man ought to get old"
Capt. Baker wears no underclothing
in the winter and may be seen any day
on the board walk. attired in a flannel
shirt. open at the chest. and a pair of
linen trousers lie has had wide ex-
p~erience in the gold fields. and as a
traveller. and is well-to-do. His nature
is kindly and his habits studious.-N.
Y. Times.