The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-10
1875 Years Old.

Philadelphia boasts of it's old institu-
| tions and it's old people. too. In various
sections of the city there are, living and
well, men and women who have seen over
a century OF life. Each recurring ami.
( Versary OF birth these wonders OF the
/ age are referred to as "still active and
| in possession OF all their faculties.t The
oldest of these old persons is Sarah Mac
donald. it Is claimed. She declares her
age to be lSl years. An inmate of the
| Home for Inhrm and Aged Colored Per-
sons, this woman Is practically helpless,
though 'stiH possessed of all her senses
But for activity and health the wonder
OF all the old wonder of which his old
city can brag, is DR.. Charles Smith. IL
"A mistake has not been made as TO the
date of his birth. lie claims 10 be 125
years old and looks TO be good for fifty
more A practical physician, this man
has many patients and does a full days
work every twenty-fOur houres Living
at Egg Harbor City, n. j.. DIR. Smith
comes To this city once week, every
"Wednesday, when he spends a half-dozen
or more busy hours at his office
Yes. / am l25 years old" the doctor
said TO a reporter who called on him. lie
is Of middle height and stout His face
is very red and his huge white mus
tache and long, broad white beard make
his face look still redder AS he spoke
room with q youths springiness. lie
walks like two-year old.
II was born" said Or Smith. con Sep
tember -. l77S. in Illinois. There was,
though no Illinois then; there was only,
wilderness. The place where l was born
is about fifty miles from the present
Cairo" He stated that he had been mar
ried three times and that his third wife
is still living son was born to him i'm
1866, he said. when he was 80 years old
ITO what do you impute,your long life
and your excellent health?" was asked
ITO my medical studies" the physician
replied. 81 was graduated from the medi-
cal school at the University OF Gena i'm
1905 and from there / went TO Persia
TO city whose name I can't recall-and
in this city / studied medicine for nine
years more I'm a college OF the Parsees
The Parsees understand medicine much
more thoroughly than we do. and they
live I'm much simpler and much more
wholesome way IL is really not uncom-
mon TO find among hem vigorous men of
the age of 300 years and over"
How do the Parsees excel us in the
art OF living"
"oh they prepare their food more tare-
fully and they keep regular hours i'm
everything" said DIR. Smith. They sleep
precisely seven hours every night they
walk and exercise I'm the open air every
ing and massage"
DIR. Smith added that the Parsees know
almost all there is TO know about the
medical properties Of herbs. and that this
knowledge, too. helps them very greatly
to prolong their lives
why. the Parsee physician can tell
what is the matter with you, IL you are
m. without asking you a question or look
ing at your tongue. or feeling your pulse"
he went on. ''Thcy tell by your face
by the lines on it-for every disease has
10 own peculiar marking that appear
on the checks and the forehead. aud with
study these markings are as legible, as
intelligible. as print. / myself can read
the lines OF the face ~ took me six
years TO learn that one thing alone"
Dr. Smith said he remembered Wash
ington. Franklin and Madison. I saw
Washington when I was 10 years old +" he
declared 1T was near Mount Vernon.
Washington got out OF his carriage 10
talk 10 my grandfather. Charles Smith.
whom he knew well. 7 remember the |
president az a tall. rather slender man.
with broad shoulders and a deep chest
He wore knee brooches. lowshoes with |
silver buckles and n long coat hut I can't |
the color Of his clothes saw |
Franklin I'm New York I'm 1926. 7 knew |
Horace Greeley. Tilden and Lincoln quite |
we'll"
AZ Dr. Smiths riace ~ Egg Uarbor |
city there is spring IN which he wades |
every day. winter and summer The old /
man still has his own teeth, which are 4
excellent: his evesight g. keen and his /
strong and supple .- hilsdelphis
Record