The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-02
SPENDS SEVENTY YEARS
WITHOUT WORKING.
How George Sheldon, of osweeo, N. ",
Has Carried Out the Ambition of His

How George Sheldon, of oswego, N. ",
Has Carried Out the Ambition of His
LIfe..
To live without work is the ambition
OF George Sheldon, Of Oswego, N. Y, and
for seventy years he has gratifed it.
In that time, according to his proud
boast, he has never done a single days
labor, and, what's more, he never intends
to.
1t must not be imagined from this that
Mr. Sheldon is a vagrant. Quite the re-
verse. He pays his way wherever he
goes, is an omnivorous reader of the best
literature and traveller of wide discern
ment and experience.
But ne never rides. In the last fifty
years he has visited every important fair.
exposition or industrial exhibition given
In the United States, and has covered
the entire distance from place to place
on foot
He spent months at the Centennial in
Philadelphia; he journeyed to Chicago for
the Worlds Fair. At each of the later
successive expositions in Omaha, Atlanta,
Buffalo and Charleston he was an in
terested spectator. But the railroads
profiting nothing, for he traversed the
hundreds of miles between the various
points In the most primitive manner
known to man-afoot.
I'm philosopher" he remarked to a
newspaper representative. II don't be-
heve in work. In my opinion man was
made to enjoy life, not to be a slave to it.
Having so decided, merely live my life
in accord with my convictions.
When my father died, more than fifty
years ago, he left my brother and myself
comfortably off so far as the goods Of
this world are concerned. The personal
property was divided between us, and I
am able to get an income of nearly $500
year out of my portion.
The farm was never divided NV
brother occupies it. In the summer I
tramp about from place to place wher-
ever fancy leads me.
Years ago, before the Thousand ISL
ands and the most picturesque spots in
the north woods of New York We're
known as fashionable summer resorts L
had visited them all. Life with me has
been worth the living. have not amassed
wealth as some have, but I have some
thing that wealth cannot buy-perfect
health.@At the age of seventy I can
walk twenty-five or thirty miles day
cross country without feeling any bad eff
fects. 1 sleep as well as l ever did in
my llfe and since my earliest recollection
L have not had the attention of a ply
stefan or spent single penny for medi-
cines. 1 cannot understand why should
not live to be one hundred years old.
Last summer walked to Buffalo and
back and spent several weeks in and
around the Pan-American. In 1893 I Wis.
tied Chicago. I propose, if I'm alive,
to visit st. Louis. In 1876 went to
Troy on a canal boat from this city and
tramped it to Philadelphia where spent
two months at the Centennial exposition
I am seriously contemplating a trip
to Southern California. / would like to
spend next winter >-.ere, and should de-
eide TO make the trim T will hnr
some time in July"
Mr.. Sheldon is cousin of the Rev. c.
H. Sheldon, Of Topeka, Kan, author of
I'm His Steps," He is a great reader of
good books. Ruskin is his favorite writer
and Tolstoy his favorite author and phil
osopher. Wherever he goes he can be
found with copy of Ruskin.