The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-09-25
CONTINUED
GRANDPA is DADDY
AGAIN
FROM PAGE ONE.

of the seeming miracle whereby an
old man was living out the end of
his life alone, his wife dead, his
two sons grown and fathers them
selves; the story of how this old
grandfather began new family of
his own that is younger and livelier
and even perhaps healthier than
the families of his sons. It's a story
of one bright evening of life.
No wonder scientists in France,
Austria and Germany. as we'll as in
the United States, are asking
Thirty his secret.
In his fine old home in Long ISL
and, with its vineyards and walled
garden behind it, sitting in his
great library, where once he
thought he must spend his declin-
ing years alone, he'll tell you freely
about the wonder.
But first you must have some of
the wine he himself made from his
own grapes, and some Belgian
cakes. That is the custom of his
native land.
Il married in Belgium when
was 26 years old. l was born in
1922, and think shall surely live
until 1922. Don't you think SOP"
he asks Significantly.
my boys, Ralph and Joseph,
were born in Belgium in 1853 and
1854. In 1859 ny wife and
brought the children to America,
and / opened book store. | did
pretty we'll financially
1.-The boys grew and we bought
this old homestead That was back
in 1883. Pretty soon the boys were
married. They went off to start
homes of their own.
THAT left mother and / home
alone. / retired from business and
took care of my grapes and wife,
and we used to have some pleasant
time together, in spite of missing
the boys.
"But in 1886 she died. She
was SO years old then, and when
she died | began to feel old. |
saw that If didn't find a new in
terest in life | would fade out of
existence.
THAT was how l instituted the
system of school savings banks,
which is now in operation in all
parts of the world | was sum-
moned to tell educators of my
system, and l have the satisfac-
tion of knowing that the biggest
part of my life work was done aft
er l was, go years of age.
"At the Paris exposition | was
granted special honors by educa-
tors for my savings system"
Mrs. Thirty talks interestingly,
too. She is in the thirties and her
name was Margaret O'ConnOr. She
was born in Ireland.
There was little romance
about It," she says. But my hus-
band thinks we ought to keep that
to ourselves.
I'VE met at the home of a bank.
er in New York, one evening in
1898.
I'VE were married within the
year. My husband was rs years
old then.
THE next year, on March II
a baby boy was born to us. We
named him John Henry, after my
husband. This baby died the
next year. We then adopted a
founding who was born on the
same day that John Henry was
born. We didn't name him John
Henry. though, because l thought
| 1t might be bad luck. We love
him as IL he were our own child.
Then, on June IA. 1901, Hen
rietta was born. On December H.
1908, q boy was born to us. We
wanted to name him John Henry
but we were again prevented from
doing this by my fears. So we
called him Francis.
Then. on April 2S, 1905. another
baby boy was born. We named
him John. He died in August OF
the same year.
"Then, three days after Christ
mas. in 1907. girl was born. We
called her Ernestine.
"And on September 4 last our
new little boy was born. This time
my husband had his way and
named the baby John Henry. after
himself.
This is the strongest baby of
them all, and so we hope that my
husbands name will go down to
our children. "
Little John Henry is uncle TO
a man 80 years old, SON OF Ralph
Thirty"