New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-24

on another occasion, when reporter
asked over the telephone for an appoint
ment Interview me-" he said why
rye been dead these many years.
And he laughed the hearty laugh OF
man OF forty If any one else had called
him dead one" he would have speedily
demonstrated the mistake.
once an admirer called by appointment.
you wrote that you just wanted 70 see
me-" said Mr. Bigelow Now. don't take
this personally to yourself, but let me tell
you:
"Tyler's Secretary OF the Treasury was
John G. Spencer. a famous New YORK
statesman Of those days. He was man
OF much Importance up the state, and the
farmers especially had much 10 say In his
pralse. There was one old farmer who
had made ND his mind 10 go out West, and
the one thing he determined TO do was 10
have a look at Spencer before he went IL
would be something TO tell his grandch,i-
dren on late winter nights how he had
been face 10 face with the great states
man. had spoken with him, perhaps
touched his hand So he journeyed 10
Canajoharie. and finally stood at the door
OF the old lawyers Office. He umidly
went in and asked the young clerk seated
there for Mr.. Spencer The clerk mo-
TONED toward an inner room, There
Tremblingly the farmer went through the
door Spencer IVES seated at his desk,
buried in papers. For a moment ne dld
not look up. Then he showed preoccu-
pied face. Tim Farmer - the visitor
eoid "fror, - "Well?" said Spencer,
1--we come here just--just to s-see you
Spencer turned squarely toward him
Huh" he said. Now that you're here
iuet take a ID good look"
His modesty forbade his ever posing as
a wiseacre on the subject OF longevity
though if any one was-cntitled TO such an
assumption il was he.
81 don't think that any one lives 100 lons
or dies too soon" he said once. THAT IS
under the contro. Of a Power who KNOWS
better than We do Length OF days seems
to me TO be subject about which one If
much too prone to speak. as IL he himsei'
had much to do with the result. think
the child that dies early is just as con-
spicuous a monument of the Divine love
as man whose age becomes his chief
abiding distinction.
my length of days to anything that | can
pretend 10 have done. I may say that
was fortunate rather than wise enough
TO retire from active business before was
fifty years OF age. Since then I have en-
deavored 10 lead as industrious life as
over. but in doing things which we're agree
able TO me. and avoiding everything likely
to give me anxiety and care.
| II feel an instructive sympathy and al
| impulse to sound a note OF warning 70
every friend I sec who after fifty years
does not begin TO take In sail and prepare
, 10 accommodate himself in some pleasant
way or another to a life OF usefulness
which is tho only happy life I'm this world
/ that I have any faith in-whether his
means be large Or small. have never
taken any horse medicine since | was OF
/ age but once and that was A little quininf
At Panama. when ! was the guest OF NJ. dc
+ Lesscps and the old Panama Canal Com
pany. lie urged me to see his physician.
yielded so far to satisfy him
. Il have always been more careful what
put into my mouth than what | gave out
Of IT," was another rule nc once gave to
! the hackneyed question.
But while Mr.. Bigelow kept alcohol and
/ tobacco out OF his mouth all his life. ne
had apparently no rule Of diet. II is ever
possible that cautious relatives found him
a little headstrong in this direction during
/ his last years.
! Not long ago a visitor told OF being al
luncheon at the Bigclow home. The old
gentleman found an unadorned and unac-
, companied boiled egg awaiting him at his
place lie scorned It and Insisted on
making his meal entirely Of watermelon
| He was TO the last fond of all sorts OF
buildings and pies. On Thanksgiving Day
two years ago he recalled wildly and eulo-
gized at length a wonderful 'forget-me-
not" pie he had eaten eighty-slx years
! before.
/ II shall be back when strawberries are
/ ripe. I wouldn't miss the strawberries
were his parting words when he sailed on
one of his recent trips TO Europe.
The story of how he lost and regalned
| his alma mater. Union College, illustrates
! the strain of obstinacy I'm Mr. BigeloW
make-up. lie was ready TO graduate, ana
after receiving max" I'm Greek and max
| Ing 90 in about everything else MI. blge'
! low had gone home on a vacation anu
| overstayed his time three days on the
understanding that certain LATITUDE "dS
permitted seniors in this respect
Then on the third day he had received
/ a letter from a friend at college telling
! him that the honors had been distributed
and that he did not figure in the distr1bu-
ton Mr.. Bigelow packed his grip ana
went up TO Union to learn why. the
authorities told him that rule had Deei'
made not TO allow honors to any one not
| present on the day OF the distribution
! Mr.. Blgelow was not convinced that inc
| truth had been told him. and he quit
! Union and never returned till President
| Richmond converted him two years ago
! Not until his ninety-fourth birthday on
| November % was John Bigelow willing 10
admit that he vas really an old man and
! that his end was near.
Hello. my young friend" he said gayly
TO Andrew Carnegie, as the latter came In
10 greet him But a few moments later
when Mr.. Carnegie wished him many more
! such occasions, he said decidedly but with
out bitterness, NO. I feel myself wearing
out. | shall never see another birthday.
In less than a month his prophecy was
! fulfilled.