The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-18

Augustine. he had received a note in
 which the author declared that if De-
 pew was really ss years of age, he was
 a miracle; if not, he was just an ordi-
 nary liar
 T have known two very old men," said
 Depew. serious for the moment. 'One
 Nas Commodore Upshaw, now dead He
 was 92 when I encountered him at very
 formal dinner After the ladies had re-
 tired. Joseph 1T. Choate. one year my
 senior. and I-both anxious to attain an
 age as great as the commodore s-asked
 him directly how he had done it.. The
 vigorous old man. in reply, stated that he had led peaceful life. that he had been satisfied with his job that his promotions and salary increases had come at oppor- tune moments, and he had been able to find a sweetheart in every port. The other was the great French chem ist. Chevruel I attended his tooth birth
 day in Paris. Sitting directly in front of the old gentleman, I asked him to what he attributed his ability to hold his own against the ravages of time. Like Upshaw. he replied that he had been sat isfied with his job and his work, and that he had not fretted and not worried And he added that he had always refrained | from the use of tobacco and alcohol. | q was so amazed that I asked: Well, sir, what have you drunk? He replied 1 that he had drunk only the water of the Seine Now, the Seine, as you know, Is ! a sewer.
 q related the story of Chevruel to a gathering of prohibitionists once upon a time They were greatly pleased. But in order that those who did not believe in 1 prohibition-and I happened to know that | the majority did not-might not be cha | grined I hastened to add
 At the time I attended the dinner in honor of Chevruel, I encountered a soldier who had served with Napoleon He was 103 years of age. Because France did not pension it's soldiers, it was neces- sary for this old hero to serve as mes senger boy. The essential alacrity, despite the weight of his years. was not lacking It was stated to me, first hand, that he had gone to bed drunk every night since the battle of Waterloo
 Following the address, this correspond ent asked MT. Depew more in detail re- garding the stories of the two aged Frenchmen. He replied: "Chevruel died
 at the age. of 102. The soldier, at the age of 104 got drunk. fell down flight of stairs and broke his neck Otherwise, he would be living yet.'
 The speaker had related these incidents to prove that there was no rule governing longevity. He added that Mir Cannon had been known to take drink, and that 1t was whispered he sometimes smoked a ClSar. lie COnl6SS6Q lO C6Ilditl similar sins on his own part. Further t1 illustrate the futility of fads, he declared that Fletcher, after practicng his doc Urine of perpetual chewing, died at 6S years of age and that the apostle. of buttermllk had been unable to withstand more than 10 summers He urged his au- dience rot to resort to fads, but to pre- vent monotony. He urged everyone to acquire hobby, something to afford re- Ia va ta1 ar nhyS;Cal ID iltuS- | trate his meaning, he said:
 Some years ago. I visited an insane asylum. I saw a man riding plank. He held the reins. and applied a whip with vigor Endeavoring to be pleasant I re- marked: Indeed. sir. that is fine horse you ride The fellow, with a remark ably intelligent smile, returned: Why MT Depew, this is not a horse. It's a hobby
 l 'Not to be worsted, informed the man l that there was little difference between | a horse and a hobby, whereat he re- joined: There is this difference: You car | get down off a horse
 1 Tt is necessary that we get down of | a horse and ride hobby" Here he con- fessed that his hobby was public speak. l ing, and added that it afforded him rest | when all other things failed.
 | MT. Depew concluded with statement | to the effect that in speaking of ripe | old ages he had been reminded of the youth of the United States.
 l 'I remember most distinctly my grand 1 father" he said 'He was a soldier ir
 the Revolutionary war. I have just lived l through the great European cataclysm | It might be said in consequence, thai we two men. my grandfather and I, lived from the beginning of things to this very moment
 The United States is child of the worlds age. It is given to us to preserve the fundamentals of government. whicf l have made us, despite our youth ant
 inexperience, the strongest of all the nations of the world. Unless we remain l faithful to the trust we will go the way of the empires of history But there
 is not man with soul so dead that h,
 cen believe we will be other than faith l ful.''