Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-30
Her seth Birthday

Because ! have not let myself get
into passion and have taken the best
care Of myself | knew how" was the
answer Miss Julia A. Bachelor, 80
years old on Sunday, made when asked
how she kept SO young. With hair
more brown than silver, excellent
hearing and able to read the daily pa
pers and sew even in the evening with
out glasses, she is as spry and keenly
alive to what is going on in the world
as most women are at 90 and she don't
| look day older than that
Notwithstanding this record, she had
worked hard all her life landing in
Boston from the State of Maine, on
her 18th birthday and going to Lowell
where she spent 80 years or more
most people would consider an easy
life or a bed of roses. For - years
she worked in the suspender factory
of Gutter & Walker and before the
days of buttonhole machines she
worked for year and half making
buttonhoes, yet to-day she reads with
out the aid of lenses. She also learned
to make vests She was working in
Lowell when the Rebellion broke out
and saw the troops march away.
Later she was obliged to return to
her native town, Swanville, Maine,
where she cared for her father and
mother until their death. They were
70 and 81 at the time of their deaths.
1t is from her mothers family that
Miss Bachelor believes she gets her
longevity for her maternal grand
father and great-grand father each
lived to be 90 and an uncle on her mo-
theirs side also lived to reach that
! ripe age. Miss Bachelor also has
sister who is 81 and they are the last
of the family.
She is still able to do much fine
needlework, a great hobby all her life
and she has chest full of hand made
lingerie that any bride might envy.
The dress she wears in the photograph
taken just before her 8oth birthday
she cut and made herself, just as she
has made all her clothes during her en-
tire life since she was knee high.
did ! vote last fall? / did not. l
don't believe in it. The men act bad
enough now without the women get
ting into the game" she said in answer
to question regarding suffrage.
Miss Bachelor came to Belfast af-
ter the death of her sister, Mrs. Char
les Marden year or more ago and
now makes her home with her cousin.
Capt. ]. w. Burgess and his family.
She takes care of her own room,
helps with the dishes, and spends the
rest of her time reading or sewing.
She doesn't care much for the novels
| of the day, thinks they are silly and
trashy. She prefers history, biogra-
! ply and books of travel. Just now
she is reading The Last Days of Pom
pei and finds it deeply interesting.
For the greater part of her life she
has been in robust health but she had
severe illness last Fall from which
she was long time recovering, since
/ then she has been more delicate. She
is, however, in fairly good health.
wears contented and happy smile
and bids fair to reach the century
mark. Forget the unpleasant things
and think only of pleasant ones, is her
motto and this has made her youthful
at Se:
The engagement was announced
here. Saturday of Thomas Gardiner
Randall, U. S. N. son of William NJ.
Randall of Park strickland Miss Mil
dired Rleeeker Wells of Brooklyn. No
date for the wedding has been announ-
ced. Mr.. Randall is stationed at the
Brooklyn Navy yard, where he has
charge of the supply department. He
is serving his second enlistment and is
an expert wireless operator, at one
time having chargeof the radio outfit
on the Super dreadnought New Mexico
when it sent its record breaking mes
sage one day out from Brest to Otter
Cliffs, Maine, distance of 1908 miles,
$40 miles more than had been covered
previously.