Year: 1875

We CHANGED to meet an old man few
weeks ago who had turned eighty-sever
years, and yet was as young in appear
ance and as sprigbty as most men are
at sixty. His eye was as bright, his form
as erect, and his voice as firm and reson
ant as one of forty years. He had no
other secret of longevity except that he
had taken care of himself. He has the
promise of living at least twenty years
longer.


Another gentleman who frequently
drops into the office of this journal can
not be less than eighty years old. Yet he
is alert, erect, and showing not the least
signs OF bodily or mental decay. His
longevity is probably no secret. He has
lived a temperate life, though he has not
pushed his temperance into extreme rad
icalism. A great many such men ought
to be found in this State. But they are
very rare here. The two we have men
toned are among what might be classed
as new arrivals. Active men in Calitor-
MIA are breaking down physically and
mentally at an age when they ought to
be in the prime of life. They are under
continual strain, until some day the
thread of life snaps suddenly.


A number of prominent citizens have
recently died, who, in the matter of age
had not passed the prime of life. A large
number OF others are invalds, with no
promise of long life and yet the climate
favors longevity. Nothing but the strains
and anxietes of business and the want
Of personal care are against active men,
1t is not expected that hard drinker will
be long-lived man. But many of that
class of business men who are breaking
down are apparently temperate, that is
they neither eat nor drink to excess. A
prudent business man generally insure:
his perishable property. But often the
last thing he does is to mark out course
Of living which insures his own health
which, after all is his capital and Otter
his entire fortune. A man at sixty ough
to be in his prime, if he has taken car
of himself. His best days should com,
then.


In looking over the list of statesmen
and public men in Great Britain, one i
surprised to find the number of activ,
men who have approached or turned tn
age of seventy. These men are full o
active life. They can do a hard day
work in any department Of business T.
which they are accustomed. They cal
stand hard days ride which woul,
nearly kill many Of our men of forty
They can make night of it in Parlamen
without showing signs of weakness. They
are hale old boys, full OF life and spirit
with firm grip on the world.


| Are we to have no old boys in Califor-
MIA of this sort Fresh old men, who
have good reserve of physical capital,
and who, having thrown off the more
depressing burdens, are able to enjoy life
as never before Tho truth is, very
large number of our more active business
men either die or are broken down before
they reach sixty years. This fact will be
apparent enough to any one who will run
over the mortuary records of this city foI
the last seven years. There ought to be
some remedy for this failure OF physical
vitality. 1t is easy enough to advise
people to take better care of themselves.
But the snecial precautions which each
one ought to take are better known to
himself than they can be to another. II
one inheritng a good constitution is moi
to enter the list of hale old boys, he ought
at least to inquire what part he has taker
in the abridgment Of his own life.-Sa,
| Francisco bulletin.