AS OLD AS QUEEN VICTORIA

Feilding Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 1425, 2 May 1902, Page 4

AS OLD AS QUEEN VICTORIA

• There is >» great number of people living in this country who were born in the same year as Queen Victoria. Those who entered tbe world so long ago at at 1819 and are still with us hale and hearty are undoubtedly in the tunning to become centenarians. A notable example of this very small band is Mrs Elizabeth Fnller, of No 44, Ryder Street, Surey Hills, Sydney. Ibis venerable old lady was born in England and came to Australia with her hnsband before she had attained her eighteenth year, long previous to tbe great gold rush. She has, therefore, already reacbed the fall ape attained by Wellington, Goethe, Victor Hugo, Bismark. and Tennyson, men who found time to acomplish a vast amount of enduring work wbicL establishes tbe fact that it is not among the most uneventful or less suffering lives we must not look for examples of longevity. If that were not so, we should not now be writing of Mrs Fuller's career. To work strenuously for many years building up a com peteucy, to succeed in that effort, and tben to have tbe proceeds of your industry swept away by tbe miserable process of litigation is disheartening to tbe last degree. Tbat is wbat happen ed to Mrs Fuller. A weaker mind than bers would have become un balanced by such disaster But that is not all. It is proverbial that troubles come not as single spies bat in whole battalions, and so it was in this case. Enjoying excellent heabb, scarce knowing wbat serious illness was during tbe first 71 years of her life, Mrs Fuller now met with au accident. Losing her footing while ascending the stairs, she sustained a fractured arm and collar-bone a serious calamity to befall anybody, but specially a woman 71 years of age. Mrs. Fuller thus writes of her experiences consequent upon her accident : " I become an inmate of tbe Sydney Hospital, and after being iv some degree patched up there was discharged witbin two months as cured, My worst troubles, howevor, were only just beginning. Tbe fall must have wrenched my back and injured my kidneys, for a dull continuous pain Bet in in tbat region which allowed me do rest by day or night, producing urinary difficulties of a most distressing nature, and an obstinate constipation, I visited tbe leading hospitals as au outdoor patient, and was at one time under treatment at my own home by a lady doctor None of tbe plasters, liniments, lotions, or other medicines they gave me proved of any service As time passed the pain iv my back increased bo much that tbe agony 1 indured was intolerable, and I felt ac if I could have welcomed death to end my sufferings. In this wretched condition I remained two .years. Then my daughter, Mrs W. Johnston, of Arden treet, Waverley, bought me three boxes of Mother Seigel's Soothing Plasters, a box of Mother Seigel's Operaticg Fills, and a bottle of Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup. he did this on tbe advice of a friend, who said he was sure they would relieve my sufter ings if given a fair trial. Happily for me the accuracy of this belief was soon established, for tbe plasters used in conjunction with tbe Syrup and Pills, at once reduced tbe backache to a tolerable degree, and in two months bad quite mastered it. I was once more able to eat, sleep, and get about in comfort. After so long an illness, and at my advanced age, a quick restoration to perfect health and strength was not to expected, but I persevered with tbe three Seigel remedies for six months, and was rewarded by a daily improvement in my condition. At tbe end of tbat time I felt as well as a person of my years could hope to be, and I have remained well from that day to this," Tbe loss of Mrs Fuller's well-earned sayings has been in some degree repaired by tbe grant of an Old Age Pension by tbe beneficent State of New South Wales— a boon extended only to those who baye resided in the btate continuously for a least 25 years, ana in itself a sure wrarant of the respectibility and honor of tbe recipient. A good tbing, and one to be devoutedly thankful for, without doubt, but less wonderful \han tbat other relief which Mrs Fuller bas so well described and acknowledged.