A Pair of Them Long-lived.

Otago Witness, Issue 2272, 16 September 1897, Page 53

A Pair of Them

Long-lived.

"OF course," replied John, laugbirg. At the Btrne time he felt in his pocket ; bub immediately his expression changed, and looking sheepit-hly at his father, he stammered out, " Il'a gone ! " " Why," said the father, laughing in turn, "I thought you were much too wide-awake for that; but I sb all surprise you wheei I tell you that I took it, to prove to you how easy it is for a man to rob you of it in a crowd."

" You, father ! "

"Yes, John; I brought these scissors commonly used for such » purpose, and [still laughing"] transferred the watch fivm your pocket to mine ; »nd see, here it is."

With thii be put his. hand into his pocket. He suddenly, however, ceased laughing, and, looking es sheepish as John bad doi,e before, stammered, "John, wh — wh — why, John, yours and mi — mine ate both gone ! Somecna has evidently been more wide-awake than both of us."

The record in this respect is held by «. family of i>ine, who werS* bora iv fcbo lonely Scottijti island of Colonsay, whose united ages made the formidable total of 787 ytars. Ihis familynamed MacNeill — cout-isted of six tons and three diughters, tive of whom emigrated to Upper Canada, whiie the other font lived and dii'd in Color-say. The nine were all married -arid l%fb families; and the descendants lining in~ rSco'laad aDd Canada number, several hundreds.

Two sons died at the ago of .77, a daughter and cola at the, age of 81 and 86 respectively, |a daughter and pod at 91, two- sons at 93, and a daughter at 98. The first death occurred in September 1873r when" Duucan, the youngest, "~w«s 68 years of^cge. Duncan, who died not long back, was distinguished in youth for his eyesight. He could see tie stats in daylight, and on one occasion at sea described to his companions the rig of a Te*sel which wai bearing down upon them fully 15 miuutes before any of the crew could see her.

A -young gentleman who was very fond of displaying his w&tch and guard, and who had, moreover, a passion for attending theatres and other places of amusement, was once thus admonished by his father :

"John, my son, leb me give you a bib of advice. As you are so fond of attending the theatre?, let; me request you not to display your watch guard So conspicuously, or you will as-uredly h&ve ere long to niourn the less of them.", Now John, who thought himself too sharp for that, replied, " No fear.Jfather"; I am much too wide-iwake for that."

'A few evenings after IMb _the father wished to accompany his son (o the theatre, greatly fco John's delight. Having got safely inside sad taken their seats, the father eaid :

"Are your watch and chain all right', John?"

There are four brothers living in Essex, all fishermen, whosu age* total 349 years. John Barr, the eldest, is 93 ; Thomap, 88 ; Samuel, 85 ; and William, the youogeat, 83 years of age.