GRANNY GORTON'S BIRTHDAY.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8259, 28 May 1895, Page 4

GRANNY GORTON'S BIRTHDAY.

Satubdat, January 21st, was a great day in Central Village, in the State of Connecticut, in Amerioa. On that day Mrs Jonathan Gorton was 100 years old and formally reoeived her friendSj of whom hundreds were present. She wore her bast blaok silk gown, with a roae in the bodice. The venerable lady waß seated in a comfortable armchair on a platform in the best room of the houee. Then the train of callers filed through, each and all shaking bands with her. " Granny Gorton," bb she is called, is -a trim little, body and very nimble on her feet. There was never anything ailed her, she says, and, exoepi that her eyesight isn't quite so good as it used to be, Bhe is as aotive aB any woman of 50. Why has Granny Gorton lived so long ? Why is Bbc so aotive now ? She lets oat the Beoret herself when she says, " There waß never anything ailed me." That's it, and all of it. People who live 100 years are not so very rare. Tbe de&tba of 45 suoh were reported laßt year in Eogland— 22 men and 23 women. Yet, compared to the multitudes who dia, these are nothing— nothing. Can we not keep thingß from ailing ob, and so live as long as Mrs Gorton ? Yes, if we will take tbe trouble to do it 1 Men and women 100 years old, still vigorous and o'ear-headed, ahould be a sight bo common as not to be remarked, and wiil bs yet in tbe future. Why not so now ? " ABk yourself the question," aB the boatmen say down on Deal beach. Here's how it is : A woman's tale. She says she fell ill when a tui of about fifteen. She lost her appetite, had pains in the Bides and ohest, frequent headaohes, and w*s often obliged to lie down on the oouoh and rest All tbis didn't promue long life, did it t No ; it was a bad Btart. Well, she got worse instead cf better. She was often sick, vomited her food, and spitting np a sonr fluid. For five years she went on this way; This brings ob to Ootober, 1881 She was then in eervice as parlor-maid at Leamington Hastings, Warwickshire. Hera she suffered from constant aickaess, retching, and heartburn. Tbe ohest pains wete so bad aB to bend her two donble. No position that Bhe oould take relieved ber. Her stomach was so tender and sore that avers thing she ate pained and distressed her. For months and months she only took liquid food— milk and beaten eggs, and bo on. She got weaker aud weaker every day, so she says. Of course; how else oould it be? A dcotor at Bagby told her she bad " ulceration of tbe cheel," which she didn't at all. What is " ulceration of the ohest ?" He gave her medioine and advioe, bnt she grew no better on tbat aooonnt. This young lady was now abont 20 years old, with a poor outlook for ever being muoh older. She didn't ezptot it, not <hd hst triendi. Then

lother doctor, being consulted, said " uloerion of tha chest," like his medioal brother 1 Bogby. Both wrong. "After Bix months' medical treatment," ie saya, " I gave up my -?i;uation and reirned to my home at Buxton Lamas, Norilk. This waß in June, 1882. Then I was iken so bad I had to take to my bed. My lother thought I was in a deolilaft" Now, the word " deoline " means con-neap-on, as we all know ; a disease common in ingland and iuourable everywhere. Thouanda of bright girla and young men " deline " into iheir graves every year in this opulooß island. Sad enough it is to Eec Well, at hia point her good and wise oother interfered in her daughter's case, lbs gava the doctors tbe go-by and Bent to -Torwioh for some bottles cf Mother Seigel's Jurative Syrcp. Ia two weeks the young tatient began to feel better, and in three nontbs she got a new situation and went to work. " Sinoe then, fifteen years ago," she says, • I have kept in bitter health than ever before in my life, tbankß to Seigel's Syrup, tfour? -raly, (Signed) (Mrs) Sabah Eleanor Baxei:, 8, King's Btreet, Ohuroh Boad, Tottenham, near London, September 80th, 1892." A dozen words more and we're done. Mrs Baker's ailment was indigestion and dyspepsia, nothing else, and quits enough. The " uicsra.ion " was inflammation of tbe inner ooaticg of ths stomach, a symptom of the disease. We wish her a long and happy life, and merely add that if all her sex oould avoid or oure this one trouble most of them might live to be as old as Granny Gorion.