Granny Gorton's Birthday.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5274, 3 June 1895, Page 4

Granny Gorton's Birthday.

Saturday, January 21st, was a great day in Central Village, in the State of Con- 1 necticut, in America. On that day Mrs Jonathan Gorton was 100 years old, and formally received her friends, of whom hundreds were present. She wore her beat black silk gown, with, a rose in the bodice. The venerable lady wsb seated in a comfortable armchair on a platform in the best room of her house. Then the train of callers filed through, each and all shaking hands with her. " Granny Gorton," as she is called, ia a trim little body and very nimble on her feet. There was never anything ailed her, ab.e says, and, except that her eyesight isn't quite so good as it used to be, she is as active as any woman of 50.

Why has Granny Gorton lived bo longP Why is she so active now P She lets out the secret herself when she say, "There was never anything ailed me." That's it, and all of it.

People who live 100 years are not so very rare. The deaths of 45 Buch were reported last year in England —22 men and 23 women. Yet, compared to the multitudes who die, these are nothing — nothing. Can we not keep things from ailing us, and so live long as Mrs Gorton ? Yes, if we will take the trouble to do it I Men and women 100 years old, still vigorous and clearheaded, should be a sight ho common as not to be remarked, and will be yet in the future. Why not co now ? " Ask yourself the question," as- the boatmen Bay down on Deal Beach.

Here's how it is z A woman's tale. She says she fell ill when a girl of about 15. She lost her appetite, had pains in the sides and chest, frequent headaches and was often obliged to lie down on the couch and rest. All this didn't promise long life, did it P No j it waa a bad start.

Well, she got woree instead of better. She was often sick, vomited her food, and spitting tip a sour fluid. For five years she went on this way. This brings us to October, 1881. She was then in service as parlonr-maid at Leamington, Hastings, Warwickshire. Here she- suffered from constant sickness, retching and heartburn. The chest pains were bo bad as to bend her two double. No position that she could take relieved her. Her stomach was *o tender and sore that everything Bhe ate pained and distressed her. For months and months Bhe only took liquid food— milk and beaten eggs, and so on.

Bhe got weaker and weaker every day, so she says. Of course ? how else could it beP A doctor at Eugby told her she had "ulceration of the cheat/*" which she didn't at all. What is " ulceration of the chest f

He gave he; medicines and advice, but she grew no. better on that account. This young lady was now about 20 years old, with a poor outlook for ever being much older. She didn't expect it, nor did her friends. Then another doctor, being consulted, Baid " ulceration of the chest," like his medical brother at Eugby. Both

wrong.

"After six months' 1 medical treatment" she says, "I gave up my situation and returned to my home at Buxton Lamaß, Norfolk. This was in June, 1882. Then I was taken so bad I had to take to my bed. My mother thought I wbb in a decline." Now, the word "decline"' means consumption, as we all know;, a disease common in England and incurable everywhere. Thousands of bright girls and young men ** deoline " iuto- their graves every year in this populous* island. Sad enough it is to see. Well, at this point her good and wise mother interfered in her daughter's case. She gave the doctors the go-by and sent to Norwich for some bottles of Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup. In two weeks the young patient began to feel better, and in three months she got a new situation and went to work. "Since then, fifteen years ago," she says, " I have kept in better health than erer before in my life, thanks to Seigel's Syrup. Yours truly, (Signed), (Airs) Sakah Eleanor Bakes, B<, King's StreetChurch Road, Tottenham, near London September 30th, 1802." A dozen words more and we've done. Mrs Baker's ailment was indigestion and dyspepsia, nothing else, and quite enough. The " ulceration '* was inflammation of the inner coating of the stomach, a symptom of the disease. We wish her a long and happy life, and merely add that if ail hor sex could avoid or cure this one trouble most of them might live to be as old as Granny Gorton.