Granny Gorton's Birthday.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5280, 10 June 1895, Page 4

Granny Gorton's Birthday.

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

Why has Granny Gorton lived so long P Why is she so active now? She lets out the secret hereelf 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 such were reported laßt. year in England — 22 men and 23 women. "Set, compared to the multitudes who die, these are nothing — nothing. Can we not keep things from ailing us, and so live long as Mra Gorton P Yes, if we will take the trouble to do it! Men and women 100 years old, still vigorous and clearheaded, should be a eight so common as not to be remarked, and will be yet in the future. Why not co now P " Ask yourself the question," aa the boatmen say down on Deal Beach.

Here's how it is : A woman's tale. She saya Bhe fell ill when a girl of about 15. She lost her appetite, had pains in the Bides and chest, frequent headaob.es and was often obliged to lie down on the couch and rest. All this didn't promise long life, did it P No ; it wag a bad start.

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

She got weaker and weaker every day, so sho saya. Of coarse ; how else could it be P A doctor at Rugby told her Bhe had "ulceration of the chest," which she didn't at all. What ia " ulceration of the chOst?"

He gave her medicines and advice, but she grew no better on that .n^ount. This young lady was now aboui 20 yeara old, with a poor outlook for ever being much older. She didn't expect it, nor did her friends. Then another doctor, being consulted, said " ulceration of the chest," like his medical brother at Rugby. Both wrong.

"After six months' medical treatment" Bhe says, "I gave up my situation and returned to my home at Buxton Lamas, Norfolk. This waa in June, 1882. Then I was taken so bad I had to take to my bed. My mother thought I was 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 " decline " into 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 ense. She gave the doctors the go-by and sent to Norwich for some bottlea of Mother Seigel's. Curative Syrup. In two weeks tbe young patient began to feel better, and in three months ehe got a new situation and went to work.

•'Since then, fifteen years ago," she says, " I have kept in better health than e?er before in my life, thanks to Seigel's Syiup. Touts truly, (Signed), (Mrs) Sahah Eleanor Bakkb, 8, King's Street Church Eoad, Tottenham, near London September 30th, 1892." A dozen words more and we've done. Mrs Baker's ailment waß indigestion and dyspepsia, nothing else, and quite enough. Ihe "uleeration" 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 all hor aex could avoid or cure thi* one trouble moat of them might live to be as old as Granny Gorton.