.Dolfou
Hundreds of Aged Men and Women Tell
What to Do and What to Avoid If You
Expect to Approach or Pass the Century Mark
f i i 1 'r'lV'Y
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Y '. '
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fST6 TS)"v )
OLDKST PERSONS IN UNITEJU
STATES.
Mrs. Mary Brock, 135
Shades Valley. Ala.
years.
Richard Cooper, 114 years, Nor
folk, Va.
Hyman Dubinsky, 111 years,
Baltimore. Md.
Henry Dorman, 115 years. Lib
eral, Mo.
Capt. a. E. r. Diamond, 119
years, San Francisco, Cal.
Francisco Ksper, 114 years,
Florence, Col.
Mrs. Christian Fisher, 118
years, Steubenville. O.
Alexander Herriott, 111 years,
Yonkers, N. Y.
Mrs. It. K. Killcrease, 138 years.
Pine Hills, Texas.
Thomas Morris, 121 years,
Westerville, Neb.
Mrs. Crissie Stallard, 112 years,
Hilliard. Ky.
Mrs. Catherine Puckolski, 111
years. Standish. Mich.
Mrs. Martha Wilburn,
years, Eastman, Ga., K. F. D,
Mrs. Elizabeth Wonderly,
years, Philadelphia. Pa.
Mrs. Elmyra Wagoner,
years, Protein, Mo.
113
' 111
113
A GREAT age is 90 years. A mar
velous age Is 138 years in this
generation. Yet there are in the
1'nited States today, according to Gov
ernment statistics, thousands of men
and women who have reached ages be
A HALLOWEEN WITCH
BERTIE was inclined to be lazy.
To be sure, Bridget was there and
the household moved smoothly without
the child's assistance, yet her mother
occasionally asked her to dry the
ditthes, or to undress the bed when
Bridget had her day out, and invariably
Bertie had some excuse, much to her
mother's displeasure.
One evening Bertie noticed her
mother's pained expression when she
pouted: "I don't want to help, I'm
tired." and when she lay in bed. after
her prayers were said, she made a firm
resolve to mind better in the future.
That night was Halloween, and poor
Bertie had an awful experience. The
door of her bedroom was rudely thrown
open and in bopped a wickedilooking
old woman.
"Who are you. and what do you
want?" asked Bertie, trembling with
fear.
"I want you." shrieked the old witch.
'I am tired of hearing you refuse to
help your mother, and now I mean to
teach you to obey." and so saying she
caught the child in her arms and car
ried her far. far away.
After what seemed to Bertie an in
e.irTAr ' ' ' '
wan:.
tween these marks. There are hun
dreds who have passed the century
mark.
What is the secret of this longevity?
What methods are to be used to retain
youth and efficiency to 100? Is there a
chance for any normal person having:
an average start at the beginning of
life still to walk the earth at the end
of five score years instead of the al
lotted three score years and ten? If
so, what is the secret, or better, the
scientific method whereby this might
be done?
Dr. Virgil A. Davis, of Kansas City,
Mo., being very curious and Incidental
ly of a scientific turn of mind, started
out a year ago to find the answer to
these questions.
Although a modern Ponce de Leon,
he sought no pool where the waters of
long life flowed, merely to be quaffed
to produce long life. He used scientific
methods to solve the puzzling secret
of the ages. He didn't beat around
the bush and Btudy books through the
long night hours. He sought those
who had reached marvelous ages and
questioned them scientifically as to
how they had done it.
Six hundred seventy-two men and
women (381 men and 291 women) Dr.
Davis found in 30 states of this coun
try living now who have reached 90
years. One hundred thirty-five of
these had reached or passed the cen
tury mark.
One. Mrs. L. E. Killcrease, Pine Hills,
terminable time, the witch stopped and
pushed her into a room full of chairs,
there must have been hundreds of them.
"Here, take this dust-cloth and pol
ish the furniture," said the old woman
as she flopped down on the floor so
that poor Bertie hadn't even the chance
of neglecting one chair.
Bertie had no choice, so she started
right in without even once contradict
ing the witch, and in a very shr-t time
she was dusting the last chair. Then
the old woman led her into a still
larger room in which were rows of
unmade beds.
"Make up these ' beds," said the old
witch, grinning furiously, "and mind
that you do them neatly.
Again she sat right down on the
floor and waited for the task to be
done.
"Well, I'm right glad to see that you
can work, and now I know that it was
sheer laziness." She grabbed Bertie
by the arm and shook her roughly. Til
cure you of that before I'm done with
you, do you hear?" and again she shook
the child.
THE SUNDAY OREGONTAJi. PORTLAND, OCTOBER 31, 1915.
jyVo ron .
Tex., is 138 years old. She is thought
to be the oldest woman in the world.
Mrs. Killcrease has a daughter nearly
100 years old.
In the year since he began his scien
tific investigation into the growing-old
problem Dr. Davis has interviewed 10 7
of the 672 persons of great age. He
had a list of more than 200 set ques
tions which he asked them all. The
data which he obtained is startling in
many of its results. The Investigator,
who is writing a book which will deal
largely with the technical side, gave in
an interview what was his desire in
questioning old men and women as
follows:
"I desired to learn what habits and
conditions help most to make man well
and vigorous and live long. What ones
cripple and destroy him too soon. 1
wanted to know Just what influences
make us healthy, energetic and opti
mistic, which ones help us to obtain the
most comfort, service and happiness
from our lives and which ones pre
vent us from attaining these desired
results.
"I wanted to learn the great values
of life the beneficent forces and the
avoidable errors and dangers. Also I
wanted the largest possible amount of
evidence and testimony from living
people who have traveled far enough
on the way of life to have an extensive
knowledge from which to draw con
clusions and who have become calm
and unbiased in their judgment."
The old persons found were in all
stages of life as to prosperity. The
range was from Thomas Morris, 121
years old, Westerville, Neb., who
begged tobacco or food supplies as pay
to answer Dr. Davis' questions, to Levi
P. Morton, 91 years, merchant, banker.
diplomat. ex-Congressman, ex-Governor quantities of milk, either sweet or but- ever aUowed a chronic disease to ob
and ex-Vice-president of the United termilk. tain a hold.
States, and Henry Gassoway Davis, 93-, All have always been cheerful and None of the centenarians ever wor-
"Dry these and mind that you don't
break one. Here's a towel."
Bertie began what seemed an end
less task, but the dishes soft of dried
themselves, and this time the witch
smiled a really human smile as she
said: "I must say that I'm pleased
with you. I . think you are sorry for
not helping your mother and Bridget
more, aren't you?'
"Indeed I am and please may I go.
home now?"
"Yes, but first I will impose these
tasks on you. Every day you must
make this bed."
She pointed to a bed Just like the
one In Bertie's own bedroom. My, how
her heart beat with Joy when she saw
it! "I will gladly do that," she cried.
"You must keep these chairs free
from dust," said the witch, and Bertie
saw three chairs exactly like her own
bedroom chairs. She clapped her hands
with delight. "May I go now?" she
pled.
"First promise to dry these dishes
when Bridget is out," and right before
Bertie there loomed a large tray of wet
dishes. i
"I promise to do all these things,
and any more that my mother may ask
me, only take me to her, please."
"Well, it is high time that you were
trying to repay some of her many
kindnesses to you; now go, and never
let me see your face again."
Bertie was about to ask the way home
when she heard her mother's voice say
ing: "Bertie, you'll be late for school if
you don't hurry," and so she never
knew how she got back. But she was
home again with her dear mother, and
she determined to keep the promises
made to the old witch, so that she
might never have the nightmare again.
EVERY MAN A BRICK.
"Every man a brick," originated with
Lycurgus, who was once asked why
the City, of Sparta didn't have a wall,
like the other Greek places. He pointed
proudly to the soldiers and answered:
"There is my wall and every man is a
brick." Hence, to call a man a "brick"
is a great compliment, and means that
he is a true fellow.
THE MIGHTY DOLAR.
We all love the mighty dollar!
This comes to us from the German
Thaler, which is derived from Thai, a
valley in Bohemia, where the silver
wsrks. were located that , originally
made this precious coin.
lb Live
a "hundred-fold millionaire, ex-United
States Senator and one-time Democratic
candidate for the second biggest public
position in the gift of the people, both
of whom still gird themselves daily for
work.
There was one great outstanding fact
that towered above all others in its
unanimous answer. That was that all
persons who have reached great age
did, at least in the first part of their
lives, live out of doors almost contin
ually and they always had ventilation
in their sleeping rooms.
This accounts, perhaps, for the rea
son that a great majority of the old
men and women who answered que
ries were farmers. Next came car
penters and merchants. No matter
what the vocation after reaching ma
jority, however, the early lives even
of men like Levi P. Morton and Henry
Gassoway Davis were spent on a farm
ilr Trork fllctn tn thin
There were some outstanding results
not expected.
Practically none of those who have
lived to a ripe old age ever have in
dulged In tobacco, alcohol or stimu
lants of any -kind except in a small de
gree. There are only a small number
of instances where persons after be
coming old Indulge at all In any stim
ulants. Old persons depend very little on
medicine and have never done so. ,'
Most of the old persons were vsjry
fond of honey and have always in
dulged themselves in it. Sweets are
supposed to be rheumatism breeders.
Salt and Denser only In verv small
quantities have ever been used by the
old neoDle. Some never use condi-
ments of any kind.
Practically all are users in goodly
Up in the Tree.
rriHANK 'goodness," said Papa
I Squirrel, leaping up on the
-- highest branch of the tree
where Mrs. Squirrel and her babies
three were eagerly awaiting him.
"What kept you so long, dear?" asked
Mamma Squirrel.
"Those horrid boys again!" ex
claimed Mr. Squirrel.
"Poor Hubby," sighed Mamma, strok
ing his" tail. "Have they been throw
ing stones at you? They ought to be
ashamed "
"Stones they were rocks!" said Mr.
Squirrel, returning his. wife's caress.
"They were as big as big well, as
big as apples."
"I wonder why they can't leave us
alone. Wo wouldn't think of hurt
ing them, now would we?" and the
babies three said "No" in a chorus.
"You are so little and they are so
big," wailed Mamma. "They ought to
be ashamed of themselves. I hate
them."
"They are thoughtless," said Papa,
"and they like to see me run."
"That is stupid," answered Mamma.
"I'm glad our children know more than
that."
"We will never frighten little boys,"
said one of the babies three. "Will
we?"
At that moment one of the babies
three ran down the tree, and without
noticing a little girl who lay dreaming
under the tree, he frisked right over
her. With a start the child woke up
and when she saw the animal she
gave a scream and ran crying home
to her mother.
Mamma Squirrel whisked her tail
fjyj Cv-s-k NN
Solution to Uailovreea Pnjnpklsu
YOUNG
r
lOO Years f
great laughers. They never worried.
All worked hard all their lives. In
cluding the millionaires.
Many children in a family seems to
have been no drawback in reaching old
age, although the average seems to
bring the proper number to three to
five children.
The data show that a fat man or
woman has as much chance of growing
old as a rich man to enter the kingdom
of heaven. It can be done, but there
is only one such instance in the data.
The women especially are small, aver
aging arounid 125 pounds all their lives.
The old people always have been
great sleepers. The majority always
went to bed between 8 and 9:30 o'clock
and arose from i to S o'clock in the
morning.
These are the high pl aces in the data.
Dr. Davis gives the following conclu
sions from the data he obtained from
interviews with old persons:
Heredity is a big factor, but environ
ment is more important. A bad start
in life in the way of strength can be
overcome by proper development.
The data show thai a sickly child or
adult by "foptlng; a regime of tern
perance and optimism, can reach a
great age.
The family of three to five children
is the best size.
Blonds have the best show in the old
age marathon. Brunettes run a very
poor second.
Farm raising is conducive to old age
and city life Is not.
Academic education cuts no figure in
longevity.
Marriage conduces strongly to old
age.
The oldest, intermediate and young
est children in the average family are
equally healthy and bright.
Children who run through the line of
child's diseases, such as measles, diph-
theria and scarlet fever, have little
chance of growing old.
and began to lecture her baby. "How
dare you frighten the little girl," she
scolded. "Don't you know that you are
putting yourself on a level with the
naughty boys that torment your
father?"
The baby squirrel apologized and then
they all sat down to a fine dinner of
nuts and tried to forget their troubles.
Our Puzzle Corner
PRINTER'S PI.
At Edith's party she served pie. Not
pie like you and I enjoy eating, but
printer' pi. Each little guest received
a "pie" all his own . and was asked
to tell the -name of it. Each "pie"
was made up of a word closely con
nected with Halloween. Five of the
"pies" are given here: Tichw, nertnal,
popoks, sthog, lignob see if you can
guess them.
HALLOWEEN CONUNDRUM.
Fm a poor old soul, whom everybody
despises
From the time the sun sets until
It rises,
I come down to earth each year at
Halloween
With my good black cat, my feline
queen.
You can find me with sand on hotel
menus
And my name sounds the same as
a pronoun you use.
But if I tell you more, you'll be as
wise as I, .
So till Halloween, I'll say good-bye.
Ansyers.
Printer's Pie Witch, Lantern, spools,
ghost, goblin.
Halloween Conundrum Witch.
Mllwaukie- .kene. .ouheU?!OL ! k k
Halloween.
HALLOWEEN Is the eve of All Hal
lows, or All Saints' day, and comes
down from the last three festivals ob
served by the Druids.
The Druids were a tribe of ancient
days who were scattered over North
ern Europe, and their three great fes
tivals occurred on May 1, the season
for sowing; June 21, the time for
ripening, and October 31, the time for
gathering in the harvest.
On October 31 the Druid priests met
at their sacred altars, dressed in their
white robes, to extinguish the fires
and kindle new ones that were to In-
AfeZ?7. Afes- tte Oldest
money, but a retentive memory, ab li
ned. Constipation had no place In Ity to read, physical comfort and friend
their lives. &re causes for this contentment.
None ever overate. Practically all Their 10 best years of work was from
were moderate and careful eaters. Be- 85 to 45. Thir period of most content
cause of proper eating practically none ment was from 45 to 50.
hai heart trouble, high blood pressure Most of the centenarians have read
and few colds. the Bible extensively, been religious
The majority Blept with their heads and have been frequent church-goers,
near an open window every night in They have enjoyed life and would glad
the year. ly live longer. But they express them-
Not one of the centenarians ever took selves as ready to go when the time
many drugs or had high blood pressure, comes. They have been kind, fond of
Few of the old age group ate meat
(including bacon, chicken and fish)
more than once a day.
All used a minimum of salt and pep-
per and other condiments.
The old people, practically without
exception, had a weakness for honey.
But they did not eat much candy,
Fruits, dairy productit, vegetables and
honey were used mostly as edibles by
the old people.
Coffee and tea seldom were used
more than once a day. Many never in
dulged in either. Milk, both sweet and
buttermilk, is drunk much.
Comparatively few centenarians ever
chewed or smoked tobacco or drank al
coholic llqwors and very few have been
even moderate users of them.
- All old persons drank much water,
but practically none of them ever drank
mineral water.
Baldness Is the exception among the
very old.
Practically all faced poverty and
hard work when children and those
who have been successful have kept
up the bard work. Most of them are
working actively after 100.
All had system and regularity in their
daily work. Few ever hurried.
The things which most of them had
great Interest in were people, plants,
trees, animals, machines, rocks, bird
llfe, streams, landscapes anything
having to. do with the great out of
doors.
All had a variety of interests and
they have kept up Interest In these
things. They are never idle In work
time, but there is no worry in their
sure good luck: throughout the Winter
season. This ceremony was carried
on amid much shouting and ceremony,
and the homes were supposed to be
protected so long as the- fires were
kept burning.
With the spreading of Christianity
this idea faded away, and gradually
the serious nature of the ceremonies
changed into our present mode of cele
bration funmaking. By and by, the
simple-minded country folk began to
believo that the fairies left their hid
ing places on that night and danced
in the forests, while goblins and
witches held sway over deserted ruins
and -dark ways.
All these changes were very gradual,
and even as late as the 17th century,
farmers would make a tour of their
estates on Halloween, swinging burn
ing torches and chanting weird songs,
to protect their land from evil during
the Winter.
AESOFS RETOLD.
Tbe Ass In the Lion's Skin.
TO an Oriental donkey there occurred
a thought so funny v
That he wouldn't have exchanged it
for a pocket full of money;
HALLOWEEN
This boy Is cutting' eyes, nose and
make a pumpkin face by cutting out th
0 9
oStPbs-ZteritZ, SO re3jcr
activity. All had their times of re
laxation and recreation.
Those who have become centenarians
have smiled much in their lives and
they have laughed boisterously. Thero
Is no exception to this.
Ambition for pecuniary wealth alone
is found in only a few of those who)
have grown old.
Great readers are the old people.
Their greatest joy in old age (and
practically all say they have been hap
py the, last 20 years) is reading. Not
children, been moderate talkers and
faced life serenely.
Perhaps the best known as well as
the most prominent old persons in the
country men who have been leaders
ln different fields are Levi P. Morton,
91 years, of New York; Henry Gasso-
way Davis. 93 years. -of West Virginia,
and Colonel Robert T. Van Horn, 9S
years old, of Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Morton is very wealthy, very in
fluential. He has been in his life
merchant, banker, Minister to France,
Governor of New York. United States
Congressman and Vice-President of the
United States. He has been a man of
the first rank in all activities.
Mr. Morton began life In Shoreham.
Vt., being the son of a poor minister.
He is a descendant of George Morton,
who came over in the Mayflower. Mor
ton was one of eight children. He be-
an .work for a living at 15 years and
has kept at the work part since. He
married when 30 years old. He was a
bankrupt in the Civil War. 40 years
old then, but recovered and paid every
thing dollar for dollar,
Henry Gassoway Davis probably is
worth 8100.000,000, all of which he has
made. He was born near Baltimore
and began his career at 15 years as
superintendent of & plantation. Later
he was a brakeman, conductor and,
agent. After that he became a mer-
chant, leading collier. Then came the
projection of the West Virginia, Cen-
tral & Pittsburg Railway, of which he
Is president.
He began his political career in 1865.
(Concluded on Pag 6.)
How he would take a lion's akin and
put It on so neatly
That all the other animals should be
deceived completely.
6o doing for a day or two, he found
it great enjoyment;
He never In his life had found so pleas
ant an employment;
The beasts all ran at his approach as
he went on exploring;
Until he met & fox and tried to Trightea
hun with roaring.
"Ah," said the fox, "I, too, should
run, without a thought of stay
lng.
But that I recognize the ass, whose
roaring is but braying."
Then others saw him eating grass and
browsing in the valley.
And said: "This lion's actions and ap
pearance hardly tally."
Ere long the animals came out from
all their biding places.
And chased the donkey home again
to work between the traces.
. . . . . . .
Deception soon or later will receive
contempt and loathing;
No one can make a gentleman by sim
ple change of clothing.
PUMPKIN.
mouth in a pumpkin. Bee if you can
e black tpots and fitting them together.