Past the
- Mark A W;::;:
v V. ii Kiwi r ; iS-f l. . , ' , V s Nt
: ,. . Off j'-Wf fe r
" ' ' X ''y-t'tt" "' Waj.EdwJ3T: Monroe
n,, r-; iv ,
former Senatjcr"Ccrncl: us Co
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
r-7 X HECtXT weeks a for
eign visitor to our shores
hns attracted considerable
attention by his claims to
being irG yours old. He Is
Zaro Agha.who hails from
I.stambuI.Turkey, and who
has many Interesting ro-
ollectioni of events which took r',''
over century ago. II claims that
when he was 20 years old he heard
the news of the execution of Louis
XVI and Marie Antoinette of France,
nd that he served as a soldier in the
Turkish army In when the Turks
ucceasfully barred the march of Na
poleon from Egypt through Palestine
toward India.
Turing his visit to Tarls, before
eomlng to the United States. It was
reported that he had "no official docu
ments with stamps or seals to prove
his unusual age," but upon his ar
rival at Providence, It I., last July
he wa photographed "exhibiting his
birth certificate which Is diited Feb
ruary 10, 1774." As a result of the
publicity which this venerable Turk
has received, some even more remark
able cases of longevity have been re
porteL One Is a Chinaman, for whom
the claim of being 1C3 years old has
been set forth. Another Is Ivan Pros
kunlak, a Husian peasant, who Is
claimed to be 170 and Is said to have
been discovered last year by Henri
r.arbusse, the French author, la the
course of a long trip through the Ural
mountains In Ilussla. M. F.arbnse Is
reported to have declared that "Iv:in
I'roskuniak Is an even better pre
served upeclmen of humanity thnn
Zaro Aha. Ivan has all his teeth,
eats goulash peppered with powerful
fplces and chews tobacco, while Zaro
can only nmnaza milk and goat's
cheese for his diet."
Kut the prize winner so far Is an
other Chinaman If we are to believe
the following story which appeared
In the New York World recently:
"That lively young man from Tur
key, Zaro Agha. who claims a nn-re
VS years of life, must surrender his
longevity laurels without a struggle
If the life story of LI Chung j un,
whose fame reaches these shores from
fur off China, is ever authenticate.
For LI claims to have entered this
world )ars aco nnd grown to the
prime of manhood W years before
Zaro was given his Grit nursing bot
tle. Nor does LI concede a thing to the
playboy of Istamhul in the matter of
matrimonial prowess. He claims to
have buried 2.'! wives before taking his
twenty-fourth bride, while Zaro led
but 11 to the altar.
"One record young Mr. Agha may be
welcome to retain as far as LI Is con
cerned: the Turk's claim to be the
only man alive who has nurvlwd 1"0
years without a single drink stronger
than gout's milk to sustain him Is not
challenged by the 2.7'-y ear-old China
man. He hut never kept tra u of how
much rice wine he may Lave consumed
In the last two and a half centuries.
"P.ut LI, like Zaro, does confine
himself to his own .articular diet,
and the Item In It which he attributes
Lis hardihood is ginseng root.
"Lest any reader be Incredulous of
Li's age let us huxten to add that It
Is vouched for by that eminent schol
ar, General Pel-fu, who also qualifies
as a full-fledged ex-war lord, having
captured Pelplng after the custom of
great military figures In his native
land and having once brought all
Xorth China under Lin away, Fu oc
casionally' takes his pen In hand.
"According to Fu, nt whose home
the venenibla LI lived for some time,
the tatter Is 'an educated man and
ntlll possesses a virile mind.' In fact,
lie recently delivered a series of lec
tures at the University of Changtu on
the art of life in general, with par
ticular emphasis on how to get the
most out of each century.
"LI, who eats nothing but herbs, dis
believes strongly In any form of stren
uous exercise. 'Golf Is the shortest
way to a short life,' he told one of
his audiences. When he was 217, he
added, he himself tried half an hour
of tennis, which he regrets to this
day, feeling that it shortened his life
tjiun at least a decade. A life of har
mony In spirit and soul Is the es
sence of his teaching.
"Prof. Wu Chung-chleh, dean of the
department of education at Changtu
university, Inn learned, It is reported,
is
Gentarir
She mC IS
FT W
that 102 years ago LI received offi
cial felicitations from the Chinese
government on the occasion of his one
hundred fiftieth birthday, and that
again, in 1S77. the government con
gratulated him on passing the 200.
year mark. He Is further reported to
have found record showing that LI
was born In 1077."
Such are the reports which have
been widely published In our newspa
pers during past months. Put they
have also resulted In discussions in
other publications which tend to dis
credit these stories and bring the
weight of scientific testimony to bear
out the belief that none of those men
tioned are anywhere near the age
claimed for them. Kecentiy the New
York World expressed its doubt that
Zaro Agha was 1"1 years old and
quoted the chief actuary of the New
York Life Insurance company to the
effect that no authentic record exists
of a humi.n life longer than l' years.
"Centenarians are and have always
been extremely warce. There were
only sllshtly more than 4" people
In the United States In the last cen
sus who claimed to have attained that
ae. P.ut Jt Is significant that of this
number almost ?,) were negroes;
close to 2.i"0 negro wmm-n said they
were 1"0 years old or over. Although
nero females form only 5 per cent
of tlie total population, they give the
country half Its centenarians:
"On Its face, such a situation Is
highly Improbable, and while we are
not questioning the honesty of those
who make the claim, we strongly sus
pect that in the great majority of
cases they are mistaken as to the ex
act number of years they have lived.
Many of the old negro people are Il
literate, and nearly all of them lack
authentic records giving the date of
their birth.
"In fact, we find that wherever rec
ords are absent centenarians rise up
a'nd flourish. Turkey and the Palkans
have long been a happy hunting
ground for centenarians, In spite of
the fact that conditions of life are
very hnrd and public health standards
are exceedingly low. The claims to
extreme old age are nearly always
appealing fictions.
"In my opinion, authentic centenari
ans are so few In America that they
can be counted on the fingers of one's
two hands."
Perhaps most Interesting of all "au
thentic centenarians" which this coun
try has ever known was Cornelius
Cole. In 1022 the New York Times
printed an Interview with him In
which he Is described thus:
"In IS 17 young Cornelius Cole, then
twenty-four years old, received his
degree of bachelor of arts from Wes
leyan university. A short time later
came rumors of the gold discovery In
California and with a half dozen
friends he set out to make his for
tune. In 1U22, Cornelius Cole, sole
survivor of his class, preparing to
celebrate his hundredth birthday on
September 17, received an Invitation
from his alma mater to come to Mid
dletown, Conn., and receive an honor
ary LL. D. In spite of opposition from
friends and members of his family
who thought the Journey too arduous
for a centenarian, he came, bringing
with him recollections which went
back to the thrilling days of M0, and
an active legal life that Included a
friendship with Lincoln, a place In
both houses of congress, an Interest
ing part In the purchase of A!anka
to say nothing of a live Interests In
events of today.
"Cornelius Cole, centenarian, for
mer senator from California and na
tive of Seneca county, New York,
seems scarcely more than 7 Ills fncj
Is sun browned nnd un wrinkled. Hv Ii
active and robust and will sooner
offer his arm to a woman when criil
lag a mean spot In the road than tc
think of taking hers. Ills memory U,
surprising, his outlook young, and Ids
comments when not serious are col
ored hy a sense of humor that a ma
half his age might envy." t
Ex Senator Cole died November 3,
1921, at the ago of 12. The record
In his case Is clear. Hut considering
the fact that It would have been easj
enough to check up on the facts, It
seems remarkable that In 102 1 many
newspapers printed the picture ol
"MhJ. Edward James Monroe, son of
the fifth President of the Uu!te,d
States, who Is feeling fit at the agt
of 100." The only difficulty with tut
story Is that President Monroe hJ
two daughters but no son I
. Stories of persons who claim to
have lived more than VX years are
numerous, but few of these cases will
stand up under rigid Investigation, ac
ordlng to James A. Toby, writing In
recent Issue of the Scientific Ameri
can, who says that the age of a very
old person seems to be one of the
matters most susceptible to deviation
from the truth, for memories are usu
ally hazy In the extremely old. an
the relatives, friends, sd neighbors
of these patriarchs seem always ready
to exaggerate their antiquity.
He then cites numerous example
of longevity which -proved to be
greatly exaggerated. A few years ago
a Kentmklan named John Shell re
ceived considerable notoriety as being
131 years of age, but a somewhat
searching Inquiry revealed him to be
not more than 100, If he were even
that.
In 1001 a Russian newspaper cnlmly
reported the death at the advanced
age of ISO of a woman named Theresa
Abalva. Another Uusslan newnpaper
In 1020 was more modest, for It al
lotted only l.'!S years to Ivan Trety.i,
1 peasant of llostov. A Hungarian
fanner, Peter Zortay or Torton, ex
ceeded thetn all for he was supposed
to have been IS.') when he died In
1724; as was also St. Monagh. whos
death occurred In 1751. Some months
ago Henri I!arbuse, the French au
thor, recounted his visit In Georgia
In Transcaucasia to Nikolai Andreje
vltch Shapkovsky, who was reputed
to be between 112 and 117.
One of the most famous of the very
au'ed persons of history was Old Parr,
who was said to have been born In
England In IK! and to have died
there In He was working ns a
farm laborer at the au'e of L"2 when
on Interested nobleman, the earl of
Arundel, took him to London and puf
him on exhibition where he died a
short time law-r. John Taylor, known
as the "Water Poet," got out a boo
called "The Olde, Olde, Very Olde
man," In which he extolled this long
life In prose and verse.
Thomas Parr was snld to have been
married at 12, and after the suitable
Interval to have become the father of
a child. When he died In 10.'!.'., th
celebrated William Harvey, discover
er of the circulation of the blood, per
formed an autopsy on him and found
his general condition good, though the
brain cells were somewhat worn. A
reprint of Taylor's book was Issued
by James Caulfleld of London In 1704.
Old Parr's unusual age was accepted
until 1S73 when W. J. Thorns, deputy
librarian of the house of lords, made
a real Investigation of the case and
concluded. that about fifty year had
been Improperly tacked on to the ac
tual life of Parr. The gentleman was
a real centenarian, but little more
than that
Mr. Thorns also exposed two other
notorious long-lifers. A certain coun
tess of Desmond was credited with
140 years, but the doubting librarian
showed that the ages of two separate
countesses of the same name had been
added together; Instead of one person
living to 140 years, two women had
each lived about 70.
A writer familiar with Mr. Thorn's
Iconoclnsin on this subject, a John B,
Bailey, wrote a book In 18SS which ho
called "Modern Methuselnhs," and In
It he cited a number of instances of
well-known centenarians. j
lie begun with St. Anthony, who
was said to have lived to 10,", but
most of his other examples, such ns
the Emperor Cantacuzenus of the
Fourteenth century, Pletho, Corn aro,
Titian, De Fontenelle and Anmry,
were only 00 or 100. The author,
however, did list a dozen cases which
he believed to have been actually 100
years old or more.
(ffi by Wwttrn Nfpapr Unload
E
. PARADE
-fly-
Evelyn
Campbell
(Copyrlnlit hy Kv n t nitill.)
THE STORY
Mills Haverhill's n'er-i1o-wll
father die wlnn h Ii (even
tcn, leavliitf her llllte tipyond
Rome woithtvit itix k i-io 1 !(Vut
Tln' ti titkei to her father
friend, 8,'iifttor Con Vitus, to tl
poet of After whirlwind
coilr uhlp l.liuln nmrrlet Court
my Moth Too hue ht dlncuv
ri he It iiiiIIii tilvenlurer
living he hi win li.'th riles In
Swlunlund t.lmls continue to
live Ilk woman of wealth.
Th nenator tiHll her wlih
money, keeping up th fiction
that net loi k I yielding It. On
trip h meet lirlnn Antiey.
CHAPTER III Continued
-6
They talked about everything but
the weather, which proved at once
that they were unusual people, l.liuln
discovered at once that her companion
was from Oregon; that he was going
to Washington nnd would be there for
month or two. She discovered other
things charming things uhout him.
That he liked dogs better than auto
mobiles, and the morning before seven
o'clock ; that he preferred simple Mow
ers and (he mountains to (he sen.
It began to grow cold In the conch.
Outside was a dense wall of white
ness, and by straining necks dim
glimpses of shapeless things might bo
had n house hurled under strnw or
the twisted form of a tree, grotesquely
burgeoning. Passengers huddled In
wraps and rugs, and their grumbles
grew louder ns the air became staler.
"Would you like to. walk a llttlet"
Prl.in asked, ami Linda assented
eagerly.
Hut as they were starting he made
her return to tier section.
"You can't go Into snow dressed like
that." He was looking so sternly nt
her slim, suede clad feet that Linda
broke Into gay laughter. He laughed
with her, nnd this put them on an In
foNnal biifcls. He turned to his own
secthm and unbuckled a bag, return
ing presently with a pair of dark red
morocco slippers and a couple of
scarfs. Linda put out her little feet
and allowed him to fasten the moc
casins upon them with a few elllcletit
swirls of the scarves.
"You tie beautiful knots," she said,
"but It Is a champ to spoil yutir nice
scarf that blue one espocla!ly.h
She was surprised nt her own docll
lfy. A cup of hot tea and two or
three pillows would have been more
to her taste, hut there she was. stum
bllng along through the snow wl'ti
her feet done up lll:e bundle.
"If we keep to the beaten path It
will be easier. I think,'' he said, and
she followed, half laughing, half an
ooved, at her own cluni-y progress.
The prospect outside was not verj
good. People were running about help
li-ssly giving advice that nobody heard,
but the train crew was taking It very
easily; they knew that human power
could do little against the tremendous
force of nature that opposed thorn
The snow, banked higher than the en
glne, resisted every effort to pene
trate It. There was something nlonil
contempt nous about Hint Impiisslvlf v
The great black bulk of machinery, so
devastating In Its flights, stood ap
palled, like a shiny beetle drawing In
Its claws.
Brian Anstey talked to the train
men. They answered courteously, not
Ignoring him ns they had some of the
oth
Linda heard nil that was said. The
train could not move until the snow
plows came, and that might not he
until the following day, 'for the storm
had boon worse further along the line
and there were o'her tie-ups
Linda's teeth were alreud.v chatter
ing, and the terrible cold found and
seled upon her body benealh her furs.
At that moment her spirit was low.
Indeed. The delay would disarrange
her plans hopelessly, The chances of
month at Miami, delightfully cared
for by the (Jregsons, was gone glltn
nierlng. She tried to adjust her mind
to this misfortune, hut her thoughts
refused to coagulate. Physical dis
comfort dwarfed all her mental proc
esses. "How stupid I am," she thought
angrily. "I've boon In worse predica
ment than thin. .Some way will he
found." But still she fell like a deso
lated child.
The strange young man with the
kind eyes was speaking to her, "I've
secured a place for you on the sledge,"
he said. "We must go hack und got
your hand luggage." lie spoke In the
same quiet, sure woy (hat had accom
plished lh" morocco slippers and
again she yielded to his suggestion.
But when she was settled In the
ungainly conveyance with half a dozen
women, all whimpering, she found
that Brian Anstey was going, too. lie
stood on the step and talked to the
driver, occasionally Jumping off to
help shovel snow when tits horse
lloundcrcd Info deeper drifts.
I.lmhi found watching him Irresist
ible, Ho actually seemed (o enjoy
tho effort of dragging tho great horses
nliout, Mho had always hated snow;
It reminded her of it particularly dls
agreeable period oi her life. But this
snow was different. There was soma
thing crude and pristine about It. II
was not a theatrical snow, where om
may break one's neck on a neatly
constructed slide; II was homelike
making one think of warm tires anil
pipes and fleecy blanket. Not tliai
l.lndit knew tiny of these thluus from
personal experience, but they hud
their nook In her Imagination with
other fancl.'.
A he helped her from her seat, she
asked him why he had come, nnd tils
answer brought swift, unexpected
color to her face,
"To look after you, of course." lie
spoke so simply that she was tiMlmiiied
of tier subterfuge,
Tho hotel was as crude as the Ne
braska snowfall.
"You have been so kind ym will
dine with tnel" she murmured at tno
foot of the stairs,
lie laughed. "I'd love to, only It
will he supper In this place. There
will bo ham mid eggs and four kinds
of bread nnd I hopo you won't be 111
front the experience."
She felt a little shock. He wu
laughing at her I In a second she
renll.ed how she must look to him
exotic, supeiiluous, loo line for rude
contacts. She managed to make her
mouth look tremulous and sweet is
she answered gully !
"Anything o that It I wnrmP
The other women did not like 1.1ml
They eyed her fur coat and tier ankles
with equal disapproval, a.id when she
found that she was to share a room
with one of them she protested In such
a way that tho proprietor at once gave
her another.
"Nuturally you'd want to bo with
your husband," said the discarded
roommate with embittered sweetness,
nnd Linda, off guard, topviitel blunk
I "My husband?"
The other slmi.laied confusion, "Oh.
Isn't he? I thought"
As Llndu sat beside Brian at their
corner of the long table she said tt
him Indifferently. "They're gossiping
slrcnily, so you must not be so nice
to me If gossip annoy you."
The women crowded together at the
other end of the table a If (hey
feared contact with other diner were
all of the kind that are to be seen In
pullimtn enrs and nowhere else. Com
fortnhly dressed but you wondered
where they bought their clothes. In
every big department store In the
country, hundreds like thetn milled
like cattle from nine lo four every day
the year around, yet It was only nt
time like this that such fines iooi
out; such personalities bream ohvl
mi. They were till terribly frightened
at the publicity suddi-tily thrust upon
them. They objected while (hey se
cretly swelled with Importance. But
they were determined to remain com
pletely virtuous nnd upright In the
face of nneonveniloiinllty,
Brian Anstey glanced ut thetn, and
then smiled nt l.luda.
"It's their (bailee to air their 'opin
ions ii ti if te listened lo," he sab), slid
she added In a drawling cold voice
that did not suit her glowing, glrlUh
face, "and their opportunity to make
a show of their morality."
"Iioti't be Severe. They are all
home women, hound to be a little nar
row. In a simple life this must be km
adventure close quarters with tin
known neighbors."
"That Is why you cnniiot really ad
mire simplicity or naturalness; It I
all so baleful Just under the surface."
"Ho you ililnk so?" he frowned, lie
looked much older when he was serl
mis, she decided. She did not renlU
nire what these women thought; sin
would never see one of them again
tint she mount lo lease him a little
more. "You must not confuse silly
chattering women with simplicity nnd
milurulness." be said sternly, and
glanced ncufn nt the group who be
came conscious Hint IIkj were undei
discussion nnd were seiitiditll.ed. "You
will find their sort everywhere."
"But much worse In simple little
towns."
"I will not admit Unit. It Is la
cause cities are more Indifferent."
She shook her bead. "You an
wrong. Cities are not Indifferent
They Judge with milliners nnd mom!
hut the city euro only for appeal
niiccs. It Is much easier to live up to
You can always buy appearance and
have them delivered to your door In ,i
box."
(TO HP. CONIINUKD)
Weighing Sand
According to the fedeial and stnfc
law a bushel of sund weighs Pin
pounds In most of the suites; In I'enn
sylvanlii the weight I 100 pounds lo
a bushel. And a cubic yard of suml
contains 'J.tKMl pounds.
Mark' Mechanical Engineers hand
book gives the weight of dry, loose
sand and gravel ns IK) to 10.1 pounds
per cubic fool; sand nnd gravel dry
nnd packed, 100 to I'.'O pounds; sand
and gruvel wet, UN to 1110 Miiinds.
Padlocked
Little Mary, on her first trip to
the country, hnd become greatly In
terested In the cow. Khe watched
thetn closely for a while, especially
the cow around whose neck a bell
was tied,
"Mother, he said finally, "Look
at that cow with the padlock around
her neck I"
Need of th Hour
"What an old fashioned country this
I. Haven't you camel with lifts?"
Ltmtlge Blaeltcr, Berlin.
Mi
There's scarcely tin nclm or pain
that H.iyrr Aspirin won't tclicvt
('romf'tty. It can t remove the rnine,
nit it tvill relieve the pain I llcad
nchc.s. Il.nkachcs. Neuritis ami
neuralgia. Yes, and rheumatism.
Mead proven directions for many
important uses, (icttuitic Aipiritt
can't depress the heart. Look (or
the JJaycr cross:
Cramp Caui
The cramp which attack swim
mer Is generally duo to one of two
causes excessive use of muscles tin.
accustomed to exercise and the In
terruptlon of digestion by bathing
too soon after a meal.
KREMOLA
FACE BLEACH
IVnltlvely eradicate, (mm the aVIn all ton. ninth
pilt he.Miliir mmil,-iin. inmplrt, n irina etc.
At drug mid dr4 tuir or li mull. I'isetl .1,
IIKAtri Y IUNIKI.Hr Kkl E
OH. C. II. SIMRT CO.
Irr M1Ma Ave. Ckteaga, lit,
World' Typewriting Record
One hundred and thirty live word
iidnuto I the new world' record
for typing. This wns attained by
George U Ilosstletd, September 'ft,
ID'.'l), III Toronto, Canada. Mr. 11 ss
Held also held tho record for th
following yeiint: 1011. P.t'.'O, 1921,
1922. llC'fl and H'-'7. The record wn
lunde by plain copying from straight
reading mutter. The writing ttm
lasted for one hour.
Mi:ni( im:
Aiiixirr
sua:
HIE IDEAL
FAMILY
LAXATIVE
NOV
ft A ll ti
Effcftlrc In Milder Doses
Insist on (he Genuine
FOR CONSTIPATION
Cheap ColJ Storage
Satisfactory roulis have hern ob
tained by the .North I'ukotu Agr.
cultural college In the formation of
an Ice well for conllug and ktoting
luilk. The c win made during win
ter months by running n small iptati
tlty of water In the well every day.
The gradual freezing formed a lura
cuke of Ice which lasted through the
ltd summer. This experimental well
wns eight feet square, nine nin olio,
half feet ilerp, with hoarded M'le
nnd gravel bottom.
Show Up Tuberculoid
H w tiiberciibisU affects farm mil
Mills Is being shown by an Ingenious
exhibit from the I'liiled Stales Ie.
pnrtmeiit of Agriculture, which
Dhow large photograph of the ani
mals and thru by a lighting device
reveals an X-ray effect that show
the diseased organs.
WHEN BABIES
ED PT TIIEIirc ore times
I ilk I when a linby is too
fretful or feverish to
be. sung to ulccp. There ore aomo
pains a mother cannot put away. Hut
there's quick comfort in Castoriul
For diurrhca, nnd other infunlilo
ills, give this pure vegctabio prepara
tion. Whenever coated tongues tell
of constipation; whenever there' any
sign of aluggiahness. Cnstoria has a
Rood taste; children love to tuko it.
luy the genuine with Chn. IL
Fletcher' signature on wrapper.
W. N. U., Portland, No. 36-1930.
lllk
3- .
"PI1, 'l" 1M
T"'I'J