A HEALTHY FAMILY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 55, 5 March 1879, Page 4

A HEALTHY FAMILY.

John Gordon, who died Bear T,»rir7, Baoffabire, some time *gq, fttajned t£e remarkable ag« of 4 bundtM aadtbirtyIwo ye*rs f 4|l tbe traveller* who ebaneed to fill at tbe neighboring inn of Tor iff was uniformly directed by tbe landlady , Mr* Wallace, to tbo cottage of tbe p»«giM<&, wberi ihey woold see, sle 09 td to say, the oldest man in B«afliblr*-« ay, or in % y«rJ^ Amoog tb. tiffarfi, m tffm»&

close of harvest, was a young Englishman, who, coming up to the door of tho cottage, accosted a venerablelooking man employad in knitting hose, with, " So, my old friend, can you see to knit at your advanced period of life? One hundred and thirty-two is truly a rare age 1" " Deil's i' the roan, it will be my grandfather ye're seeking — I'm only 73. You'll find him round the corner o 1 the house." On taming round the corner the stranger encountered a debilitated old man, whose whitened locks bore testimony to bis having Jong passed the meridian of life, and whom the strangers at once concluded to be John Gordon himself. '•You seem wonderfully frqsb, my good sir, for «o old a man. I doubt not but you have experienced many viccissitudes in the course of your very long life." " What's your wull, sir ?" inquired the person addressed, whose sense of hearing was somewhat impaired. The observation was repeated. " Oh, ye'Jl be wanting my father, I reckon— he's i' the yard there." The stranger now entered the garden, where he at last found the venerable old man busily employed in digging potatoes, and hommiog the ballad of the Battle of Harlaw. " I have had some difficulty in findiog you, friend, as I successively encountered your grandson and son, both of whom I mistook for you; indeed they seem aa old §s yourself. Your laboar is rath r hard for one at "your advanced age/' "It ia," replied John, " but I'm thankfu' t^at I'm able for% as the laddies, pair things, are no vera stoot noo." The uoiied ages of the worthy trio amounted to upwards of 300 years.