THE CENTRE
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
N RECENT weeks a for-
eign visitor to our shores
has attracted considerable
attention by his claims to
being 156 years old. He is
Zaro Agha, who hails from
Fstambul, Turkey, and who
has many interesting rec-
ollections of events which took place
over a century ago. He claims that
when he was 20 years old he heard
the news of the execution of Louls
XVI and Marie Antoinette of France,
and that he served as a soldier in the
Turkish army in 1798 when the Turks
successfully barred the march of Na-
poleon from Egypt through Palestine
toward India.
During
coming to
reported that he had
ments with stamps
his unusual age,” but
rival at Providence, R. 1,
he wae photographed “exhibiting his
birth certificate which is dated Feb-
ruary 16, 1774." As a result of the
publicity which this venerable Turk
has received, some even more remark-
able cases of longevity have been re-
ported. One is a Chinaman, for whom
the claim of being 183 years old has
been set forth. Another is Ivan Pros.
kuniak, a Russian peasant, who Is
claimed to be 170 and is said
been discovered last year by Henri
Barbusse, the French author, in the
course of a long trip through the Ural
mountains in Barbusse is
reported to have declared that “Ivan
Proskuniak is an even better pre-
served specimen of humanity than
Zaro Agha. Ivan has all his teeth,
eats goulash peppered with powerful
spices and chews tobacco, while Zaro
can only manage milk and goat's
cheese for his diet.”
But the prize
other Chinaman
the following which
Ia the New York Worl
"hat lively young
key, Zaro Agha,
156 years of life, must surrender his
longevity laurels without a struggle
if the life story of Li Chung-yun,
whose fame reaches these shores from
far off China, is authenticated,
For Li claims to entered this
world 202 years ago and grown to the
prime of manhood 96 years before
Zaro was given his first nursing bot-
tie.
Nor does LI concede a thing to the
playboy of Istambul in the matter of
matrimonial prowess. He claims to
have buried 23 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 survived 156
years without a single drink stronger
than goat's milk to sustain him is not
challenged by the 252-year-old China-
man. He has never kept track of how
much rice wine he may have consumed
io the last two and a half centuries.
“But Li, like Zaro, confine
himself to his own particular diet,
and the item In it which he attributes
his hardihood is ginseng root.
“Lest any reader be incredulous of
Li's age let us hasten to add that It
is vouched for by that ewainent schol-
ar, General Pei-fu, who also qualifies
as a full-fledged ex-war lord, having
captured Peiping after the custom of
great military figures In his native
land and having once brought all
North China under his sway. Fu oc-
casionally takes his pen In hand.
“According to Fu, at whose home
the venerable Li lived for some time,
the latter Is ‘an educated man and
still possesses a virile mind.’ In fact,
he recently delivered a series of lee-
tures at the University of Changtu on
the art of life in general, with par-
ticular emphasis on how to get the
out of each century,
“LA 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 himseif tried half an hour
of tennis, which he regrets to this
day, feeling that it shortened his life
span at least a decade. A life of har-
mony In spirit and soul is the es
sence of his teaching,
“Prof. Wu Chung-chieh, dean of the
department of education at Changtu
university, has “~arned, it is reported,
his visit to Paris, before
the United States, it was
*no official docu-
or seals to prove
ar-
July
upon his
last
to have
tussia. M.
far Is an-
are to helieve
appeared
1 recently
winner so
if we
story
man from Tuor-
who claims a mere
ever
have
does
ohn
hell
wien
yy RLG Pry
Zaroc Agha
that 102
cial
years azo LI received offi-
from the Chinese
government on the occasion of his one
hundred fiftieth birthday, and that
again, in 1877, the government con-
gratulated him on | the 200
year mark, He Is further reported to
have found records showing that Li
was born In 1677."
Such are ‘the reports
widely put
pers during
have
felicitations
na
1ssing
which have
ished in our newspa.-
past months, But they
resulted in discussions in
ations which tend to dis
credit bring the
weight of testimony to bear
out the belief that none of those men-
tioned are anywhere near the age
claimed for them. Recently the New
York World expressed (ts it that
Zaro Agha was 156 old and
quoted the chief actuary of the Now
York Life Insurance company to the
effect that no authentic record exists
of a human life longer than 106 years.
“Centenarians d have
extremely
only slightly more than
in the United States In the
sus who elaimed to
heen
nlso
other public
and
these stories
scientific
dout
5 Cars
are an
RCArce.
always
There
4.00%)
been were
people
last
have attained that
that of this
were negroes ;
Cen.
ut it Is signifieant
1088
JX) negro
age,
number alo
S.06x)
close to women sald they
100 years old or over.
females form
of the total population,
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 |l-
literate, and nearly all of them lack
uthentic records giving the date of
their birth,
“In fact, we find that wherever rec
ords are absent centenarians rise up
and flourish, Turkey and the Balkans
have long been a happy hunting
ground for centenarians, in spite of
the fact that conditions of life are
very hard and public henith standards
are exceedingly low. The claims to
extreme old age are nearly always
appealing fictions,
“In my opinion, authentic centenari-
ads 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 1847 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 1022, 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.
dlietown, 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 ¥hrilling days of '40, and
an setive legal life that included a
friendship with Lincoln, a place In
both houses of congress, sn interest.
ing part in the purchase of Alaska
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,
were Although
per cent
they give the
25H oc BR
negro only 5
country
Maj. Edw. Jas Monroe
seems scarcely more than 75. His face
is sun browned and unwrinkled, He is
active and robust and will sooner
offer his arm to a woman when cross-
ing a mean spot in the road than to
think of taking hers. His memory Is
surprising, his outlook young, and his
comments when not serious are col
ored by a sense of humor that a man
half his age might envy.”
Ex-Senator Cole died November 8,
1024, at the of 102. The record
in hig case Is clear. But considering
the fact that it would have been easy
enough to check up on facts, It
seems remarkable that In 1024 many
newspapers printed the picture of
“Mal. Edward Monroe, son of
the fifth resident of the United
at the
age
the
James
nge
th
two daugh
Stories WrsOns hie alm to
are
’ £ i
these cases will
have lived
numerous, but few of
stand up under rigid | st ion, nc
ording to James A 3 ting in a
recent issue of the Scientific Ameri
who says of a
can, tha ef
old person seems one
age
natters most ie to devis
the truth, for mem
hazy
usceptit
Ories are us.
the relat
of these patriarchs seem always
to exaggerate thelr pntiqe
He ‘
of ngevity which proved to be
ated. A few years ago
Shell re
then merous examples
F exagger
a Kentuckian John i
ceived considerable notoriety ns be
131
sarehiing
searciing
not
that
In 1004 a Russian
the des
years of age, bu 8 somewhi
inquiry revealed him
hag
more than 100,
reports 8 i
age of 180 of a woman ! Therese
Abalva, Another Russian newspaper
more modest, for it al
in 1026 wa al
jotted 138 years to Ivan Tretya,
a peasant of Hostav. A Hungarian
farmer, Peter Zortay or Torton, ex-
ceeded 18 supposed
to have when he died In
1724: as Monagh, wh
death occurred in Some
ago Henri
thor,
in Transea
viteh Shapkovsky, who was
to be between 142 and 147.
One of the most famous of the very
aged persons of histury was Old Parr,
have been born In
England in 1453 and to hs died
there in 1635, He was working cs a
farm laborer at the age of 152 when
an interested nobleman, the earl of
Arundel, took him to London and put
him on exhibition where he died a
short time later. John Taylor, known
as the “Water Poet,” got out a book
called "The Olde, Olde, Very Olde
man,” in which he extoiled this long
life In prose and verse.
Only
them all for he wi
been 185
was also St ose
sy
1781.
the
his vigzit
months
Barbusse, French au
in Georgia
Andreye-
reputed
recounted
ucasia to Nikolaj
who was sald to
ive
Thomas Parr was said to have beer
married at 120, and after the suitable
interval to have become the father of
a child. When he died in 1635, the
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 Caulfield of London in 1704
Old Parr's unusual age was accepted
until 1873 when W, J. Thoms, deputy
librarian of the house of lords, made
a real investigation of the case and
concluded that about fifty years had
been improperly tacked on to the ac
tual life of Parr, The gentleman was
a real centenarian, but little
than that.
notorious long-lifers,
tess of Desmond was
140 years, but the doubting librarian
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 famillar with Mr. Thom's
fconoclasm on this subject, a John B.
Bailey, wrote a book in 1888 which he
called “Modern Methuselahs,” and in
it he cited a number of Instances of
well-known centenarians,
He began with St. Anthony, who
was said to have lived to 105, but
most of his other examples, such gs
the Emperor Cantacuzenus of the
Fourteenth century, Pletho, Cornaro,
Titian, De Fontenelle and Amory,
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,
(@ by Western Newspaper Union)
by Good Constructio:
rent free by
3 thing,
free In that same
different
a material ng
the natural life of any
in the cons
Living owning «ue's
but living upkeep
home
is a fin
is an entirely
matter, Of course, nothi
ture prering !
materia
truction of a home
prolonged
treatment,
If In our
down upkeep, It is
use good
though prope
homes we desi
HeCes
materials and to have th
assembled according
tion methods ¢ bu
familiar enough with ma
methods to
tions and to see that the
specifications
these
to gol con
Few hom iiders are
terials and
write thelr own specifien.
terms of the
carried out, For
although there
services of an archi.
ure
reasons
the
alone,
others,
Never was there such an opportun-
ity to build Into a home permanence
and quality as exists now.
carried on continuously, has
the standard of bullding materials o
a level probably the compre
hension of our forefathers. It is
for n
tesearch,
brought
beyond
now
possible manufacturer to gunr-
his product whether he
cement,
fintee
brick, heating sy n, plu
ing fixtures and fittings, or
of which
homes at lower prices, If we
the
paint,
has brought te us better
them In
troit Free Press,
getting
right We
Not Enough Attention
Given to Roof’s Effect
the greatest of an
Teen]
modern, up-to-date roof.
dwellings have pate
porch of
ve a roof
, coloring
roof
work
i the
which cove i
[his patchwork effed
pearance of the res
when there is |
rooling material
Building Art Improving
irs or more b
Is priced homes has
wuses, sadly lacking In arel
The
every city an
tural style beauty
portions of nearly 4d town
prove this, for
: ons
of houses stand, as out o inte
these sed rows
us the
leg of mn
With thes
walk through
gind that
terest tecture so fa ns
We has
ris of the
is concerned.
hut te walk on to the ontskl
town to see this in the trim, wellde-
The debit
architect and the
sige houses recently hulit,
we all owe ne
vialue of the lan services which
f
’
good designs available at low
make
cost is evident.
Wide
The 2
cludes
Entrances Needed
wih of lurge cities, which In.
a considerable area about them,
has revealed no need more urge
that of wider thoroug
to the popu
nt than
hfares leading in-
centers, In many
places the widening of these highwars
already has prog
degree,
about
Detroit
Intion
ressed to a marked
Notable examples are
such centers ns Los Angeles,
and Chicago, In the metro
politan area of Chicago plans now are
being agitated for the
nearly 00 miles of road. It
the chief projects of the regional as-
sociation which ig concerned with an
area having a radius of 50 miles or
more about the city.
is ane of
Lawn “Entrance Hall"
An open stretch of well-kept grass
is necessary to properly balance the
mass of architecture which the front
of the house presents. This lawn urea
should be broken up as little as pos
Keeping the entrance, walk and
drive to one side or the other will ald
immeasurably, though if the walk must
cross the lawn it ghould appear as
Iinconspicuois as possible by using
soft-toned materials,
Plantings of evergreen, shrubs and
shade trees should be kept to the
boundary lines br about the founda.
tion of the house. Then will the out.
of-doors entrance hall extend a real
welcome to those who enter it.
Highways and Towns
People ure fast learning that while
a main highway within easy nccess
town. Through-town main highways
are getting into the same class with
railroad grade crossings, to he avoided
when possible, endured where they
must be and cured where they can be.
Home Ownership Gaining
Home owners are gnining on home
renters by more than 3 per cent an
nually., Of the 24,000,000 homes in the
United States, 11,000,000 are occupied
by their owners, and the total will be
increased greatly within the next few
years,
Needs Help
Good roads do not necessarily make
a town. The town has got to make
itself.—~Country Home,
Vets Recall Memories
of Ban on “Blackjack”
Veterans who knew General Persh-
ing when he first was called “Black
Jack,” back in the days of the Phillp-
pine insurrection, answered to roll
call In the Baltimore War memorial
recently and organized the Maryland
branch of the Eighth Army Corps
association,
While all
serve unde
come the
cian
of those
r the man
ert
who was
the Ameri-
war, they
ing's famo
the
¥
ire
commander of
the World
recall General Pers
order proh g the ving of
game k | i
the
troops in
frou p
in the
One of Oldest Legends,
That of Wandering Jew
How long the story of the “Wan
dering Jew
and what was its origin, are
tions o which
has heen
ques
there is no evidence
But it Is
e period of its first writ.
than
to hase replies,
that from ti
ing it
ever in
became more prevalent
various homes,
till after th
of eternal wander
It was not at the aspect
introdu
encouraged by
ced,
Interv: 118
il “Wander-
re rEONS
appearabee in
1 astrolog
Philip of
who resided
salem, writing
han Boute
long-lived
wus then
alen
Controls Watershed Forest
attle hag acquired control of ap
its wnicip water
Americs
“Al Khougn
{ershed protection
need the
glon of a tra forester
timber
the Tree usso
i the
ject | gf wn
has oon. pl under supervi-
ined
view to
tion,
coniinuous
Complex Typewriter
Japanese
characters,
7.026
The operator has a direc.
and chart at his elbow to he
him find unusual or signs.
Good writers average 60 words a
minute, is nc fast as hand.
writing. And tucked away in one
corner of the machine is the Eng.
lish alphabet. which may be used at
will. —Capper's Weekly,
typewriters have
tory
letters
which
Convincing Evidence
Betty—1 understand George has
quit college,
Polly-—~Are you sure?
Batty—Well, 1 saw him in a haber.
dashery buying garters.—Brooklyn
Eagle,
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that Dayer Aspirin won’ lieve
promptly. It can't remo
but it will reli
aches. Back:
neuralgia,
Read
important uses
the heart,
and
direc tions
Ye 8,
proven
Genuine
can’t depress Look for
the Bayer cro
008
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MAKE BIG MONEY om ICKLY.
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Goethe Remembered
“Frankfort-on-Main is full of re
markable sights —Goethe,” reads a
cancellation stamp which postal au
thorities there have adopted to ad.
vertise the city. The quotation is
from the great writer's “Dichtung
und Wahrheit.”
Not a Heart Breaker
Another peculiarity is that no
poor man ever breaks a
~ Arkansas Gazette,
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