The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-09-12
OLDEST MAN ALIVE.


a" hungarian Peasant Who Was Born In
the Year 1868.
The Oldest man in the civilized world,
II may be said with reasonable safety,
Is Macy Ference, peasant in Barcs,
Hungary. He was born in Hedrahely,
III years ago. He passed his boyhood
on the little farm of his parents. He
was not an especially robust child. He
could not haul and split wood. pitch
nay and tame colts, as could his three
Swapping brothers. VIII died half
century ago. His father regarded him
Win dlstavor because he was too weak
10 10 more than pc SAINT woman's
work, and did not earn enough to pay
lor his food. At the age of nineteen.
however, Macy suddenly developed in
10 phenomenally muscular man. His
cnest widened. his arms and legs hard
ened' and his girth increased. He be-
came famous local wrestler, and did
more work in a day than most peasants
near Hedrahely did in two.
just one hundred years ago last May
ne fell in love with the daughter of an
lnn-keeper: She promised to marry
him on July 81, 1889. Two days before
the wedding day she Tilted him for his
best friend. Since then Macy has been
q woman-hater He never loved an
other woman.
Four years later he went to the wa
OF the first coalition. For the twenty
succeeding years he was almost con-
stantly under arms, in camp or on the
battlefield. He was one of the victors
under Archduke Carl of Austria at
Wetzlar. and one of the vanquished at
Marengo and Hohenlinden. Ho helped
the Archduke win the victory of As
perm, and he did his best to save the
Austrians from defeat at Wagram. On
the second day Of the battle at Leipsic
he got a bullet in his leg and three
moro In his hat. He saw the Archduko
Carl many times. He saw Napoleon
once and Butcher once.
Nagy's boyhood was lived long be-
fore the days OF compulsory education.
50 he never learned to keep diary or
write memoirs. He has an immense
fund OF anecdote however, which is at
tho service of any one with half hour
10 spare at Barcs. The children of the
town have heard from him every wee,i
for many years the stories of the ia
nous charges. retreats, sieges and
campaigns in which he has partici-
pated. The great event of his life, he
thinks, was his attendance OF the funera'
OF his dead Queen. Maria There "a, 100
years ago. Although but twelve years
old then, he has treasured up for moro
than century every detail OF the pro-
cession and burial.
Macy Ference is penniless, but he is
not a beggar nor a public charge. 4
score or moro of families in Barcs are
ready to give him food. clothing ana
shelter. He takes all his meals with
seven families, whom he has known TO-.
fifty years. Each one entertains him
ono day in the week. Between meal,
no walks from house to house, chatting
with all the men and children whom he
meets. He rarely talks with women,
for he has not forgotten that one young
woman who Tilted him one century ago
this month. After each meal he smokes
a pipeful Of strong tobacco. He has
been smoking three pipefuls of strong
tobacco every day for the last 1O4
years He is fond of his wine and ar
occasional beer. The friends with whom
he dimes give him every day 10 cents
with which to buy tobacco and liquor.
Altogether Macy Ference is sturdy,
contented, amiable old man. His
health is good. His mind is fairly
clear: He has plenty of friends and ali
tho money no wants for smoking and
drinking. He looks as we'll and happy
as he is. He has clear, dark eyes,
clean-cut, regular features. and d
smooth bronze skin. He has bushy
head of white hair and heavy white
mustache He is erect and quick in h s
movements. He is scrupulously nea,
in his person. He looks to be 70 or Is
years old.-N. Y. Herald