, 1889-08-15
is HE THE OLDEST LIVING MANI
Macy Ference, 10 Hungarian Peasant,
Who Was Born 121 Years Ago.


The oldest man in the civilized world.
il may be said with reasonable safety, is
Macy Ference, a peasant in Barcs, Hun
gary. He was born in Hedrahely l2l
years ago next September. He passed
his boyhood on the iittic farm of his
parents He was not an especially
robust child. He could not haul and
split wood, pitch hay, and tame colts as
could his three strapping brothers, who
died half century ago. His father re-
garded him with disfavor because be
was too weak to do more than a peas
ant voman's work, and did not earn
enough to pay for his food. AT the age
developed into a phenomenally muscu-
lar man. His chest wiiened, his arms
and legs hardened, and his girth in
creased. He became a famous wrestler,
and did more work a day than most
peasants near Hedrahely did in two.
Just 100 years ago last May he fell in
love with the daughter of an innkeeper.
She promised to marry him July 81,
17s9, Two days before the marriage day
she Tilted him for his best friend. Since
then Macy has been woman hater. He
never loved another woman.
Four years later he went to the war of
the coalition. For the succeeding twenty
years he was almost constantly under
arms, in camp or on the battlefield. He
was Oilt VI bilt NlNiOla lillNltI
Carl Of Austria at Wetzlar and one of
the vanquished ut Marengo and Hohen-
linden. He helped the archduke win
the victory of Aspern, and he did his
best TO save the ArIstrians from defeat ut
WagTam. The secohd day of the battle
at Leipsic he got bullet in his leg and
three more in his hat. He saw Napoleon
once and Blucher once.
Nagy's boyhood, says the New York
Sun, was lived long before the days of
compulsory education, so he never.
learned to keep diary or write mem-'
oirs. He has an immense fund of anec-
dote, however, which is at the service of
anyone with half an hour to spare at the
Barcs. The children of the town have
heard from him every week for many
years the stories of the famous charges,
retreats, sieges and campaigns in which
he has participated. The great event of
his life, he thinks, was his attendance at
the funeral of his dead queen, Maria
Theresa, 100 years ago. Although but
~ years old then, he has treasured up
for more than century every detail OF
the procession and burial.
Macy Ference is penniless, but he is
not beggar nor public charge. a
score or more of families in BarcS are
ready to give him food, clothing and
shelter. He takes all his meals with seven
families, whom he has known for fifty
years, Tdcl one Cllleflulns MN one
day in the week Between meals he
walks from house to house chatting with
all men and children whom he meets,
rarely talks TO women, for he has not
forgotten that young woman who Tilted
him ore century ago this month. After
each meal ne smokes q pipeful of strong
tobacco. He has been smoking three
pipefllls of strong tobacco every day for
the last 1Oi years He is fond of his
wine and an 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 all tie
money he wants for smoking and drink
ing. He looks as well and happy 10 he
is. He has clear, dark eyes, clean cut
regular features, and a smooth, bronzed
skin. He has a bushy head of white
hair and heavy white mustache, He
is erect and quick in his movementS.
He is scrupulously neat in his person.
He looks TO be about 20 or 10 years old.