The evening world., 1903-10-06
Krs. Mary Shepard, Who Is
Nearly 1903, Is as SprightIy
40 a Girl and Needs no
Glasses.
RETURNS AFTER 40 YEARS.
puiitzer Building, Brooklyn Bridge,
the skyserapers and Hanson
Cabs Cause Wonder to Old Lady,
Whose Stove Is Her Only Trouble

"a, came to New York yesterday from
her home in Poughkeepsie for the first
time In more than forty years.
s6ure, I'm not q bit tired" h old
lady protested when she presented her
ssif at the World Building ard ex-
pressed her intention Of going through
q from dome to press rooms IN the
basement.
Mrs. Shepard had como to town to
Sc the sights, and see them she did.
6hs was accompanied by her good
friend, Mrs. W. smead, Of P~oughkeep-
sic. but had very clever ideas OF her
M as to what she wanted to see and
where she wished to go.
Mrs. Shepard. be It said, 10 q very
clipper old lady. Her hearing Is alb
normally keen. her intellect unimpaired
and her eyesight good. She wears no
eyeglasses. and during her day in the
city her blue eyes were as bright. her
cheeks Is rosy and her step as light as
O young girls. Indeed. It takes a very
active person to keep up with this
cheerful young ~centenarian. She fairly
ekips over the ground and shows n
lively curiosity In everything Of interest
around her.
Came by Steamer.
I'VE came down by the Mary Powell"
ehe explained. ian are going back by
the same way this evenin'. Sure. but
Ms the hne by. is the captain. Not a
oint Of nom would he take from me
an trated me to q hne bit OF lunch
IN the pretty parior of the boat, God
bless him. An he says. says he, that
I can come down to the city every
week II I like an niver a clint will It
cost me-"
The blue eyes fairly danced and all
the thousands Of little criss-cross lines
on the scanned old fac apparently wero
placed there to emphasize Q jolly
ehuckle.
Eyes, I was about thirty-two years
old when I came over from Ireland and
It was New York that I lived in first,
down on Greenwich street. Then. after
Q bit. my John followed me over and
then We were married and lived corner
of Grand street and the Bowery.
Washed in Front Yards.
TN those days there were pumps in
the streets OF New YORK and we 1
oUr washin's in the front yards. It's
different now"
Airs. Shepard's memory is marvellous
and she keeps UP a continual running
patter Of Interesting "reminiscences
wherever she goes.
First. on the corner" she continued,
was a place where there were images
and statues of dogs and other animals
then there was our house and then tho
bank. Oh. but it's different now! Suro,
they've BUILT on to the tops OF the
houses since then-they are so high.
"And, Lord o v US, put what are they
dol to me now?" she exclaimed as the
elevator shot up to the fifteenth floor.
When asked what she though of this
mode of transit Mrs. Shepard said
smilingly: Sure. 1t do be better tina
walkin' up all them stairs"
One very charming thing about this
interesting old lady is that she always
finds a happy side to everything. Per-
haIs 1t Is to this spirit of content hat
she owes her long life.
Sixty years ago." she went on. I'VE
moved 20 Poughkeepsie. and there I've
lived ever since and gone always to the
aame old church-St. Peters. John died
soon and then the cnildren-an but my
son John" she added with pride. who's
livin' in Albany.
Wants to Be Alone.
'.T've been there, yes; but I'd rather
i've at home, even II 1t is alone I be.
There's too much noise in a house Wild
children, IN grandchildren an great
gran children"
Mrs. Shepard still lives in the home
left to her by her husband. No. II
Davis street, Poughkeepsie. and exists
by the contributions of her many
friends. The only things that trouble
her now are the mortgage of $40 on
her house and the interest and taxes
which she must pay. The mortgage was
taken at the time of her husbands Ill
loss and death and Is owned In part
'"He's raie good, though" she says.
"an' gives me back one out OF every
eleven dollars / pay him. II / cud only
Old lady said, with the first anxious look
tha her peaceful old face had worn.
Mrs. Shepard does all her own work.
cooking, washing and ironing. and even
at times whitewashing.
Stove IL q Trouble.
'-The only thing that comes a bit hard
now" she said; sis lighting the fire at
trouble"
The making OF a newspaper interested
the old lady nightly, but people inter-
osted her still more.
at do be ltlSin' all these nice young
men," she observed. ITS only old
maids an old bach'es that I can't
abide"
Brooklyn Bridge was a wonder to her.
and she at once made clever comparisons
to the Poughkeepsie and A,oany bridges.
But the high buildings awed her more
anything else.
zone, two, three. four-there must be
eight ~ioors.' she counted, craning her
head back until she said her neck and
ayes ached.
The hanson cabs were at once a de-
lipht end puzzle go her. :
IA jolly little horse. amt her" she
said with enthusiasm. AN look at the
way he do be turnin' out for the cars,
% wise-like!"
When she reached the Mary Powell at
Tho close OF the day. Mrs. Shepard said
that she felt a II she could do II all
over again.
Faith. I'm comm soon again. she
said. an then ! want to see some more
Of the town.
How do I keep my health and live
% long? Bless We. / ].st live AMI don't
worry. I eat a plenty. : sleep a
plenty an ! don't drink no intoxicants
at all, at all. I've seen too much sor-
row the drink brought.