114 YEARS OLD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1409, 9 April 1912, Page 6

114 YEARS OLD.

Cherokee Bill, a half-breed Indian-negro, who is recognised by the United States census as being 114 years old, announces that ho is going to retire, having been at work for one hundred years. Cherokeo lives at Grand Junction, Colorado, where ho is a famous local character. "I've been working »iuce I was fourteen" (he is reported to havo said), "and I think that with one hundred years of work to my credit I am entitled to retire. I did not want to give up until I had 100,000 dollars (£20,000), but I am getting so old., and have abandoned the attempt. I havo only •£16,000,' but that is enough to keep me, I think, until I havo no need of money." Cherokeo Bill's lifo story is an example of tho efficacy of persistence. All his money camo to him within tho past 15 years. Previous to that ho mado just enough to livo as a gold minor, but his luck turned when he was approaching his hundredth birthday. Ho began to mako good finds around Leadville, Cripple Creole,' and the Grand River, and was ablo to put by considerable sums every year: Cherokeo Bill has no faith in banks, and all his gold is hidden away in secret places about his cabin, ba;k in tho vicinity of Grand Junction.