MERRY AT 102

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 7

MERRY AT 102

WHEN BREAD WAS TKREE TIMES

THE PRICE OF MEAT.

Mr. '.Richard Hayward, of Leytonstone, England, was 102 tho other day. Born on 'April 7, 1815, the year of Napoleon's Waterloo, he is hoping to live to see the Kaiser's. Deafness :m<i. failing vision fire hie only infirmities--, gout his sole complaint. "When.one reaches a. hundred," hp said with a chuckle, "it is like, starting life afresh. Sometimes I tell people that I a.171 only two." Tho war interests him keenly, and every night ho, ijisidls upon having -read to hirr by hie widowed daughter-in-law the day's war news. This and n far-reaching memory tha.t .ia perteclj,v clear or. great, evonts and small givo him nearly a coiitury ol experiences on which to draw. Tho coronation of George TV is' quito fresh in his memory. "1 was nearly fivo, ho Haul, "and wore funny : littlo petticoats. A great 10-do thwe was. Tho people cut holes in turnips and potatoes, in winch they put lighted candles. ■ Thon they put tho candles in tho windows ,as an illumination." ' ITo laughed heartily at Iho recollection.

■; His Opinion of the Kaiser. ■ "Thn Kaisor," he said, "is nolhinj but a wild animal. Limb of the devil, .1 call him. To destroy the littlo.children seems to bo his delight. And then, the. lies ho tolls! I am glad to kco that he is being drivon out of "France. a.ml I hopo that soon our soldiers will bo in his country. Now that Iho United Stalci; is with us lie would bo feelinc very frightened 1) liohad any sonso, but. I. don't think ho has a.grain." Soaring food prices ho has scon before. "I. recollect when Yorkshire Ucds, a most bountiful potato, wero 3d. for Mlb. Next year there was a bad potato disoaso and poor corn cropp. In 1S«, when I first etinio lo London, bread was Is. and Is. M. the ilb and greens wern Is. 2d. :i bunch, in Spital-. fields Market. Ileal; was cheap, and you could Ket a. splendid shoulder of mutton at (d. a. lb. Poor peoplo lived largely on haricot beau* and rice. "I ran eat anything that is put before me," he said, "oxce.pt. tho bones. I. eat them bec-auso .1 haven't any teeth. His diet is simple and almost unvarying. A little bacon tor breakfast, ox-ta.il eoup, fish, or Kotno "prepared" food for dinner, toact for tea, and bread and milk or tho food propagation for supper. "Tho only medicino I ever lako is a littlo brandy and water once in a blue moon or somo port wine negus."