THE ITALIAN FASTER. Sketch of the Man Who Is to Fast Fifty Days.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 3

THE ITALIAN FASTER. Sketch of the Man Who Is to Fast Fifty Days.

A Paris paper describes as follows the young Italian painter, Merlatti, who has undertaken to fast fifty days : •' Seated, or rather stretched, upon a long chair of red rep, with heavy fringes, he spends much of the day reading with the greatest interest the newspacere in which every morning the public ia kept informed of the slightest incidents of his daily life. He i« a man of about 22 years of age, of slight figure, dark skin and beardless, very nervous, and who talks with volubility and energetic gesticulations. Not far from him is a sofa, transformed into a sort of judicial bench, where the watchers sit, relieving each other every six hours. Many visitors are introduced from time to time and engage in conversation with the faster. He i« very willing to talk, and replies to all the questions that are put to him. Hie fast ia simp'y the result of a bed, Merlatti formerly lived for some time in London. While there he and some of his friends once got into a discussion as to the length of time a man could survive without) nourishment. Some of them wagered that they could go without food for four, fiveoreir days, others for an entire week. Merlatti offered to bet that he could fact thirty-six days. He w on his bet. he pay s, without suffering in the slightest degrees. His present undertaking does not frighten him at all. He has a good stomach and unlimited courage, and he feels certain of winning. The only nourishment that he takes is pure water, a decanter filled with which is always standing on his mantelpiece. When he began his fast he occupied a modest little apartment in the Ru 6 Tronchet. Now, however, he is lodged in more spacious quarters in the Grand Hotel, where he occupies handsomely furnished apartments on the first floor. It is here Merlatti receives those who come to see him— physicians, scientists and journalists of all nationalities. At certain hours of the day hip chamber is a veritable Tower of Babel. The Italians are the most numerous, and they collect there sometimes in great numbers to encourage and entertain their compatrior, He apparently enjoys their vißits and never seems to tire of the bustle and excitement which continually surrounds him."