OLD ENOUGH FOR A PENSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 278, 18 November 1908, Page 3

OLD ENOUGH FOR A PENSION

During a Saturday stroll in the country a pedestrian came upon an aucieut rustic engaged iu breaking stones. Brawing him hi to conversation, the pedosirian eventually asked the old fellow how old he was.

"Oh, I dunno.'' was the reply; "but I know I be a fearful age." " Hut you must have some general idea how old you are?" • Xo, 1 dunno; but 1 know I be a fearful age/'" was the only estimate th«it could be drawn from him.

"All right; we'll try to get at it in another way." said the pedestrian, bringing out* his .pencil and notebook. ■' Xow, how old were you when tou left school?" "I Im* nine, sur, when 1 finished schul-

"And what did you do then?" •' Well, 1 was boy for Farmer Giles fur fivtcen year." "And after that':" ••After that I worked I'nr Squire Xoakes fur seveii-aml-thirty year." " Anil what next'i" '•Wfcll. I was warmer fur Cruker, Ukcarrier.' fur four-and-twenty year." Ami so on ami so forth, until the fact wa* elicited thai he hail been engaged ou breaking stones lor a nuarter of a century. Then the inquirer observed with withering sarcasm: "So you do not know how old you are? \VT-11. I'll tell you. You're three hundred and seventy-eight years old on vour own showing!" ' '• 1 ilesMiy." murmured the ancient yokel with undisturbed serenity. " I know' I be a fearful age."