OLDEST WOMAN IN AMERICA.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1924, Page 1

OLDEST WOMAN IN AMERICA.

FIRSf VOTE AT 111. NEW YORK, Ala roll 1. Smoking a coin-cob pipe and nursing her -"Dili great-grandchild, Alls •J. Al. Power, horn, according to tax r.c. ill-. 11l years ago, has been (hatting abou.V her early file. She lives 17 miles from Fort MorLn. Texas, with her daughter, Mrs Rooms, her granddaughter, and the lattei's family. She lias secured a certiii;ate entitling her to cast her first vote in the coming elections. “I think it is foolishness,” she said, "hut m\ granddaughter's husband thinks J ought to vote.” Airs Power, who has lived in her house oil year-, lias seen the Indians driven I rout lands where farms now flouri-h. She recalls when sin- drove oxen and broke land ioi new fields. "I wa- in those days, she says, “always up at 1 a.in. at "iy spinning wheel. Then I used to help with the ploughing and after that prepare supper. In the Civil War “we made ‘coifei.-' from parched potatoes. Me gut salt 1 1 v taking up the hoards Iroiii the smoke-house Hour and boiling out the salt that had dripped into them Won the meat."

Once wln.it her son Tom was riz.uing Indians an arrow hit him in the back. "He nut the spurs to his mustang.” .-he narrates, "and kept a-rid-ing after reaching hack and iep-t.n;' out the arrow.” Women in her day never swor? l "d rarely whistled. “M'c used ‘o say a whistling girl and a rcowing hen never came to any good.” Mrs RoV-r- it the onlv one of her children living Mrs Power lias -1-1 gramlehildn u and 30 great-grandchildren.