CENTENARIANS IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7824, 18 December 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

CENTENARIANS IN FRANCE.

Centenarians are growing qnite common in France. At Aucta, in the South, a very old maid of the name of Bonoite has been unearthed. She has reached her 109 th year. Her memory is as perfect as ever, her vivacity unimpaired, and her conversation is a treaeure-houßO of aueodotes of tho good old time. The passage of Napoleon through Auoh and the hundred days are to her but as events of yesterday'. In consequence of the great frequency with which authentic centenarians are being unearthed in France, a patriotic movement has been set on foot to give a banquet next year exclusively to persons who have attained or paesed the century. Bopee are entertained by some persons that 99 of them can be procured in France, and M. Chevreul will be asked to preside at the bead of the table, making up a hundred. Altogether their united ages will thus amount to something over 10,000 years. JSfo doubt the scheme would be as great a success as the late Baby Show in sensation-loving Paris, and enormous prices would be paid for seats in a gallery where the conversation of the aged guests could be heard. But there arises the same difficulty about its execution whioh almost interfered with the? Baby Show, viz., the danger to some of tho exhibits of injuring their constitutions by the unwonted dissipation.