His piano continued to be a favourite friend, and frequently he would play for an hour in the forenoon and again in the evening. The selections would be mostly snatches from the old Italian operas--especially Rossini, Meyerbeer, and Mozart,--played from memory. His hearing was excellent, and his sight still comparatively good; indeed, he spent a great deal of time in reading, for he took an interest in everything that went on in the world. His evenings would be passed in conversation, or a bout at chess--a game in which he had many a time in the old days tried conclusions with Sir Charles Hallé. Sometimes he would go out for a game of cards with his neighbours. He went to visit many old friends, and one day actually walked up to the fourth floor in a block of flats, disdaining the lift. He went to register his vote at the general election. During his walks he used to offer adverse criticisms of the motor-omnibuses which were beginning to make their appearance. 'Bus conductors used to get their own back without knowing it, for they would point to "Mon Abri" as they passed, and remark to the passengers, "That's where the Centurion lives." In the following autumn I was at work on the little book of reminiscences of my mother and her circle of friends, and at the close of November wrote to Señor Garcia telling him that I wished to devote a portion to his own career, as her chief instructor in singing. This letter at once brought a reply that he would like to see the MS. of that part of the memoir. Hence there came about what must have been unique in the experience of book publishers, for when the manuscript was finally returned to them after revision, marked for press, it contained some corrections in the handwriting of one who was within three months of entering his 102nd year. The coming of the new year appeared to bring with it little visible diminution in the maestro's mental and bodily activity. Indeed, during the winter of 1905-06 he attended quite a number of public dinners, including one at the Savage Club, another given by the "Vagabonds" to Mr and Mrs H. B. Irving, and a third at the Mansion House in honour of the King of Spain, by whose special request the Centenarian was invited to be present. [Illustration: FACSIMILE OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY MANUEL GARCIA IN HIS HUNDRED-AND-SECOND YEAR.] On March 17, 1906, he celebrated the entrance into his 102nd year by taking up a guitar and singing a Spanish song, while a few days after this he attended the Philharmonic Concert at the Queen's Hall and keenly enjoyed the music. So active was he still, that he refused with indignation an offer to be helped up or down stairs; but the candle was burning with an unnatural brightness, which could not last. In the middle of April a letter arrived from the maestro, the perusal of which brought fresh wonder at his amazing vigour. It had been written on the 16th April, and ran as follows:--