.-_ ., __... ._...._....,:. ._
MENTAL MARVELS:..
Some Men Who Have Wonderful
Memories.
the Remarkable Ability of Three San
Franciscans to Remember Dates. Names
and Incidents After a Long
Lapse of Years.
~
Probably the three most remarkable
men who have ever startled San Fran-
ciscans who knew them with their
feats of memory were “Count” Smith,
clerk of the Palace hotel, Timothy Bain-
bridge, of the police force, and Bob Nor-
val, known all over the United States
as the “boy preacher.”
“Count” Smith was for some years
chief clerk of the Palace hotel, and he
died about seven years ago. Born in
afli uent circumstances in Australia, he
met with financial misfortunes early
in life and came to America, where he
changed his unpronounceable name to
Smith, and other years thereafter
added the prefix “Count.” Finally he
drifted to San Francisco, where he be-
came chief clerk of the Palace. Though
many stories concerning this man’s
achievements in memory are exagger-
at ed, there is no doubt that the organ
which recalls the past was developed in
him far beyond that of most men.
It is related that some names and
faces of guests were so indelibly en-
graved on the tablets of this remark-
able man’s memory that when he saw a
guest who had probably been absent
for years, and whom he had met in the
most perfunctory manner, he would
say: “Why, how do you do, Mr. Valen-
tine? Do you still want 516 With a
bath? That is the room you had in
1881.”
Such things astonished travelers
from every land, but it is not to be in-
ferred that his memory of every guest
was equally clear. Such feats were re-
served for the special cases of persons
whose characteristics were so marked
that when once recalled by visual sen-
sations every circumstance connected
with the former meeting passed before
him like a panoramic view.
“Count” Smith was a marvel tomany
thousands from all quarters of the
globe, yet in some matters his memory
was only ordinary or even indifferent.
He said it was no effort whatever for
him to remember names and faces, if
he recalled them at all. He attributed
the gift to birth rather than cultiva-
tion. .
Tim Bainbridge’s memory is even
more marvelous, and he is to-day one
of the most active little men in the
city. Though his eyesight is so im-
paired that he uses glasses, his memory
is so active that he readily recalls the
name, face. history, and prison record
of the thousands of convicts who have
passed before him in 20 years.
Bainbridge is always the standby of
the police department in matters of
identification. Heis at. the police courts
whenever suspicious prisoners are on
trial. Often he will say, for example,
v.'hen“John Brown” is on trial for grand
larceny: “This is not John Brown, but
Tim, Collins, who is wanted in Tennes-
see for burglary. He served a term at
Folsom for arson in 1870.”
The most striking thing about Bain-
bridge’s memory is that he sees the old
self of men through the changes of
time. Beyond the fat face covered with‘
a- full beard and furrowed with lines of
(-are and crime, Bainbridge sees the pic-
ture of ten years before, when the de-
fendantwas slender, young, and smooth
faced; and he often startles the crim-
inals themselves by vividly recalling
their crimes and describing them as
they were in older days.
Bob Norval, known as “the boy
preacher,’.’; used to startle the residents
of the mission by repeating, after hav-
ing once heard read aloud, entire arti-
cles from newspapers. He was an ec-
centric genius, who formerly traveled
and lectured all over the United States
on religious themes. It was his habit
to sit down on the grass, close his eyes,
place his hands over his forehead, and
then have slowly read to him the speech
or article he wished to reproduce, after
which it seemed to photograph itself
on his mind, so he could speak it with
rare precision. N orval said it was no
effort for him to do such things—San
Francisco Chronicle.
Rome’s Earthquake and Lottery.
The earthquake recently felt in Rome
has already produced a result that to
any except an Italian would seem in-
credible. It has augmented naturally
the receipts of the national lottery.
The occurrence was so unusual that
gamblers saw their opportunity and
quite a series of figures became popular.
The first shock was felt on November 1
at 4: 38 p. In. One, four and thirty-eight
were obviously factors in the lucky
series. And then the lottery manual
helped the gambler out by supplying
him with other figures, chiefly 11, 90
and 30, so that among the six success
was certain. Eleven was most run on,
as it was equivalent both for “Novem-
ber” and “earthquake” and also repre-
sented the fete of St. Martin, a saint
very popular since the battle of San
' Martino. In fact, the letteries received
such an impulse from the earthquake
that the offices had to be kept open on
All Saints’ day, contrary to all usage.
When the winning numbers were act-
uall y exposed to view not one of the pop-
ular six was in the category—London
Daily News. .
An Eye for Business.
An old gentleman who had dismount-
cd from his hor se walked into a wayside
inn, and left the animal in charge of a
barely clad urchin. But on rt turning
he found another boy holding his horse.
He scanned the little desti‘. are through
his eyeglasses, and exclaimed: “Well,
but you’re not the boy I left my horse
with!”
“No, sir,” said the boy; “I jist SPCCki-
lated, and bought ’im of t" other boy for
. a harpenny." ,
The boy received a “threepenuy” for
his straightforwardness.—Tit Bits.
.al spurt, when they are brought down
---..
Physical Needs of Those Who Desire to
Excel in _Ice Racing.
The typical speed skater has a short
body, capacious, round chest, with
well—developed back; his thighs are
strong and very long, as are also his
legs. His feet are large and flat. His
weak points are his calves, due to the
long, flat skate to which his flattened
foot is so closely bound. The large mus-
cles of his chest rare not exercised, and
his arms, held lying idly along his
back, are unused except in an occasion-
and swung straight from the shoulder.
They say that they catch less wind
held that way, and that the position
is restful to the tense extensors of the
back. This is, no doubt, true, says
Popular Science Monthly, but the re-
sult is disastrous to symmetrical devel-
WHAT FAST SKATERS REQUIRE.
opment. This type of figure is seen at.
its best in such skaters as the Dona-i
hues, McCormick, the Old-time profes-
sional, who still skates a fast race, 31- .
though now 40 years of age, and .in
Wilson Brecn, a professional, who has
been a winner of much gold and glory :
by means Of his long legs and power—
ful thighs. The conclusion that Speed
skating alone is not a good exercise
to develop a well-built», symmetrical
man will be patent to anyone who re-
views the facts. If indulged in it should 1
be, as done by MbCullOch, in conjunc- 3
tion with other forms of athletics which
bring into action the muscles of the’
arm, calf, shoulders and chest.
PLANTS THAT GO INTO A TRANCE
Eastern Man Invents a Plan for Arresting I
Vegetation. .
A curious exhibit is made at the Me—
chanics’ fair. It is nothing more nor_
less than a display of “mummified”-
plants. It requires a label to inform
the people that they are dead, says the .
Boston Transcript, for the plants ap-:
pear exactly as if alive and growing.
They are not made of wax, or of cloth,
but are genuine plants thathave grown
in the earth until they have reached a
good state of development, when, by;
their being treated to a certain injcc- ;
tion, the growth is arrested. Then
comes the strange part, for the plants
so treated do not droop and die, the?
leaves remain fresh and bright, and the 3
plant stands erect. It is, moreover, '
impervious to heat and cold, and noth- i
ing seems able to destroy its strange
repose. The most striking part- Of the
exhibit is a collection of large palms
used for decorating. These plants are
noted for being very tender and sus-I
ceptible to almost every influence. 5
Those on exhibition have been dead for :
six months, yet not even when the’
leaves are carefully examined would
the fact be suspected. The exhibiit
promises to create much interest _
among visitors to the fair, as the many .
advantages of having plants thus im-
pervious to all conditions can be readily ;
seen. The credit of providing the ex-
hibit belongs to a New Hampshire man,
who discovered the process of treating
the plants. -
CHAMPION MEAN MAN.
A Discovery in Virginia That Far Eclipses
- All Previous Ones. I
“I located the meanest man in the.
world a few days ago," said a traveling
man, according to the Washington
Star. “I stopped at a small Virginia
town, and, the hotel being crowded,
had to sleep in the room with another
man. I left a call for an early morn-
ing train, and when I was awakened
found that my roommate had taken a
still earlier train. I also discovered
that he had taken my trousers, in the
pockets of which were about $30. I
complained about it to the hotel and
the clerk said the man waS'a horse
buyer, and it would be made all right,
so I took the train to a town about
100 miles distant. On the train I ex-
amined the pockets of the trousers I
had on and found a wallet containing
$3,000. I telegraphed the real owner
at once, saying I would return them,
which I did, not paying the express
charges, as I was out Of funds, be hav-
ing all my money. After two days,
during which I wore borrowed trous-
ers, I received mine with express
charges unpaid and a C. O. D. bill at-
tached for 25 cents he had paid on his
own. I borrowed the ‘money and got
the package, but if there is a prize at?
tached to the discovery of the meanest
man 1n the world, I want it.”
I
ANYBODY CAN AFFORD A GRAVE
Mexican Cemetery in Which a Resting
Place Can Be Had at Small Cost.
-A correspondent of the Boston Trav-'
eler describes. the queer cemetery of
the Mexican city of (luauajuato.
There is hardly room in-Guanajuato for
the living, so it behooves the people to
exercises rigid economy in the disposi-
tion of her dead. The burial place is on
the top of a steep hill, which overlooks
the city and consists of area inclosed
by what appears from the outside to
bc a high wall, but which discovers it-
self from within to be a receptacle for
bodies, which are placed in tiers,
much as the confines of their native val-
leys compel them to live. Each apart-
ment in the wall is large enough to ad-
mit one coilin, and is rented for $1. per
month. "I‘ he poor people are buried in
the ground without the formality of a
coilin, though one is usually rented in
which the body is conveyed to the
grave. As there are not graves enough
4‘0 go round, whenever a new one is
needed a previous tenant must be dis-
turbed, and this likewise happens when
a tenant’s rent is not promptly paid in
advance. The body is then removed
from its place in the mausoleum or ex-
humed, as the case may be, and the
pones are thrown into the basement be-
ow.
Force of a Bird’s Flight.
Some idea of the .tcrrific force with
which a bird passes through the air may
be gained from the fact that a short
time ago :1 common ('urlew flew right
through a piece of plate glass 9. quarter
of an inch thick at Turnberry light-
house, .-\._"r:-:hire.
~ than Indian ivory.
. parent African ivory is collected along
: the west coast between latitudes ten
rttyrvsfiiiG~
WE EAT TOO MUCH.
Twelve Ounces of Food Is a Meal for a
_ Brain Worker. '
The present mode of eating now prac-
tised by the unscientific public at divers
table d’hotes, beaneries and boarding-
house boards three times a day, 365
days in the year is evidently all wrong.
The unscientific public eats too. much.
In an article in the Food Reform Maga-
zine, Dr. Nichols declares that the aver-
age quantity of water-free aliment re-
quired, say by business and literary
men, is 12 ounces, and that men of
great muscular activity are well fed on
16 to 20 ounces. Dr. Nichols’ advice is
to find the minimum quantity which
enables a man to do his daily work
without loss of weight, by experiment,
and then habitually keep to it.
In the midst of the dietary counsels
of the vegetarians on the one side and
the raw-beef and hot-water theorists
on the other, it is interesting to con-
' template the possibilities of the eating
9 of the future. It is probable that eat-
ing in the 20th century will be reduced
i to the minimum, and a century or so
thereafter be abolished altogether, if
the present trend of scientific dietetic
discovery continues. The good old
feasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas
are decried as barbarous indulgence
é of the animal appetite, and it is only
necessary to attend a high tea of a so-
cial new woman or a debutante lunch-
eon of a cooking—school graduate to find
evidence of the etherealization of the
latter-clay eating. Up to date no table
d’hote has advertised its dinner by the
metric sytem, and no restaurant has
served meals by the solid ounce. But
Americans are a nation of dyspeptics,
and the end is not yet.
HOME LIFE AMONG RED MEN.
I Plains Indians Have Little Idea of the,
Refinements of Civilization.
It was storming hard and getting
colder, and I was ahead setting the
pace, when, about three o’clock that
afternoon, I came upon a log but, and
two trails that bore away in different
directions, writes C. IV. VVl‘itney, in
Harper’s Magazine. I wish I‘could
have photographed the scene which
n-slowly materialized from out of the
darkness as I stood on the earthen floor
within the cabin while my eyes grew
accustomed to the changed conditions.
On entering I could distinguish only
the fire in one end, before which squat-
ted a couple of Indians and a squaw,
but gradually the shadows lifted, and I
found myself for a few moments busily
engaged in shaking hands with Indians
as fast as the new light revealed them.
It was a. very small cabin, barely ten
feet square, I should say, with a parch-
I ment-covered hole in the wall for win-
dow, and a door which demanded a
bowed head of every visitor. I do not
know how many Indians were in that
I hut, but I recalled wondering how they
I arranged for sleeping, as there seemed
hardly space for them to sit, much less
be down. They were about to eat,
and several rabbits, suspended full
length from a deer throng and minus
only their skins, were twirl'ng and
roasting before the fire, while others
were being prepared for the cooking.
I was not partial to rabbit, nor especial-
' ly happy in the cabin’s atmosphere, so
when I had warmed a bit I went out-
side to wait for the dog brigade to
come up.
AFRICAN IVORY IS THE BEST.
More Durable and Capable of Higher
Artistic Uses Than Any Other.
African ivory is now conceded to be
the finest. The first quality of this
comes from near the equator, and it
has been remarked with regard to this
fact that the nearer the equator the
smaller is the elephant, but the larger
the tusks. The ivory from equato-
rial Africa, says Chamber’s Journal, is
closer in the grain and has less ten-
dency to become yellow by exposure
The finest trans-
degrees north and ten south, and this
is believed to deteriorate in quality and
to be more liable to damage with in-
crease Of latitude in either direction.
The whitest ivory comes from the east
coast. It is considered to be in best
condition when recently cut; it has
then a mellow, warm, transparent tint,
as if soaked in oil, and very little ap-
pearance of grain or texture. Indian
ivory has an opaque, dead white color,
I and a tendency to become discolored.
Of the Asian variety Siam is consid-
ered to be the finest, being much supe-
rior in appearance and density. The
, ivory of the mammoth tasks is not
very much esteemed, particularly in
England; it is considered too dry and
brittle for elaborate work, besides
which it is very liable to turn yellow.
As a matter of fact, the larger tfusks
very rarely leave Asiatic llussia, being
too rotten for industrial purposes.
A Diamond Wedding.
An event at all times sufficiently rare
to create interest, and more especially
in this country. has tak-.:n place in the
small village of Gloignes, in the depart-
ment of the Oisc, says a Paris corre-
spondent. An old couple, M. and Mme.
Andry, amid the rejoicings of the whole
parish, celebrated recently their dia-
mond wedding. The husband first saw
the light in 1810, and his wife was born
five years later. The cure who offici-
ated on the occasion of the golden wed-
ding of this happy old pair presided
again. M. Andry is still a hale and
hearty old man, and hopefully looks
forward to still some years of married
life, although his spouse is somewhat
feeble, and required the stalwart arm
of a grandson, Awho is a non-commis-
sioned officer, to lean on.
Sent for by the Queen.
When you read in the newspapers, on
the dissolution of a ministry, that the
queen sent for any particular personage
to form another, you must not suppose
it was her own inclination dictated the
selection. She is supposed to take the
advice of the retiring minister as to the
successor he may deem most fitted for
the office.
r"'
~ ~ mm...
mouse THE GLOBE.
Garner has improved on his monk'ey
story; he is starting a. monkey school
at Calcutta, where apes: will he taught
to read. ,
Prussia has a debt of $37 percapita,
Russia, $30; Austria-Hungary, $70:
Brita-in, $87; France, $116; Italy, $76,
and the United States, $14.
The census of Germany, just com-
pleted, shows the population of the em-
pire to be 51,758,364, an increase of 2,-
329,894 during the last five years.
Odessa is to hold a French industrial
exhibition lasting six months, next year,
for the purpose of making Russia buy-
ers acquainted with the products of
French manufacture.
A strange story comes from the Gold
coast of a race of white men, with light
hair and blue eyes, dwelling in caves to
the northeast of the Koranza country,
through which the Ashantee expedition
is to march.
Turkish coffee is not all coffee.
Throughout the east it is mixed with
large quantities of barley or rye meal,
which makes it thick, and prevents it
from exciting the nerves too much.
A cable will soon be laid between Ice-
land and the Shetland island, the north-
ernmost point of the British telegraph
system. The money has been sub-
scribed, Great Britain, Iceland and Den-
mark jointly guaranteeing six per cent.
interest for a number of years. Tele-
graphic communication with stations
in Iceland, lying as it does in the middle
of the North Atlantic, will be of great
value to meteorologists. ,
ITEMS WORTH READING.
Ocean steamers of the first class
each consume from 190 to 220 tons'of
coal a. day. ‘
In German y a merchant was recently
fined heavily for using a quotation
from the Bible at the head of an adver-
tiscment.
Mrs. Hester Curtis, of Lafayette, Ind.,
who was murdered a few days ago, was
the mother of 25 children, including
seven pairs of twins.
A personal note for ten dollars, on
which the interest was $340, came into
court in Arizona recently. The rate of
interest stipulated was $1.25 a week.
The note was outlawed:
About one-third of a fine cambric
needle entered the finger of Mrs. C. S.
ll’arner, of Windsor, Vt., 20 years ago.
Some days ago, it was removed from the
sole of her foot.
James Eldridge, of Hartford, Conn.,
has bought the sword and handcuffs
worn by John Brown, from Daniel
Lizer, of'lVabash, Ind., for $51. The
relics have been in Lizcr’s possession
for many years.
An iceing for cake, that will be found
inexpensive and good, may be made by
taking three tablespoonfuls of milk and
letting it come to a boil. Then set it
aside, and when it is cool add one tea-
spoonful of vanilla or other extract and
stir in confectioner’s sugar until thick
enough to spread without running. ,.
MUSIC AND THE STAGE?
l The old Central Congregational
church in Providence, R. I., is being
made into a theater.
fir-Sf:
Miss Sibyl Sanderson’s ambition is I
to become a singer. At the Paris grand
opera. recently she tried the part of
Gilda in “Rigoletto.”
Canon Muller of Fulda, has arranged
the old Saxon epic “Holland,” describ-
ing the life of Christ, as a. mystery play
and set it to music.
I-Ierr Steiner, of Vienna, offers a prize
of $600 for the best one—act opera and
one of $200 for the best libretto, open
to musicians of all nations.
Ilka von I-‘almay, the celebrated Hun-
garian soubrette, will play a part writ-
ten in broken English, in Gilbert &
Sullivan’s new opera, which is to be
brought out in London. -
Zola’s “Messidor,” the opera libretto
for which M. Bruncau has composed the
music, is original, and not taken from
any of his novels. It has nothing in
common with “La Terre," as was ru-
mored.
STRANGE AND STARTLING.
A baby weighing exactly one pound
was born in San Francisco last Christ-
mas day. '
Olympia, Wash, has a well with a
bottom that is gradually rising to the
surface Of the earth.
“Die. and I will do the mt,” is the ad-
vcrtisemcnt of a Chesaning, Mich.,
funeral director.
A codlish weighing 56 pounds was
brought- into Portland, Me., a few days
ago, I’Ile largest codfish seen there in
many years.
A talking canary has been for a year
in the possession 01’ a well-known resi-
dent of Rockland, Me. It sings articu-
late sentences so clearly that anybody
can recognize the words. .,
It is said that every man,..woman and
child who lives at Point San Pedro, Cal,
is a bleached blonde. This peculiar
condition of affairs is due to the chemi-
cals used in the powder factory at that
place. _
BOOKS 'AND WRITERS".
“Devil” occupies 171/2 columns in the
new installment of Dr. Murray’s “New
English Dictionary.”
The Boston public library has se-
cured the manuscript of ._one of Lope
De Vega’s 3,000 plays. It is 264 years
old.
Pierre Loti is writing a romance
called “Ramondcho,” about smug-
glers on the Basque frontiers. It will
be ready next summer.
Yorick, the humorous Writer of the
Fanfulla, whose real name was Pietro
Ferrigni,‘is dead. For 30 years he stood
at the head of the small number of
Italian journalists who can be purpose-
ly amusing.
Dumas’ body will be placed in atomb
not far from that in which lies Marie
Duplessis, the original of Camille.
Once every year Dumas visited her tomb
and placed a wreath of flowers upon it.
1‘5 A ZEP El ‘ 7
No other Paper in Norwalk » compares
a"~
--o'
.-l-"
' EVENINQ ’
a; AZETTE. ‘
‘-—-—. >—e o-<-.—e-+._—< .___._._
Only Eight-Page Una ’ [lent
Paper in Ulnnecticut
SOLD IN
Norwalk, ”South Norwalk, East Nora
walk, Westport, Saugatuck, New
Canaan, Darlen. Rowayton, ~
and Noroton.
with it for
Local and General News.
Its local news is bright,
A ‘ reliable and well written. '
After once reading The Evening Gazette you will
be convinced that it is the best evening paper
in Western Connecticut, and will take no other.
Having a special correspondent in each town, it is en-
abled to furnish the latest and freshest news.
SUBSCRIBE rosin.
OFFICE OPEN DAY AND EVENING.
fl
WASk your newsdealer or newsboy to bring, it
to you for a week.
Norwalk Chronicler