Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-28
A Calculating Negro.

In the year 1888, DR.. Rush, Of Phila-
delphia, published an account of the ex-
lstcncc of the calculating faculty in ne
gro man, a slave in Virginia, which is,
perhaps, one Of the most interesting cases
on record. This man was farm slave
on poor Virginia farm near Alexandria,
where he worked hard in the fields all his
life. He could neither read nor write,
and was, moreover, a native of Africa
He had no idea of the advantage of educa-
ton, but rather pridcd himself upon his
ignorance, because" said he, s'many
learned men be great FOOLS" Tom Fuller
(ior that was his namc) was able to give
some Slight account of the faculty he pos
sessGh---nr tho way he 40 NJ" hss IA -. ..shi-k
none of his predecessors, equally gifted,
have been enabled TO do.
lie showed that in his case, at least, it
was in a greater or less degree, the result
Of laborious and natural ciiort-a sort of
sell-discipline, by which his powers were
slowly cultivated and perfected. He re-
mcmbcred when he could only count ten:
and when, by dint of application, he
could count hundred, he thought, he
was "a very clever fellow" Having thus
got an insight into the nature Of numbers
he proceeded try his powers.
The first thing he did, according to DR..
Rush, was to count the number of hairs
on cows tail, which he found to be eX-
actly 2,S12. After this, he exercised
himself by counting the number of grains
in a bIshcl of wheat, and in The same
quantity of flax, &c. Thomas had quite
a practical turn, and he made his talent
useful to his mistress, in a number of
ways. How he acquired his faculty for
more intricate calculation does not ap-
pear.
McSSrS. William Hartshorn and Sam
ucl Coates of Philadelphia, citizens of the
highest respectability and integrity, Wis
tied Fuller. When they saw him he was
over seventy years Of age. Upon being
brought to his arithmetic, there was no
evidence of the decay of his powers. The
first question asked him was, how many
seconds there were in a year and a-half,
to which he gave a correct answer in two
minutes. To a similar, butmore difficult
qucStlon-how many seconds has man
lived, who is seventy years, seventeen
days, and twelve hours old ?-he replied
in minute and a-half, 2,21O,500,SIO
seconds, which will be found to be the
correct answer.
\ curious circumstance occurred in
connection with this answer, showing
that whatever was Toms mode of arri-
wing at these results, it was one of reason
ami thought. One of the gentlemen who
questioned him, had ciphered out the sum
with pen, and its result did not agree
with Toms. He told Tom so, assuring
him that he was wrong and that his an
swer gave too many seconds, upon which.
Tom immediately exclaimed, ''Stopmassa,
you forgot de leap year" 1t then ap-
pcared that the gentleman had forgotten
to allow for the seventeen calculary DAYS
That poor Hardy Lee is called again."
sad Mrs. Partington, on trip TO Boston.
The wind was ahead, and the vessel had
to beat up: and the order to put the helm,
:, hard a lee" had been heard through the
night, g Hardy Lee again | declare; |
should think the poor creetur would be
completely exasperated with fatigue, and
I'm certain he hasn' t eat blessed mouth
full of anything all the while. Captain, /
do call the poor crcetur down, or human
natur can't stand it." Therewas tremor
in her face as indignant humanity found
uttcrance.
u In New York the police regulate
the omnibusses. They ought to DO so