The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-11-24
GALES, Skettbes, AnetOotes, &e.
ABSENCE OF MIND

AIacauley remarks tAat absent MIND
edness is the mark Of either genius OF
a fool. We think that Lord Macauley
was little too severe on ore of its sides
a mans mind may be 80 intensely oc-
cupied with lofty intuitions and inspira~
tions that his senses, seemingly, are
scarcely awake to the realities of this
tangible world.
A certain Scottish professor was not
more remarkable for his writing on DO
litical economy than for bis frequent un~
consciousness Of what passed before him
His absence of mind was so remarkable
that his wife once wagered that she would
accost him in the street, inquire after the
health of herself and family, and that lie
would not recognize her. She actually
won the wager. The professor was once
taking a solitary walk on the banks of a
canal, into which in his abstraction he
walked. Wien within a yard of the
centre, an honest woman washing clothes
behind him bawled out, "Come oot, come
DOT, fule body, or ye'll be droUn't." The
warning sounds invading the tympanum
of his professional ear, had the effect of
making him turn right about, and forth-
with recover the dry land The good
woman, concluding him 10 be an idiot,
sympatheticaIly exclaimed . Puir body,
they nae mnckie to answer for that lets
ye gang yer lane"
A friend tells the following amusing
instance of absence of mind: My grand>
father was returning home one evening
from the hay field, driving his oxen be-
fore a load of hay. He had tied an old
mare, which he had been using, to the
cart behind, but happening to think of
one of her favorite tricks of pulling, be
united her again, and mounting, rode
astride, still driving the oxen. lie fell
into a deep revery, as was his wont, IN
which balky mares and all other vexa>
| tious subunary matters were banished
| from his mind. But this serene state
was suddenly broken up by his happening
to think, when near home, that he had,
when starting from the field, tied that
unruly beast TO the cart behind. En-
tirely forgetting the precaution be had
afterwards taken, he wbirled about only
to discover that she was missing from the
place; and, supposing that she had
pulled loose, be rode back at full gallop
in search of the vixen. In the course of
half a mile he met one of his neighbors.
a suffering fellow, to whom he called
out to know if he had seen anything OF
her. Before the man had half sur
mounted his t-ts (perhaps from comical
expression on his face. the whole truth
flashed into my grandfather's mind. and
he turned back at full speed, without
waiting for reply TO his inquiry, only
exclaiming, ''Let her go; I'll n-e look
her up" But i! was too late for him to
save himself, and his neighbours In the old
Vermont village never suffered the story
to be forgotten as long AS he lived
there.
We knew of young fellow employed
in store on River street, who was one
day sent into the cellar 10 draw gallon
of sperm OIL While waiting, he picked
up a piece of chalk, and in minute he
was absorbed in sketching the proprie
tors profile. The profile on the hogs
head was capital, but while the artist
was absorbed in his pursuit, the oil pur'
sued its way over the cellar floor. Ht
was informed he would not do for n mer
chant, but just now he is first-rate New
York artist.
The following stories are told o. thu
Observation-Disclosures of clergyman of th'
church of Scotland lie married rathe
late in life, and the marriage tour was OF
the continent. At one of the haltins
nlaces. Mrs. - retired to the by
meniaI bower in advance of her lord, wht
sat for time cogitating down stairs
Presently he came TO himself, and sum
moning the waiter, requested to be show
! to his bed room. He WAS, of course
, shown to the room in which his wife ha
already retired. Bot he had forgot a
about matrimony and what it involved
and recoiliug from the doorway with hor
ror, turned upon the waiter with angr