The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-07-13
DAILY PRESS.
ND.
THURSDAY JULY 13, 1871.
The Story Of q Wonderful Boy Mathe-
maticiau.

OAsobA4 JOh1 Id, 1911
The Story Of q Wonderful Roy Mathe-
mniician.
Mr.. Hope writes in an English magazine:
The name of Henri Mondeux was well
known in the scientific circles of Paris in 1S.
Al. He was born at Neuve lie Roy, near Tours,
in 1926. His father was an industrious wood
cutter; his mother femme de peine in farm,
When he had attained the mature age of seven
his father informed him that it was his duty
to work for living, and he was sent to keep
sheep. In bis lonely hours in the meadows
he amused himself by incessantly counting ov.
er little heaps 81. pebbles, and arranging them
In different ways. His talent for rapid cal
cuiation was considered by the ignorant vii
Layers as proof positive of diabolical possess
sion. In all monetary difficulties of the little
community, he vas the authorized referee.
as no one in the village could calculate with
such amazing rapidity and infallible exact
ness. The admiration excited by his powers
was not unmingled with awe, as the little ras-
cal pretended that he could cast an evil eve on
the cattle Of those who displessed him. His
reputation spread far and wide in the coun-
try, and it became a favorite amusement to
to have him to divert the company on .fete
days at the neighboring farms.
One day he met two ladies. who, struck by
his appearance, entered into conversation
with him. In course of the conversation,
Henri offered to tell the youngest her age in
seconds if she would mention how old she
was. otf
"Nineteen," said the young lady.
Instantly he replied, You have lived $780,
184 900 seconds"
This little adventure being related to Mr..
JacOby, young and enthusiastic schoolmas-
ter at Tours, he was struck with astonish-
ment, and having verified the calculation, he
determined to make the acquaintance of the
young shepherd.
Henri spoke first, asking the simple question,
"What O'Clock is it"
at is the half Of the quarter of three-quar-
tiers of twelve" replied Mr.. Jacoby.
sThen can tell you sir, exactly what time
it is" replied Henri "it is half-past one"
The answer was given after the lapse of
minute. Other questions were given ana
answered with the same facility, when Mr..
Jacoby discovered, 10 his surprise. that Henri
could neither read, write, nor cipher, and had
not the slightest acquaintance with fractions,
or any of the ordinary rules Of arithmetic.
*** It was soon known in Touraine that
Mr.. JacOby had adopted the strangely-gift-
ed child, and visitors came in crowds to verify
the accounts they had heard of him.
To satisfy public curiosity, Mr.. Jacoby fixed
a day on which he would receive all the nota-
bilities of the Department. Henri, was in
state of calm delight.
One of the first questions put TO him was,
"What is the sum OF the SQUARES of the first
thirty-two numbers? ?"
After few minutes, he; responded, "11,-
44O."
"Not right, not right"
"Oh yes it is," replied Henri. "Stop, will
do it again." After minutes pause he again
asserted that he was hight.
mo, no." said the examiner, "yOu are
wrong, my boy, have calculated it also; one
of us is in the wrong"
"Then it is you, sir" cried Henri with ener-
gy; 81 will maintain it to my dying day."
The examiner, the well-known engineer,
Monsieur Bandemoulin, considered for mo-
ment, and then burst out laughing, saying,
"The little rogue is right after all"
He was asked many other questions, and
acquitted himself to the surprise of all present
To vary the monot0ny of his existence in
his new school-life, Mr.. Jacoby ,ook Henri
walking tours, to exhibit his calculating DOW
ers, at the neighboring colleges and schools.
Vendome, Blois, Orleans, Anglers, and many
other towns were scenes of triumph for Hen
ri, whose acuteness and readiness surprised
the most practiced mathematicians of the day.
To their amazement they discovered that this
untaught peasant-boy was no mere calculat-
ing machine, but thorough mathematician
in its widest sense. From the depth of his
own consciousness he had evolved all the
known formulas, and many others entirely
original
He was asked the following question: "In
public square there is a fountain, contain
ing an unknown quantity of water; around
1t stand group OF people carrying pitchers,
capable OF containing q certain unknown
quantity of water. They draw at the follow
ing rate: The first takes 100 quarts, and
1-13th of the remainder; the second 200
quarts and 1-13th of the remainder; the third
300 quarts and 1-13th, and so on, until the
fountain was emptied. How many quarts
were there"
In few seconds he gave the answer, and
this is the simple process by which he obtain
ed his result. Take the denominator of the
traction, subtract one; that gives the number
OF persons. Multiply that BY the number of
quarts taken by the first person-that is, by
1OO-and you get the equal quantities taken
by each; square this number, and multiply
by the number of quarts, and you get the
quantity in the fountain. Thus:
13-1=12 number of persons.
12x1OO=1, 1000 number of quarts taken by
each.
l22 x100=14, 400 number of quarts in the
fountain.
Again he was asked: "A father leaves
among his children sum to be divided as
follows: The eldest to take 1000 francs and
the ninth part, the second 1900 francs and
the ninth part-what is the number of chill
dren and francs?"
9-1=8 number of children.
x1,0OO=8,OOO portion OF each.
80 XII ,O0O=64OO0 sum to be divided.
Such were among the simplest questions
which he answered with "a rapidjty and ex-
actitude which sometimes disconnected his
examiners.
Paris was the scene of his greatest lenown.
Arago, Chateaubriand, George Sand, Alfred
de Vigny, and many others, received him
with enthusiasm. He was feted, caressed,
wondered at.