Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-07-05
A JUVENILE PRODIGY.
A Sketch ofthe Famous Boy Mathema-
tician.

er was an industrious wood cutter
his mother, femme de peiaae in farm.
The struggle for bare life was too hard
with these poor people for them to in
dulge in any conventional sentiment
regarding their children. The baby
was was but an additional burden, an
inconvenient and disturbing element in
their family life The other children
were already usefully employed in
herding geese, sheep, or oxen, accord
ing to their respective ages. Henri
could, of course, do nothing to gain his
livelihood, but at any rate he was to be
no drag on the exertions of Jacueline,
his mother. SO it was settled that she
should continue her avocations as usu-
al, and the crying, pulling babe should
be shut up all day by himself in the
than q rag stuffed with bread and SUI
gar to appease his hunger.
At three years old Henri nearly died
of congestion of the brain, and at six
nearly succumbed to scarlet fever.
After that his powers of both mind and
body developed apace; he grew strong
and quarrelsome. When he had OBJ
tanned the mature age of seven his
father informed him that it was his
duty to work for a living, and he was
sent to keep sheep. In his lonely
hours in the meadows he amused him.
self by necessarily counting over his
little heaps of pebbles, and arranging
them in different ways. His master
discovered this, and ordered him to
stop wasting his time with such foolish
games Henri was determined to go
on with his interesting diversion, SO,
after much angry disputing, he was
dismissed, with the character of being
obstinate and incurably vicious. Old
jacques. the woodcutter, then resolved
to try softening influence of education,
and sent him to school, and further
more placed him in charge of the cure
that he might be taught his catechism.
Alasi neither secular nor spiritual III
struction seemed of any avail His
school life consisted Of perpetual com
bat with both scholars and master
hardly boy but had a mark or bruise
to show as a proof of the savage con-
duct of young Mondeux and even the
pedagogue had plaster on his brow
as pleasant SOUVENIR of the incorrigi-
BILE Henri. The cure, good worthy
man, SG1u nOpou 10 I0Cldllu UII0 young
savage, who, in spite of his sturdy
disbelief in all that was Incompetent
sible, yet melted into tears at the ac-
count Of the Crucifixion, and exclaim-
ed, like Clovis, "Les brigands, alb
81 javais etc la"
But in spite of his occasional out
bursts of feeling, the eccentric young
lamb gave the poor cure many sad
moment. He quarreled with the choris-
ters to obtain the privilege of ringing
the Angelus. Having obtained by kicks
and blows the position he coveted, he
tugged at the rope with such energy
that the bell turning right over, he was
elevated six feet from the ground
Thereupon shouts of laughter from the
choristers, repaid by kicks, screams and
blows. What a scene for the cure and
the devout old goodies trooping in for
eyen-song. Henri was punished, but
remained utterly incorrigible, as we
learn that his next test was to steal into
the village church at an early hour on
Sunday and insert in each chair long
pin, point upwards, thus devising a tor
ture like tkat of Regulus for the faith
full parishioners. When the congrega-
ton assembled, his ill-concealed de-
light at their screams proclaimed him
the culpTit, and when driven out of the
church by the exasperated beadle, he
performed out side war dance of saw
age glee, rubbing his hands and shout
ing IN the exuberance of his delight
Exploits such as these soon won for
him the reputation of being cum
Demon his talent for rapid calcula-
ton was considered by the innocent
villagers as proof positive of his dia-
bolical possession. His reputation
spread far and wide IN the country,
and 1t became a favorite amusement TO
have him divert the company on fete
days at the neighboring arms Some
OF his patrons again tried to send him
to school with no better results than
BEFORE again he was dismissed as ut
terly unteachable. One day as he was
weeping over his misfortunes in gener-
al. and the loss of a much priced knife
III particular, he met two ladies, who,
struck by his appearance, entered into
conversation with him, and tried to
console him. In course of CONVEX
sation, Henry offered to tell the young
est her age in seconds If she would tell
how old she was. g Nineteen" said
the young lady Instantly he replied.
"You have lived 500, 1874, 900. This
little adventure being related to Mr.
Jacoby, a young man and enthusiastic
schoolmaster at Tours, he was struck
with astonishment, and having verified
the calculation, he determined to make
the acquaintance of the young shep-
herd.
After months unsuccessful efforts
to discover the young prodigy, Mr.. ia
CODY perceived one day a shepherd boy
leaning on his staff, his eyes fixed on
the heavens, in an attitude of profound
abstraction. cit is he, " exclaimed the
enthusiastic schoolmaster, and hasten
ing over the meadows to speak to the
boy. Henri spoke first, asking the
single question, "What o'clock is it 4?
g 1t IS half of the quarter of three quar-
ters OF twelve" replied Mr. Jacoby.-
8 Then can tell you, sir, exactly what
time tits, replied Herr, cit is half past
one. =" The answer was given after the
lapse OF minute. Other questions were
given and answered with the same facil-
lty, when Mr.. Jacoby discovered to his
surprise that Henri could neither read,
"1iuO VI b1plCI, anu udCl uOU UUC
est acquaintance with fractions, or any
OF the ordinary rules of arithmetic. =
" Do you wish to learn to to read -
inquired Mr.. Jacoby. q Certainly,
replied the child, whose confidence in
his new friend seemed unbounded.
'SHere, then, is my address and my name,
you may come any evening that you
like" So anxious was Henri to profit
by the instruction now offered to him,
that night after night, in the depth Of
winter, he walked league to Tours, in
hope of finding his new friend. Strange
to say, his memory SO acute as to fig
ures, was blank as to names, and it
was only after a months Intellectual
search that he discovered the abode of
Mr.. Jacoby.
Ardently DESTROYS of knowledge, Hen
ri now went regularly every evening to
Mr.. Jacoby, when his work was over.
His engagement with the farmer whose
sheep he herded was not of the most