The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-23
A Wonderful KentuckIaR,

-.ght q n -E0Huefiul hthtuChtuIO s.
AZ Moore6eld AIN interview was had
with John Robinson, clever farmer
whose vile IL cousin to remarkable
character whose name is Reuben Fields
Professor Fields, the Seventh Won
der" he calls himself--and truly he is @
wonder, show, study, n "What is it p
Professor" Fields was born near Wyo'
ming, Bath County, twenty-eight yean
ago, and never went to school but one
day in his life, and on that -3y carried
with him an old tea-kettle filled with
snakes caught with his own hands, and
when the teacher attempted to drag him
in the school.room, threw the snakes al
him one by one from tho kettle until he
broke up the school f3s that day, and
never returned again. He heartily, con.
demneo the idea Of schools and school
children all his day, up to the present,
and now rebukes all school children for
going, saying that they are "fools for
going to school to lose what little knowl-
edge they inherited by nature" Fields
gl0ries in the possession of natural gin
that of being mathematician whose
equal is unparalleled. In fact, he ia the
wonder Of the little portion of the world
and the few rural scientist with whom
asserted by those who have known him
from childhood that he dosen't know q
figure or even the numbers on q clock
dial, or even letter Of the alphabet, and
yet he can instantly had correctly COM
pute any mathematical problem read
aloud to him, even giving the answer to
the lowest decimal fraction. He has
been tried on as much as two pages of
invoice on foolscap, Of mercantile goods
Of every description, and on the last line
of goods and figures being read instantly
gave the right answer, and even com.
menced at tho last line and in reverse
rotation repeated every word, article and
figure OF the entiro invoice TO dot. He
never works at any other trade than that
of running up invoices and making
other mathematical calculations.
The "Professor," besides being pos
sessed Of an unseen and .unaccountable
world of figures in his mind and the ley
to all mathematical problems, the soly-
ing of which requires but an instanta-
panied by quick closing Of the eyes
and twitching of the muscles of the face
as in great agony momentarily, also
carries in his mind n perpetual and
varying clock dial and can give
the correct "sun" time to second, and
can also tell the time to second by o
watch in another pocket, never looking
at watch or clock. He frequently tells
persons the difference between their
time anG that of the sun. He has fre-
qucntly been asked tho time by clocks
and watches out of sight, and has never
missed missed giving . correct answer. The
Professor" has 30 nonplussad conduct
ors by telling them the exact time by the
watches in their pockets, and in his Pc
cnliar manner Of interesting them in
his unique history, that no has frequent
ly made almost the entire trip from
Kentucky to Kansas, where his mother
now resides, free of charge, tho conduct
ors becoming SO interested in him that
they wouid almost invariably forget to
collect his fare. Fields claims TINT he
Is a sealed Seventh Wonder, in the pos.
taken away from him, and through fear
therefore refuses to receive medical
treatment for epilepsy, with which he ia
afflicted, but sometimes speaks of being
willing 90 receive treatment from O
"faithn doctor with whom he claims To
be acquainted. and who lives in the
mountains of Kentucky.
Fields "a also possessed Of another
gffE almost equally marvellous. viz: that
oshandling snakes of oil kinds, includ.
ing the rattle, the copperhead, garter,
racer, etc, and never was known to have
been bitten. He also holds power over
all ferocious d0gsss--- having. gone once
into the yard of James Tip.Un, at Moore.
fed. where most feroci0ns. bulldog
held sway unmolested. The dog reared
up on him and played with him as he
had never Gone with any member even
of the home family. He hes also been
known to have fondled with the heels
and hind legs fof bad kicking horses and
mules, and never been burt. ePro-
fessor1 Eieldsis a bachelor who never in
tends to marry, weighs 200 pounds, has
of destiny, !" and says he can give no ex-
PLANTATION Of his marvellous gift, saye
that it is gift simiIaT to tba5 or .ii TisiIlG
Tom. Fields 10 naturally OF anlien
disposition, refuses to be interviewed,
y for fear others will learn Of him, seldom
permitting au: acquaintance to bo formed
with 8ny one. The stage driver, Mr.
Clelland Tully, informed the 1riRes
that he succeeded in forming the &c.
qnaintanee of the Prof fsssas,,,s by ap.
preaching MIN win u uhecker- r-boafa---iho nc
having special gilt or charm for the
game, which he delights in md sees all
through at q glance ID r. &c 0hinBon says
he considers himself q flrst.clast checker
player, but thai Fields beat him seventy.
three games ont of seventy five ut Que
sitting, and thai 2 ,selds only gave him
tie tsyc sas-.ea sa s-.ea jiist TO encourage hin.to
play.
This peculiar character, who IL indeed
the greatest wonder OF the age, refnsed
several good offers to go irto the show
business, and claims that no amount OF
I money would induce him TO thus de.
grade himself and close his charmed
gift !1e IS now soiourning at Wyon-
ing, Bath Connty, frequently visits Mr..
& Rnhinsatl,g iaIlii = ,lAas A1s1sssAEl-I-a 4--.a
is Is tsi Known by hundreds OF she hest citizens
& ia Bath and Nicholas Counties. CfsleiY.
Ss1ttii TINES Reati L5etter,
no MAKE HRNB La ..s T Pit 1t xswo OF
mora quarts Of water In a kettle, and one