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

A Wonderful Kentuekiap
AT Moorefeld an interview was had
with John Robinson, clever farmer,
whose wife is q cousin to remarkable
character whose name is Reuben Fields
Professor Fields, the Seventh Won
der,n he calls himself-and truly he is q
wonder, show, a study, q "What Is ltr'
professor Fields was born near Wyo-
ming, Bath County, twenty-eight years
ago. and never went to school but one
dsy in his life, and on that day 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 at
him one by one from the kettle until ne
broke up the school for that day, and
never returned again. He heartily con,
demned the idea of schools and school
children all his days up to the present.
and now rebukes all school children for
Going, saving that they are "fools for
soipe to school to lose what little knowl-
edge they inherited by nature" Fields
plories in the possession of natural gift
that of being a mathematician whose
equal is unparalleled. In fact, he Is the
wonder of the little portion of the world
and the few rural scientist with whom
he has come in contact. 1t is positively
asserted by those who have known MIN
from childhood that he dosen't know
figure or even the numbers on clock
dial. or even letter of the alphabet, and
vet he can instantly had correctly com,
pute any mathematical problem read
aloud to him, even giving the answer 70
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 the last line and in reverse
rotation repeated every word, article and
figure of the entire 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 key
to all mathematical problems, the solv-
ing Of which requires but an instanta-
neous flash through the mind, accom-
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 perpetual and
neyer-yarying clock dial and can give
the correct "sun" time to second, and
can also tell the time to second by a
watch in another pocket, never looking
ct watch or clock. He frequently tells
persons the difference between their
time and that of the sun. He has ire
ouently been asked the time by clocks
and watches out of sight, and has never
missed giving correct answer. Ihe
professor has so nonplussed conduct
ors by telling them the exact time by the
watches in their pockets, and in his Pc
culiar manner of interesting them IN
his unique history, that he has frequent
" made almost the entire trip from
Kentucky to Kansas, where his mother
now resides, free of charge, the conduct.
ors becoming so interested IN him tnat
they would almost invariably forget 10
collect his fare. Fields claims that he
is a sealed Seventh Wonder, in the pos
session of a gift which could be easily
taken away from him, and through. fear
therefore refuses to receive medical
treatment for epilepsy, with which he Is
afflicted. but sometimes speaks Of being
willing to receive treatment from
ssfaithS doctor with whom he claims TO
be acquainted, and who lives IN fhe
mountains of Kentucky.
Fields is also possessed OF anotner
gift almost equally marvellous. VIZ: that
of handling snakes of all 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 dogs-having gone once
into the yard of James Upton, at Moore
field. where most ferocious bulldog
held sway unmolested. The dog reared
mo on him and played With him as ne
haG never done with any member even
of the home family. He has also been
known to have. fondled with the heels
and hind legs of bad kicking horses and
mules. and never been hurt. PRO
fessorn Fields is bachelor who never in
tends to marry, weighs 200 pounds, has
red whiskers, and has small, "grey eye
of destiny" and says he can give no e1.
planation of his marvellous gift, save
Chat II is a gift similar to that of Blind
Tom. Fields is naturally of a snllen
disposition, refuses to be interviewed,
for fear others will learn of him, seldom
permitting an acquaintance to be formed
with apy one. The stage driver, Mr..
McClelland Tully, informed the Times
that he succeeded in forming the ac-
ouaintance of the Professor" by ap-
proaching him with checker-board-he
having a special gift or charm for the
game. which he delights in and sees all
through at a glance. Mr.. Robinson says
he considers himself a frst-clast checker
PLAYER. but that Fields beat him seventy
three games out of seventy.fve at one
sitting, aud that Fields only gave. him
the two games just to encourage hlm 70
play. :.a,os
the greatest wonder of the age, refused
several good offers to 90 into the show
business, and claims that no amount OF
money would induce him to thus de.
grade himself and close his charmed
gift.n He is now sojourning at Wyon,-
ing, Bath County, frequently visits MIR;
Robinson's family near Moore6eld, and
isknown by hundreds of the best citizens
in Bath and Nicholas Counties.-Cincin-
natl Tines kentucky Letter.