The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-12-13
AMRIpExTRous MEN.

One of the New York papers not long ago
had an article on right and left-handed peo-
pie, or ambidexters, in which several re-
markable instances of persons possessing
this faculty were given. Strange to say,
however. no mention was made of Ben Ltis-
by or George Tiffany. Lusby is famous the
country over, and is known as the lightning
ticket seller. He travelled for many years
with the largest circuses, and received almost
fabulous pay, being as great curiosity as
anything to be seen in the tents He used
both hands III selling tickets, taking In mon
sy, handing out tickets and making change
more rapidly with each than an ordinary
ticket seller could with both. 1t was no I'M
usual thing to see him select six or eight
full-price and children's tickets, receive a
$40 or $40 bill, and pick out and return the
change with one hand, while he was selling
one or two tickets at time and making
change at the same time with the other
hand.
George Tiffany, who had always had q
large acquaintance with theatrical and show
people, and who was a friend of Lusby,
possessed the same faculty to considerable
extent, and on several occasions gave exhi-
billions to his friends of his ability to initiate
Lusby, having probably practiced under his
direction. He was scarcely fourth as
rapid as Lusby, but was acknowledged in
the profession to be, with the exception of
Lusby, the only two-handed ticket-seller in
the world. Between the men, when both
were last here, there was marked contrast
in appearance. Tiffany was very short, very
stout, very joNial, and very easy-going and
slow in speech at nearly all times, always
ready for a joke, and generally liked by his
acquaintance, while Lusby, when not at his
post, appeared rather taciturn and gloomy,
and even among his most intimate friends
rarely appeared amused at anything, and
seldom laughed or smiled. Both were par
tioular in dress, but while Tiffany's appear
ance was unchanged in the ticket office, Lus-
by in the same place was metamorphosed.
His coat and vest were thrown Off in warm
weather his neckte and collar generally fol-
lowed, his eyes seemed to sink back in his
head and bright hectic spots appeared on his
cheeks which looked drawn and sunken. At
those times he was a curious study to the
medical men who saw him at his busiest
moments and more than one expressed the
opinion that he could not long survive the
has not been here for some time, and may
perhaps be dead
Instances of people who write and make
figures with both hands are by no means
rare. In the old St. Louis Democrat Office,
before the partnership was dissolved, two
accountants were employed who, in posting
the books. generally made figures with one
hand and posted the items with the other.
A book-keeper in one and cashier in another
large wholesale house in st. Louis now work
in the same way, and a reporter on a morn.
ing paper writes with either hand, and it ia
impossible to distinguish any difference in
the formation of the letters.
more remarkable instance of dual facul-
ties than any mentioned is That of a gentle
man well known in st. Louis, Mr.. E. @.
I1acixianu. 1rI. IIachiaua WINS ron soiue time,
Treasurer of the Fair Association, and OK
cited no little attention and remark among
those who saw him using alternately either
hand in writing letters or messages. The
on-lookers were, however, still more aston
ished to see him when in q hurry grasp a
pen or pencil and write rapidly with both
hands, and would have been yet more
amazed had they known that the messages
he was at work on at the same time were
addressed to different people and entirely
different in character When not busy
enough to employ both hands, he generally
uses the left, but the character of the chiro-
graphy is the same, and it is doubtful II he
himself knows the difference. He does not
seem TO consider himself possessed of an I'M.
usual gift or talent, and would, no doubt,
have been much amused had he heard the
remark made by an acquaintance who, after
seeing him write two letters at once, conf
dentially informed friend that he must
have his brains parted in the middle or be
possessed Of two sets, The science Of medi.
cine teaches that unusual mental strain or
activity correspondingly depresses the sys-
:em physically, but the rule evidently does
not apply to Mr.. Lakeland.