Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-05
A ~BACK-HANDED SPELLER,
The Curious Faculty Of a Young
New Mexican COmpOsitOr.
Santa Fe New exican.l

Santa Fe New-Mexican.l
Santa Fe has a young man with a
mind which has a faculty that is rarely
to be found, if, indeed, it can yer be
discovered elsewhere. The gentleman
in question is Hugh McKevitt, a
printer, working over at military
headquarters. He is a rapid type
setter and thoroughly good workman,
so that he is not dependent on any
side business for a good living, and as
a consequence has never said anything
about his spelling capacity. which is
the subject OF this item. McKevitt is
a left-handed speller, and defes any
one to put at him a word which he
cannot spell backward as rapidly as
the best and quickest speller could
give it in the usual way.
This thing was tried time and time
again, and no word or series of words
could be hit upon which were not rem
dered as indicated above. OF course,
there are words in the English lau>
guage which McKevitt has never
heard of, just as is the case with al
most every other man, but he is what
would be called a fine spelIer, right
handed" as he says, and is familiar
with language, and any word he has
heard and can spellat all he can spell
backward with astonishing rapidity.
The strangest part about the whole
thing is that McKevitt has never
practiced or studied spelling back
ward a day in his life. He says he
does not know how he ever acquired
the ability to do it, but hat as soon
as he hears or sees a
word, even if he has never
thought Of it before, which, of
course, is the case with a large
majority of words, he knows immedi
ately how many letters there are in it
and how to spell it backward or in the
regular way. 1t is so, too, with sen
fences. He knows at once how many
words and letters in any sentence that
may be suggested, and states the mum.
bers promptly as soon as the words arc
uttered. McKevitt can also distrib
ute type backward as fast as forward.
In the left handed spelling there is
no theory Of sound to aid him, as in
very many instances the letters spell
nothing at all and cannot be pro
nounced, so that there is no account
ing for his ability to spell in that way
except to conclude that it is the re-
suit of a giGt-a peculiar faculty of a
remarkably quick mind.
There is no particular advantage in
all this as far as can be discovered but
it is a curiosity and a rare one, and if
anybody thinks it isn't hard to do, lot
him try to acquire it.
The other day tho reporter fell in
with him when he was in a mood
moro communicative than usual, and
had occasion to try him. Incompre-
feasibility was not a marker for him.
As soon as the word was pronounced
Nc said Fifteen letters" and went
at it backward so fast that his hearers
were unable to tell, whether he was
right or wrong, "You ree," said a
fellew-printer, "he can tell the num-
bers of letters in any word without a
moments hesitation, as we'll as he can
spell it backward, and not only that.
but you can give him a whole sentence,
and he will tell you at once how many
letters there are in it, and go right
on and spell through the whole thing
faster than most people could spell it
the other way"