The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-11-12
ap,.n 10 strengthen Memory.

Thurlow Weed felt well enough yesterday
to be propped up pillows In bed, where he dictated
several pages of his autobiography. Ills memory
seemed uuinpaiicd, aud he recalls with great facility
and accuracy long lists of names Of mcn who were
politicians In tho various counties when Monroe ran
for presidcnt-siNty years ago.
''YOu 10 remember as well as ever, - said
to him one day.
''netter than ! did once, I hope, ~ no answered,
with a smile. tlf had not cultivated my memory
should have been dismal failure"
"Did you make systematic effort to improve IT,
or did 1t improve In the regular course OF affairs ~
"l had to adopt regular method tho said, ' and
hit on one that is very effective. | VIII tell you
about It for the benefit of other young mrn. got
married In 1918, when was WORKING In Albany as a
iourneyman printer Inafew months went into bus
mess establishing newspaper for myself and some Of
my friends thought was 'cut ont for politician -
that Is, probably impressed my views strongly on
those about me- lint saw at once fatal weakness.
My memory 4 sieve. | could remember nothing.
Dates, names, appointments. faces-evcryihing es-
capped me- I said to my wife, Catherine, l shall
never make u successful politician, for cannot re-
member, and that Is prime necessity OF politicians.
politician who sees Il man once should rsnembcr
him forever
he could go around a room and be introduced tn fifty
persons, and then, on mingling with the company,
cali every by his right name. And thought also
Of the cOIored fellow who onciaics at the grand hat
rack In the vestbule of tho United states Hotel at
Saratoga, and who, AZ the hundreds of guests flock out
Of the unng-roon. hands to each ono instantly the
bat, shawl paraso tan, or whatever has been depoS
tied there an hour or two before. "
any wife told me- ~ continued Mr. Weed, 90 that
! Must train my memory. SO when came home that
night, sat down alone and spent fifteen minutes try
in. silently To recall the events OF the day. could
remember little at first; now remember that could
not then remember what had for breakfast. Finally
found could MI more. Events came back To me
more infinitely and more accurately. After Il fort
night OF this, Catherine said why don't you
toll II to me? 1t would he interesting aud my interest
In It wuuld stimulate YOU Then began habit Of
oral confession, 1t were, which followed FOR almost
hfty years Every night, the last thing irfuio reiir
luz I told my wife everything that could recall that
had happened to mo or about mo during the day.
tho dishes haI hll Tor break
fast, dinner, and tea: the people had seen aud what
they said; the editorials had written, and an abstract
of them; the letters had seut aud received, and the
very language used as possible: when had
walked Iiddenoyerythlng, In short, That had come
within my knowledge I found could say my les
better and better year, and Instead OF grow
Jug II got to he pleasure To the events of
the day In review. am Indebted 10 this discipline
for . memory Of somewhat unusual tenaCity, and
the practice to all who expect 10 have much
To do with influencing men, - Correspondence ~
/ ST. PduL PiOHeer-IrcSS.