Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-13
Tales aud Sketthes.
Absence Of Mind.
SOME REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES RI
LATED By ST. LOUIS MEN.

They were talking of some stories which
have recently appeared in the newspapers
about absent minded people. 1t was
small private gathering in down town
cafe. and the gentlemen present repre-
ed nearly every branch OF mercantile
life, as we'll as.the learned professions.
Now" said prominent flour miller,
II see that old story about the absent
minded man who, after waiting a consid-
cradle length of time in a restaurant for
the waiter to fill his order, got up, suppos-
ing that he had eaten his dinner, paid the
cashier. took a tooth pick and walked out,
in the papers again. That was a pretty
good story when twas young, but | had
something happen to me the other morning
which knocks the spots out of it.
"What was it ?" asked criminal law
yer.
WELL" said the miller, "after eating
my breakfast | went out to the barn as
usual to hitch up my buggy-hOrse. had
been thinking all the morning about some
improvements which | was about to make
at the mill and | was completely wrapped
up in the question. Shall tear down the
partition wall or simply cut an arch
through it p | went to the barn, as | was
saving, and the next thing | remember
was being stopped by friend on Locust
street, about two miles from home, with
the horse collar on my arm. Now, gen.
tlemen, you may say that l was tempo
rarily deranged, but wasn't, for during
nv walk had solved question regard
ing the improvement | spoke of which had
bothered me for week before. | never
felt so cheap over anything in my life,
and haven't told my wife about it yet"
such things will happen to man at
times" said dry goods dealer. land |
had an experience of the kind the other
day. | was much occupied in my mind
about a matter of business of some
Importance. My wife told me in the
morning that she would like to have me
send her a few yards of linen goods,
describing piece in my own store
which she had seen and which | re-
membered. | rode down in an Olive
street car and got off at the proper
place mechanically, thinking all the
time about the business question, and
having a slight remembrance of my
wife's request. | remember walking into
a store, remember asking salesman to
show me some linen, remember having
the requisite number of yards cut off,
remember paying for the stuff and
remember asking the salesman if he
would be kind enough to send it to my
house. Then | remember that my part
ner came up and asked me what | was
doing. l never realized until that
moment that l was in my own store,
dealing with one of my own statesmen,
and paying for my own linen. Fact,
gentlemen, pom my word"
well, don't you know, believe every
word you say said we'll known hard
ware man. "In fact, | would believe
anything a man could tell me about
absent mindedness, never suffered from
it until last May, and when it struck me
it knocked me all in a heap. Some ur-
gent business called NE to New York,
and | made hurried departure from St.
Louis. Arriving at the Fifth avenue
hotel, | registered and was assigned to
a comfortable room on the third floor.
| must have been very tired. for | at
once laid across the bed and fell asleep.
That was about four o'clock in the after
noon. When | awoke | must have
started out of the room without thinking
for moment where | was. had
vague notion that it was quite early in the
morning, and that | must have slept on
the bed in MY clothes all night. The next
thing | remember was being carried
across Chambers street ferry, which had
taken under the impression that all my
business in New York had been attended
to ami that was on my way back to st,
Louis. The cold air on the water had
brought me to my senses. Instead of
being morning it was about seven o'clock
in the evening. l had only slept two
hours on the bed. Now the strangest
part of the thing was, had gone about
everything in perfectly methodical way,
even to the evtent of purchasing my rail-
road ticket and procuring sleeping car
berth through to St. Louis. Call it what
you may, gentlemen, but say it was dew
ilish queer.
Queer well. rather" said promi-
nent pork dealer. Queer is no name for
it. had never known what absence of
mind meant until within the past year or
so, and several extraordinary things have
happened of late. The most remarkable
occurrence took place a week ago last
Sunday. suppose man is absent mind
ed because his brain becomes so much
occupied with one subject that there is no
room in it for anything else. Well. too
had been thinking deeply over a business
matter to the exclusion of everything else.
wanted to 60 down to the postoffice cor
ners on Sunday, where expected to meet
friend concerned in the transaction of
which | thought so much. My wife asked
me If | wouldn't take her to a certain
church on the way down and call for her
as | came back. /, of course, readily
promised to do so. | drove the horse and
phaeton to the front door, | am certain.
for my wife says she saw it there. but |
don't remember much about anything
from then on. / was told all about it at
terward 1t seems that | drove down
town. supposing my wife to be in
the carriage. stopped at the church until
she got out. drove down to the post office,
talked around there for an hour or so,
drove back to the church, waited until the
congregation began to pour out, and then
drove home, under the impression that my
wife was with me all the time. As soon
as | entered the house discovered nv
mistake. tell you, did. 1t took long
time to convince her that my neglect was
unintentional, but knowing that had done
other things equally as strange, she soon
laughed about it. Now, gentlemen, upon
my soul, I'm telling you the truth"
II a IL