The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-18
EVERY FIVE MINUTES.
Andy Tanhauser's Strange Affliction and
What His Father Thinks of 1t.

/ Andy Tanhauser's Strange Addiction and
What His Father Thinks of 1t.
81 tell you my boys going to make a
million for his dad said Joseph Tan
/ hauser, of No. 1,421 Leithgrow Street,
yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Tanhauser is
a small man. His face is thin; his eyes
are keen and brilliant On the occasion
above mentioned he wore a white beaver
hat that looked as though he sometimes
used it as footstool as well as a head
ornament.
Come with me-" said Mr.. Tan
hauser, with Mulberry Sellers wave of
the hand. He opened the door of the
small frame dwelling on Leithgrow
Street and admitted the Press reporter.
Then he closed the door carefully.
Now, this boy" he explained. in a
dramatic whisper, ''ain't no freak.
Andy-that's his name-Andv Tan
hauser is afflicted. He shutters. Other
boys can stutter and 90 talkin' right
straight along. But the beauty about
my boy Andy is that he shutters so he
can only say one word every five min
utes. Been that way from his birth.
Times exact, tOo-every five minutes.
Get out your watch and time him; he
won't mind. Come in"
Andy, freckle-faced boy with
tow head, was seated at the table eating
pie.
There he is" exclaimed the father,
proudly. "Eatin' pie again. That's
what he does all the time-eats pie
Andy, stand up and say How'd ye-dor
to the gentleman.
Andy stood up and squinted, but
made no sound.
Guess he's just finished making a
remark," explained his father. wait
till his times up" Three minutes
passed. Then he began suffering like
a candle. At the end of fifteen minutes
he had said, How'd ye-dol'
Hes great, isn't hep" cried the IA
Their, slapping his hat down on the ia
bic with loud report.
Andy sat down and philosophically re-
sumed his pie.
Now, not to detain YOU" resumed
the enthusiastic parent, IN just tell
you what he can do. He's learning the
145th psalm-beautiful thing. too. That
was an idea of my own. Good one,
isn't it? He'll appeal to the religious
sentiment of the community. At the
nearest calculation it will take him
three days to recite it. Like to hear a
verse? Andy, let's have one"
Andy began the recitation at three
O'Clock. He selected averse containing
thirty words. At precisely $50 the last
word shot from his contorted mouth
like a bullet.
Mr. TanhauSer went into ecstacies.
He put on his white hat, then took it
OFF, and then sat down on it. Andy got
off a laugh in sections.
''Now, YOU see" went On Mr.. Tan
hauser, when he had somewhat rccOy-
cred, that's not all he can do. He's a
natural born musician -inherits it from
his grandmother, on my side. He can
play the ;nouth-organ now, and is learn
ing to play on the piano. | tell you,
he ii be the greatest museum attraction
that has been seen for years. I'm go
ing to take him over to New York to-
You see, after awhile he won't
make so many faces when he talks.
I'm trying to teach him to be patient
and Just wait five minutes between words
till speech comes to him."
Can he sing?"
Sing? Wen, I should saw so. His
favorite is Only Pansy Blossom 1t |
takes him ali day to sing it. don't let |
him do it often, because it occupies too
much OF his time. ''-RWlGdelohIa Press.