National Republican., 1885-07-16
TnE AusENr connEspoNpEyr.


One Of our world wonders is that mental,
or unmcntal condition sometimes observed
even among persons Of highest intellectual
endowment, commonly known as 'ub5once
Of mind"
Perhaps the most lllustrious example Of
this curious state was that OF Sir Isaac
Newton: Newton, the profound philosopher,
to whom all tho earth listened with eager
interest, admiration, and amazemeut, as he
demonstrated the mysteries OF the universe.
Sir Isaac sat in his secluded study eu-
gagged In deep calculations. Fido was there,
too, the pretty, small pet dog, gracefully
curled before the comfortable fire, and,
doubtless, delightfully."- dreaming OF dinner
the identical Fido who, not many days
previous, had innocently, though wofully,
utterly destroyed a mass of inestimablc
papers whereou was recorded his masters
contemplntivo work, work that to perfect
had required years. But such wrong would
not be repeated, for the reprimnnd that fol-
lowed would never be forgotten. "Fidol
Fido! Thou knowest not the trouble thou
hast caused mel" Puss also was present.
happy mother Of single kitten. The kit
ten, am glad to say, was amiable and
sportive. Not so, regret, puss. The world
had gone wrong with her. though she lived
in the midst OF luxury. There was some
thing strange warning with the repose Of
poor puss that day.
She rose, stole gloomlly to the door, and
mewed for exit. Privilege granted soon
her entreating music would be heard with
out, and the portal must be reopened for
her entrance. This process of out and In,
over and over again, seriously interrupted
the employment Of Sir Isaac, who, on each
demand, was obliged, Of course, TO rise
from his desk and unbar the way. His pa
tience, which we commended In the case OF
Fido, was almost angelic. But at last he
rang the bell. A servant responded, re-
ceived the order to bring a carpenter, and
vanished The carpenter came promptly.
Said the philosopher; ~ wish you to cut
two holes in the lower part Of that door-a
large one for the cat topass and small one
for her kitten.n
"Wouldn't the large hole do for both, Sir
IsaacYn
"Why, SO It would. never thought Of
that
The astronomer, gazing at the stars,
stumbles and falls over stone In his path.
A later time, venerable correspondent
invites attention, and shall receive It with
out further delay.
Many who see my sketch will realily
name the honored old gentleman, so extern
sive period were his tall, STOPPING form,
thoughtful and kind face, his courteous,
genial manner, familiar in the haunts and
homes of Washington. His professional
engagements were numerous throughout
the land, and his opinions on public affairs
held as highest authority. In scholarly at
tainments of every branch few equaled
him, and fewer still surpassed. Day by day,
and year after year he might have been, and
was seen driving in "solitary state and
slown from his residence, in the northern
portion of the city, to his office, on Penn
sylvania avenue, TO the capitol, the depart
ments, to the Presidential ''palace,n to the
mansions Of great officials, and homeward
about sunset.
But now, like the master, the horse and
the vehicle had become old Whatever the
emergency, the stccd declined progress be-
yond deliberate walk. The direct walk,
indeed, often degenerated into ramble,
for, the reins eglected-forgotten and
quito abandOned-he cropped at leisure the
luxuriant grass by the street side. Spec
tacled and distracted, the solemn CORE
spondent, whatever the situation, unfolded
and glanced over paper after paper from
the imposing pile by which he was sur
rounded and nearly smothered. Thus the
news sheets, here little, there little,
kept him in tune with the times, and the
crystalized and suggestive consequence
would appear In his next epistle.
So returning one day, reading and pom
dering as usual en- route, suddenly, with
out warning sound, fell through the whole
floor of the carriage, correspondent and
spectacles, newspapers and all, crash to the
hard ground Not hard, though, fortu-
nately, to the correspondent, for the CRATE
full papers formed him sofa, throne,
where he remained In perfect composure,
apparently perusing an uncommonly inter-
esting article, and, even in his low estate,
deciding and directing the course Of em-
pire. Luckily the long-imminent catastro-
phe occurred near the correspondents own
rescue; yet really was he in no danger, for
the sagacious horse had evidently antici-
pated the precise fatality, and, being Of
good stock, "stood stock still.n s. d.