Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-10-09
HE HAD GREAT HEAD.
Phenomenal Development OF Mem
DRY In q Sleep1ng-Car Porter.

OTy In q Sle0pInReO8F EOItcEs
Omaha Herald
at Is remarkable how intellects of
the lower grace can become trained
In certain directions, where those OF
large scope can do comparatively
| nothing" observed a well-known
Omaha lawyer and judge, of philos-
ophic mind, to party of half dozen,
as they sat In the smoking-room OF 8
Pullman car on the Union Pacific
road coming east the other night.
"Now, to illustrate" continued the
legal gentleman, here is the porter of
this sleeping car, celored gentleman,
who probably can not read nor write.
He never had the mental training and
education with which all of US have
been blessed and still his memory is
wonderfully developed. He has from
dcxen to twice that number of pass
engers On nearly every trip. One of
| his duties is to take the boots and
shoes from each berth during the
night, black them in the wash-room.
and return them before morning. He
rarely makes a mistake, and it is clear
ly a mechanical operation of the
memory which enables him to return
the different pairs to their proper
places. I venture to say that not one
of us could acquire the habit in years
of practice, and still we are infinitely
| superior to Sambo in intellectual
grasp. Iconsider this simple incident
one of the most peculiar things in
mental philosophy. Sambo must, of
course, observe some individuality in
each pair of boots, and this, in con
nection with the place where he finds
them, sticks in his mind until he re-
turns them all, which, as said before,
he does with singular accuracy"
The other gentlemen had begun to
discuss the subject with considerable
curiosity on one hand and the other,
and were wondering why they had
never thought of the matter in just
that way, when Sabmo himself appear
ed at the door, and asked if either of
the gentlemen wished anything.
Yes" said the judge motioning the
porter into the room. "Sambo, we've
Just been talking about you," he con-
tlnaed, at the same time slipping a
silver dollar into the hand of the smil-
ing mulatto. 'Doyou ever make any
mistakes in returning the boots al d
shoes to the berths in the morning."
mo, sab, hardly ever, sab; most
Always gets 'em right; and the gem
mems never complain, sah."
"Exacly," said the judge, looking
patronizingly around upon the gentle
men to whom he had been expound-
ing his theory. "Well, Sambo, you
,,,,,ef y a xa a ocoat N, apr no re IF ShnnS
sometimes; Doesn't it bother you
when there are more than at other
| tlmes?"
''Oh, no, sab; it don't make no
difference wedder dare's two pairs or
dozen, always gets. 'em right"
Again the judge looked at his hear
ers with an air of satisfaction.
Wasn't it pretty hard for you to
learn at frst9' asked the jadge.
Eyes, sab, it was mighty hard, "
answered Sambo.
"Well, can't you tell US how you
got into the habitl'
Eyes, sab. guess so. Its easy en-
ough for me, now, but it was mighty
hard at first. Ye see, it took me a
long time to learn to make de num-
bers oh de berth, but now 1 knows,
dem all, an jes' marks 'em on de
soles OBJ de shoes wild piece of chalk.
See, saha'
The judges answer was lost in the
roar of laughter which followed Sans
bo's explanation, and the judge found
it necessary to spend the rest of the
evening with his wife in the car
proper.