Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-28
A PHENOMENAL MEMORY.
Ami smith. of the Document Room or
the Top Poor of the Capitol.

New York Graphic
II you want to- find the most unerring AMI
phenomenal memory in Washington climl
TO the top floor Of the capitol, at the ,enate
wing, hunt the docTnent room, and inquire
for AMI Smith You will be met by tall
slender gentleman Of pleasant address
kindly gray eye-, and quick movements
Around him on every side, arranged in the
numerous sh I've. first according to con
gre-Ses, and next by number under each
congress, are the countless bills resolution,
etc, which prug statesmen have launched
on both houses since the very earliest DAYS.
II is a repository. not Of what congress ha,
done. bat OF what the innumerable caravan
Of wise men and cranks wanted to do-for
Smith keeps a record Of tine bills regardless
OF their legislative fate
Of course they are carefully indexei by
names and theme, but Smiths memory
doesn't nee this crutch. The members in
preparing Hill, or reports are always anx-
ious t. know If any steps have heretofore
been taken IN tie same direction, and the
ora lie t. consult in each ca 9 is Smith. You
approach Smith ON the subject no matter
what it i, no matter how long ago and,
after pulling the mt lock of his hair for a
moment and giving squint at the ceiling,
be VIII remark, for instance why, Yes,
you'll find a report of that in 30 of the sec
ond $50 tmeaning document 80 of the sec
oni session OF the Thirty-thirl congress-, and
lie will go for it with the instinct cf ferret.
During an almost daily intercourse Of sew
eral years | never knew him to make a mis-
take.
Let me give an intcre ting story about
HIM. Some five years ago he was taken sud
a.. l., 4
>hap, of a fever and attacked his head. The
sliicitpus senators insisted on daily report
Of bis condition from the quiet little country
house few miles from Washington. For
many days. a. the disease gained on him. it
seemed dubious for Smith and his cyclic
lariic brain. ard corrcsponlingIy gloomy
Tor the pablo IN 81 vino depended on his
ready stock of knowle lye But tho clouds
broke a last, fortunately. and he began
slowly u mend Ihe nature Of :he COM
plant led everyone u fear that poi Smith
might have wrcai, / hi, brain cargo during
the mental storm throu n which h, pt,~el
Ii was "A halmy morninS in Nav w.I.I Aplzi
BEGAN his return rngag IN mt ii the ol lr a.
and va, one of tn, first 81 try
whether hi, brain would answer ri!
call IN the good old way. SO ! AXE
whether Their. was any document giving re-
dates when the different states were A.
mitted into the Union. He squintel nj the
ceiling for a few seconds longer than Us ial
but at last Ire caught tine spirit Of revival
borne in through the windows on the
bloSsom-laden air, and replied.
Yes, 1t was ia Isl. IN the Forty-thir
that "A report made from the house com
mittee on territories, IN which this ilieli-
gence was conveyed. think it was ijl Of
the first"
That was then seven wears before, AMI NJ
one had aSSei for it since the day it had
been dumped in with gri,t of documentary
rubbish and quietly taken it, nook in the
cavernS of AmZi's head.
He does not trouble himself 10 inquire.
modest gentleman that he is whether this
gift l. natural or acquired He takes wha,
the gods have sent, without any horn
blowing or airs OF superiority, satisfied that
he Is useful, AMI content with the ccmpen-
Sation thereunto attached