Dodge City times., 1890-11-28
FAMOUS SNUFF-TAKERS.
Anecdotes of Great Men Who Were Fon
of q Pinch or Two.

Anecdotes Of Great Men Who Were Fond
of Pinch or Two.
When snuff-taking was fashionable an
English nobleman calculated that per-
son addicted to the habit wasted upon
his nose thirty-six and half days in the
year. A snuff-taker took one pinch
every ten minutes, and each pinch, with
its accomplishments occupied minute
and half. Allowing sixteen hours to
the day, he would be busy two hours
and twenty-four minutes every day, or
thirty-six and half days in the year.
Talleyrand insisted that diplomatists,
at least, did not waste time by snuff
taking. 1t afforded them, he said, an
opportunity of delaying and thus of
gaining time for framing reply which
was not ready at hand. 1t also allowed
the removal of ones eyes from those of
the questioner, and occupied the hands
whose fidgeting might betray a nervous
ness that had better be concealed.
Archbishop Whately acted upon Tai
leyrand's hint while an Oxford profess
sor. When he had put pithy question,
to student, who delayed answeringl
until he had unraveled it, the professor
found it convenient to take pinch OF
snuff, as it helped him to allay his i'm
patience.
A sketch drawn of him represents the
logic class assembled, and Whately,
while yet in the doorway, calling out:
'Mr. johnson, explain the nature of
the third operation of the mind"
Then he filings himself in the chair,
crosses the calf of one leg over the knee
of the other, and, balancing himself on
the two hind legs of the chair, he shows
signs of impatience before Mr.. johnson
has gathered his wits together. Out
comes his huge snuff-box, from which
handful of snuff is administered to his
nose and sprinkled upon his waistcoat.
1t soothes him SO that, when johnson,
answers in the words of the textbook,
he is calm enough to give luminous
exposition of the subject.
Darwin, tho naturalist, used snuff to
stimulate his mind during working
hours. That he might not take too many,
pinches, he kept jar Of snuff on the
hall table. The distance between the
hall and his study acted as check upon
over-indulgence.
But the chink of the lid of the snuff.
lar was a familiar sound in the family.
Sometimes, when in the drawing-room,
Darwin would suggest that the study
fire must be burning low. The family
smiled as he went out ostensibly to re-
plenish it, but really to get pinch Of
snuff.
An eloquent preacher of Glasgow, the
Rev. William Anderson, was SO addicted
to snuff that he would take q pinch in
the pulpit. Once, while uttering the
words, MY soul cleaveth to the dust"
he took pinch of snuff. He lamented
the mastery which the habit had gained
over him, and once, while preaching
from the text, "All is vanity" treated
his nose to snuff and then said, "And
this vanity. y."-Youth'sC 8 Companion.
Mysterious watsr-Holes.
Semitic inquirers are puzzled by Ger
tain mysterious water-holes in the ledge
ON the shore of the Boothbay Land Com
pany's territory in Maine. They are on
the eastern side of Spruce point, close
to Lovers Walk" There are three of
them, eight inches to = foot in diameter
and about ten inches deep. They are
bowl-shaped and perfectlycircular. Lo-
cally they are ascribed to the Indians.
They are supposed to have been used
for pounding corn, but a more incon-
venient arrangement can not be imag-
ined. The sea fills them twice day
and fresh water constantly trickles into
them. In winter they are entirely
frozen up. Besides the Indians were
too lazy to take such pains. 1t seems
from the conformation of the surround
ing country, impossible that there could
ever have been . water-course tzefo.
Their origin is . mystery. Two are per
feet One has cracked side.-Pitts-
burgh Dispatch
a -