Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-18
WITHOUT A MEMORY.
A New York Business Man Who Has
Lost the Precious Faculty.
DOESN'TsKNOw HIS OWN NAME.
The Loss Grew Gradually From the 0rdi-
nary Absent-Mindedness.
A JOKE THAT PROVED MOST CRUEL
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH

is depicted an imaginary character OF that
kind.
II do think of one nearly every day. I
have servant with SO short memory that
she cannot do anything twice consecutively
the same way. She sometimes makes excel
lent bread or biscuits, but never twice or
thrice right along. 1t is as uncertain as the
turn of a card. Sometimes she salts the
vegetables. sometimes she edoesn't-and some
times she salts one dish and not another, and
then, again, she forgets she has seasoned
anything and salts them all around again,
for luck. 1t would be an even bet whether
the roast will come out half raw or dried
into tasteless knot. Yet she has MEM
ory, such as it Is. am not speaking of
short memories, for memories are but rela-
lively long and short. They begin some
where and end somewhere in myth OF
tangled recollection and forgetfulness.
No Memory at ALL
Others is man in New York who has no
memory at all-none at all r.
'Insane ?''
mo; sound of body and mind"
''Idiotic?'
mot at all. His faculties, except in
this one particular, are quite as good as your
or my faculties. The Imaginary character
created by Dickens is not marker to this
man OF real, modern every day life. The
only thlng like memory he possesses is
habit He goes to bed and gets up and eats
and goes to business and comes home from
haolt-though OF course, he is never trusted
abroad alone. He knows where to get off
the cars from habit. But the question as to
where he lives, or what street it is where he
Is to get of, will confuse him at once He
cannot tell. He can sign his name to apears
and seems to understand what they are
about, by instinct, though he is no longer
trusted by his partners to do anything of the
kind where the matter is important except
where they know it is all right Remove
the papers and ask him what they were
about and he couldn't tell you. A business
letter before him he seems to comprehend at
a glance, but he couldn't turn the letter up
side down and remember the name OF the
writer-not even long enough to address the
letter.
Began in Absent Mindedness.
''No; 1t didn't come all at once. His
friends noticed it beginning several years
ago. Then it was called short memory
just as you hear many people spoken OF.
Some call such a man absent minded. One
day he would get off the elevated at Rector
street and 60 up to his old ofice-one he
had not occupied for six months-and not
discover his mistake until he walked into
room full of strangers. HIS Office is on
Broadway near Cortlandt. Another time
he would be met on Broadway inquiring
his way to the postofice, like any stranger.
'His friends made light of it at first, and
occasionally guyed him terribly. They
would get fellows to meet him suddenly and
.I- ytar n Nd
he might be standing on that great thor
oughfare at the time the chances would be
that, he could not at once answer correctly
Then they'd inquire where he lived, and
sometimes he couldn't say. A confused
look would always creep over his face, some
thing like the look of puzzled child, and
the sweet smile of helplessness that would
follow was enough to disarm criticism. He
was always gentle and polite in his manners.
For this very reason he was likely to be
stopped anywhere by strangers or others
who sought information, though he endeav-
ored to avoid such things as much as possi-
BILE.
Forgot About Washington.
"One afternoon he had paused in front OF
Benedict's to set his watch-which he often
forgot to wind up. The usual knot was
there on the same or similar errand. An
old gentleman turned to him and inquired:
:" 4 beg pardon-'but will you-are you
New Yorker?"
T-yes-yes, yes was the hesitating
reply.
"'Ah, then you can tell me where Wash
ington's headquarters used to be? They
were down below here some place
Washington? Washington repeated
the poor fellow, that puzzled expression
settling down over mis- fine face-'What
business was he imp
1.-THE stranger studied that face a moment
with a suspicious frown. then burst out
laughing. The New Yorker hurried away.
But the funny part of this infrmity passed
with the rapid increase of the cause. Among
his friends it ceased entirely with the fol-
lowing incident: The Office clerk and
jolly client made bet of dinner and
bottle one day that the Man Without
Memory as he was now called, could be
taken round block and lost. They caused
him to expect an appointment in Church
street. and took him by messenger over to
Beaver street in the crooked vicinity of
Delmonico's ancient residence. 1t was in
exactly the opposite direction from Church.
but being in company OF guide he didn't
notice.
The Joke Got Serious.
By instructions he was to be let on GER
tain corner, and these instructions were car
ried out by the messenger. The agreement
was that if the man without a memory got
back before the, closing hour the jolly client
was to put up the dinner, and if he didn't
the clerk was to do so. The latter was &C.
customed to the eccentricities of his en-
ployer and deemed the proposition that he
could be lost anywhere in New York
absurd. Nevertheless, these practical
iOt tad lx-r mi he
tended the time once, twice, thrice-then,
rather nervously. went to dinner.
1.-THE next morning a note from the wife
of the man-without-a-memorY awaited the
clerks arrival at the Office. It stated that
her husband had not returned the night be-
fore, that he was not accustomed to remain
away from home over night, and inquired
whether he had been called out of town,
and, If not, at what hour had he left the
Office. This created considerable uneasiness
at the office and steps were at once taken to
ascertain the whereabouts of the missing
partner. The uneasiness was immeasurably
increased upon the appearance Of an even
ing paper containing the following state
ment:
Got Into Police Court.
A well-dressed gentleman. about As years of
age was found wandering about the lower East
river docks, apparently demented. When ques-
toned by police officer, of whom he had in
quired the direction of Broadway, he was un-
able to give either his residence or place of
business or even his name. He was taken to
the station house and searched. He had a
valuable watch and chain and some money on
bis person. but nothing could be found to indi-
cate his identity. The strangest part of it is
that the man talked nationally enough. He had
probably been sandbagged and had not recov-
cred from the effects of the blow. He was
locked up for the night At the Tombs this