New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-14
CHANCES HERE AND THERE.

The writer recently heard two stories Of absent
mindedness which encouraging TO those who suffer
from mild form Of the disease The first was told by
a woman about her father. lie In his library, and
his cries brought the whole family TO the ROOM They
hurried In and found him his favOnte table, pokng
under IL and around 1t among his papers and every
where with his walking stick. When asked
him what he looking for he only continued 70 poke
with the stick Finally he turned in disgust and said
"Some will have 10 find II for me- laid IL up
against my desk. 1t slipped down to the floor, and
thought picked II up; but don't seem to be able to
lind It now "whst is IL you looking fori' asked
his daughter. "Why, my stick child" cried the old
gentleman. and don't see where IT can be- OF
course the slick which he was trusting INTO the waste
paper basket and into every corner was the ono for
which he was searching. The second story was told
by all absentninded mans wife. " Before the we'd
ding" she remarked. my husband said to me Now,
Nell. know very we'll that when the time comes for
Inc 10 produce that ring shall never be able TO find IL.
II put 1t In my pocket shall never find the pocket,
and if ! do find the pocket shall never find the ring.
suppose you take the ring, and inst NJ the moment
when / need IL you slip II into my hand So we
agreed upon that arrangement When The ceremony
began he calm as could be. held the ring in
NY hand ready to slip 1t TO him when the proper
time should come. lie began 10 get restless and lost
all trace Of the service. Then he began to hdgc ana
his hand went Into pocket after another-snrrep-
tOuSly, OF course. ! had no idea what was worrying
him until he whispered 10 loudly that every one
around MS must have heard us: Nell, where in the
and can't lind IT, | won't have it when the time
comes opened my hand to show him that the ring
jn,t then had to give It to him. for the time IL, had
knows this particular man is familiar with his falling,
and one ENJOYS telling about the embarrassmcnts
which II causes him more than he
The mail service is about nearly perfect things
which depend upon human agency can he. Rarely.
indeed, in these days does letter astray when II is
properly addressed and faithfully mailed. a man who
mailed letter recently in disturbed condition of
mind. however for several hours the loss as he
| supposed Of his message lie incloscd in the letter
some tickets which he commissioned To buy, ana
promptly mailed them. lie discovered the next day
! that they had not been delivered lie started an in
vc>tiGition. and while the subject under con
sheraton he received word that the tickets and the
note lad arrived safely Wy some lapse OF me mind ne
the street. The letter had been taken 20 the Fast Side
number. returned taken 70 the West side AZ venture
and delivered to IT. proper owner one point with
record Of many. scored FOR the Postofcc Department
and one ,h0ck 10 the selfcstccm of the man who ad
dressed the letter.
The man at the theatre insists explaining the
jokes the situations and the whole play his com
panion. TO the disgust Of every in the nclghbor
hood sometimes ceases 10 be thorn In the flesh and
becomes source Of amusement. This was noticeable
not long ago al a theatre where the audience was
well acquainted with the PLAYERS One of those taka
tive fends who lnfcst every theatre Insisted In his
usual way upon showing that he knew it ALL" lie
described the criticisms which had been made upon
| ore actor. told Of the dissatisfaction with his
Interpretation Of the part. and also ntmatcd where
his work might well be improved lie got on
him card attention to- the fact that on that
night for the first time there change In tho cast
\ new man was playing the part that night. but inc
wise man had not discovered this. lie snbsidei
when he learned the truth. and everyone thcrcabout
gave the sarcastic censor glance full Of sympathy
and Of gratitude
lsyman was on the gunboat third class cruiser
prefer 10 call herr bennington when she made
her recent trial trip up the Sound. in describing tho
sail back 10 the city. when the warshlp steamed into
the teeth Of the wind and drove her PROV toward
ew.York the landubber told some wonderful stories
| about the which broke over the vessel.
"Thcy wcrc high hc said, 60 that they not only
ut the decks, but sent OF down the
tla;ors, which we're ten feet above tho deck naval
had val-e hed with tables and mystcriou. c0mpu.
tniions u sure with which f. work odt tho result Of
whose natural home Is he firm land Bo-h!@ he
,sid abOnt all the water that broke over the boat
spray There was hardly any sea 20 speak Of.
But tie bennington proved herself great vessel.
al have a bad memory for some things said a
man. and yet have an admirable memory for other
things Does that seem straugel Well, It isn't 50
remarkable. The separate and individual incidents |
and ideas what bother me. / don't attempt 10
remember things By Themselves. Take the Presidents
Of the United states could not tell you TO my
life OFF hand who the ninth President, but |
after a minute OF reflection and consideration could
tell You and stake my life il. have naturally
good memory for some thing, and build on what
have one Of my hvoritc points Of departure Is
my age another IS the Number Of my house, another
the year in which born. This Is all for date
and numbers. If COursc-thc hardest tlinCs to my
thinking - remember. ] recall one number which
very hard for me to recall. Now the number OF
my room in college 30 This number was 62.
when | wanted 10 remember that number
took my old college for basis, and multiplied it
by two. That gave me 80, but still had TO use
the two ! added II 10 the &c. That j.. ] took
the number Of my college room. multiplied il by two
and added the two. shall never forget that number
50 long | live. Here Is another one little moro
! complicated. The street Thrtyninthst. the
| house number IS. / added the and the
| together, and the and the ,; result. T.
| and There Is my key. the ratio a. four Is
Ia three, with three in each II y0G preserve that
a-tray still more complicated one IS bousr num-
Der which had trouble with year, ago II was sim
| 10 remember. isn't II Well, took the last four
digts-G. :. :. - Then took the highest and the
owest-0 and g. and again the highest and the low
est from the rcmaindcr-o and 7-and had my
numbcr-o the highest, tho lowest, next hiehest,
and next lowcSt-rcsuli;. 80: oGe scvcnthave
Does that seem labohous! 1t isn't bit one jumps
tuncr ends Then that number never get away
from him. ITS ali association Of IDEAS
40 other women in the world compare with
American womcn,7 said who has been living
abroad for several years, in walking. The Amcd ,
can woman walk, by preference. She seems b. scorn
a carriage And how She walks Her head is held
nm her shoulders thrown back and her step is !
firm and ell-tc. i IL any wonder that she has a
fine color and that HIPS fresh and her eye
clear? In Other countries women ride because they |
do not feel safe when they are In the street Hero
| they know that they have every man at their com
mand If they need HIM You find in line after
line throglnc the streets vhcr' they 20 10 do their
,loutiug or in finh o: Madison ayes. when they !
are :riurnine home they may moi know what
lie, sing their Independence j, to them. but their
Lc,uy aud the health and Nigor oi their children In |
after years In great measure due To TIL, love
| If WALKING save in England perhaps. ! have seen
| uotIiug like IL, and In ENGLAND the women do not
walk a, they do here. They are more deliberate and
Mn linn n u ~ m nrn