The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-22
INTERESTING COINCIDENCE
m...r.. Edison and syminkton Par
yisit to the Governor.


The Governor received a letter from
prominent gentleman, who bad represen'eu
~. constituency in the Legislature i1r
nn,oher III wears, asking him to wri,s ~
,ar ~ rscommendation Of bic son 10 lnon TO-
: fdison. the wizard Of Menlo Iarks ~,
onesting him, II possible, 10 TAKE wy n, hie
man into his laboratory ana msse ~ nvs-
sneciaI charge, initiating nun ny, ,be vo,ipg
teries OF practical eicTs:' -: .self 10
gentleman having been desolnS FOR some
The study Of theoretical electrlcisi ,'t 10 no.
. .na mast. The Governor was aDou.
,iv mi. hating no acquaintance WIN me ho
bison and being a perfect stranger ~
80 ~ oninlon that IL would nos y"
nroner for him 10 make suon
plaoi,est as that he was asked 10 make, Wne"
,Sd hm,Ier al the Executive Mansion an an,
nounced two gentlemen visitors anu n .'' say
their cards TO the Governor. stsnse no
the one read ''Samuei Edison' anu
other .James Symington;" anu vn H., ~
the gentlemen the dofernV' vo,u onmino
and Of his great reluctance TO MAKE sucn
reouest of Mr.. Thomas A. Suison;
ssvrite IN Tom. y said Mr.. Symington, an1
,all him saw 10 take the young man, anu
ba ell do 4. MIR. Edison here, IS ivrn
Ss,bor but raised Tom. and now MI: Eur
aaa ora I having been fast friends All oui
Ives growing old together, Tom says We
,nust anti work and take life easy .na'
we must only live now 20 take care " lie
selves and ENJOY life as best we eau nd
saws we must go about any " IT,, IT, will
oysTvwhere we like, and that he SIom) wiz
| foot the bills We thought OF goihs ~ =,
| Fnrone but on reflection decided ina. u
vas TOO rough and boisterous at TINS seaso"
| for us. so we decided TO 90 10 rloi l', 81 90
stead. and here we are on our WY ~
81 am a earrulous cid scotchman, ootei-
nor. Won will think, but have seen III ~ n,
nv time. and, therefore, nave mucn a ~ Scot.
about. | was born near hbbottslo,I,u, o 49,.
land. and among my earliest reoo,n nd owe
as a child is the great iear anu a1,or
Nth which the sheriff, Sir altei
scott inspired me, until l advances
in vears and learned to know MN wen
L1ey Sir Walter for the thlrty.lou'
wears that lived near him in AO0ot.sloI'u
N a time too when he was engaged IN VIII.
inc the novels which have made MS nam.
| imperisliible. know, too, wnere nc ~
many of his characters from, as LOT inslano.
| Rebecca, the Jewess in lvannoe; ~ was 80 -
| this way. sir Walter had met asnlng.on
Irving and found him so congennai mo ~
Inc insisted upon his coming "
| Abbottsford for "A long visit, when lrflns
agreed to do. and did, staying there W. W.,
Sir Walter for many months; 1t seems una Una,
| Washinton Irying's wife had on her deat1
bed exacted Of him promise tnat nc mou h
never marry-being almost alone In tns
world he became very mel melancholy ~. S anS
Scott ascertaining the cause used ms De9'
endeayOrs to dissuade him rom keeping
promise which he said no one ma. asG
a right to exact, and s 81 %ssS
so far that upon the return OF WASH,
| ington Irving TO America he oecamt
engaged to beautiful Jewess, and IN the u
mlIness of his 10Y he wrote TO his friend, slr
Walter giving most charming description , O1
Of his exquisitely beautiful inamorta, anu
scott was so pleased with the loneliness o.
the word painted portrait that he immeul
ately determined to adopt IT as the plGi.ur,
of his Rebecca, in the delightfully."- tnrlilins
romance 'IyannOe.
MIR. SymingtOn told great many more o
his pleasing and entertaining "reminiscences
and both gentlemen were so extremely IN
teresting that their departure was suoJec
of regret to all.