The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-19
MENTAL ACCIDENTS.
SOME OF THE QUEER THINGS
THAT ABSENTMINDEO MEN DO.

Man Who Lighted a Match to See II
the Gas Was Burning-How Writer
Makes Work for Himself-A Man Who
Has Difficulty in Finding a Necktie.
A literary man, who is victim of alb
| sentmindedness, says that frequently after
he gets into bed he lies awake and wonders
| why. He is conscious that something is
wrong, but cannot determine what it is.
Finally, in desperation, he gets up, looks
around and discovers that the gas is burn
ing. He turns it out and goes promptly to
sleep. The strange part of this falling is
that he not infrequentiy has the same ex-
perience, and one would suppose when he
found himself wakeful in a lighted room
his first thought would be of the lighted
gas. This and few other examples which
are now recalled seem to indicate that lit
erary men are very likely to be extremely
absentminded and suffer most from this
falling Immediately after having concen-
trated their minds upon their writing or
close reading.
One man he's trouble in keeping his
manuscript sheets in order After writing
one sheet he Is likely TO toss It aside among
old bits or discarded writings. He writes
an extremely fine hand, and in correcting
his manuscript he is forced often TO rs
write a whole page. In such cases he tears
up the old page TO keep it from getting
mingled with the others. At times, how
ever, after rewriting a sheet, with the cor.
rections which he wishes TO make, he limo
Gently tears up the new manuscript and
replaces the old sheet precisely where it
was and just as it was before.
Later, when he discovers his old friend
or enemy, say page 40, he is surprised to
find that it has not been changed when he
fancied that he had completed his work, it
not occurring to him at that moment that
he really had rewritten the page, but had
again destroyed it.
LOOKING FOR THE GAS
A very remarkable case Of a mind which
leads to certain action by force of habit,
when the thoughts are elsewhere, is that
of another writer whose workshop" is en-
the second floor of his house He sits up
late every night, and the first thing he
does after finishing his writing or studying
Is TO go down stairs and turn out the gas
in the hail. He never forgets to do this
Recently, however, he went to the head Of
the stairs thinking of some work upon
conscious in vague way Of having diff
Guilty in finding his way down the stairs.
When he reached the hall be was affected
by a strange feeling OF bewilderment. He
was perfectly aware that he had come down
stairs 10 put out the light. but when he
raised his arm he could not fud the chan
delier The room was IN darkness. Still
as MS mind was mechanically urging that
the light be put out. aud al the same time
actively engaged with other thoughts, be
could not comprehend that some one else
had turned out the light for him
Strangest OK al was his next act He
actually struck match, 50 that by i5s
light he could see If the gas really were 10.
burning. lie then tuTret on the gas,
lighted il, put It out again and went 20
bed. Il did not occur 10 him until the
next morning that BE had doue anything
stupid, as be innocsCtly expressed it 70 his
wife.
There does not seem 20 hS any treatment
or discipline which gll beCeGt this peal
lar mental neglect, One mzz knows per
fectly that his filling 10 this direction IS
that he has trouble ia aad.ng hls ties
They are aiways kept u = particular
drawer. and be does not fozEss thai lie
should put on his re. Bat. while aware
that his ties are IN one drawer oulv, be viii
look in tie first drawer which bis band
touches, and then 50 on opcnios aud clos
ing others until be duds tue right ese
Aaaia ~sen b1< lss--a h@s selecssc . Ger