The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-11-28
THE kssENTMINOED WOMAN.
Several Arguments to Prove That She
Is Not, as She Fears, Insane.


A lady who fastened TO explain that
she is mot a drinking woman that she
is mot addicted to the use Of drugs" in
short that she has no habits that would
tend to impair the intellect, cites an ex-
p~erience that has caused her much dis
uuietude. Briefly told and in her own
language, she went down town ard
forgot 70 put on either hat or bonnet
This bit Of mental alteration has 50
haunted. worried and generally upset
her that she appeals for relief-scme-
thing III the nature Of citation Of similar
cases that may convince her that she is
not a Glaring exception to the world OF
sensible people and that her performance
is not 10 he taken as an indication that
she is losing her mind.
II ought to he the easiest thing III the
world TO convince this needlessly alarm
Ell lady that in the light Of the many
and notable examples Of mental lapseS
her experience Is rather a pleasantly
distinguishing characteristic and not 4
terrifying naladv. If she has followed
the daily papers or has read the floating
bits Of biography she must have noted
til" many strange stories Of great men
and ONE remarkable for their absent
mindcdness. In fact, the preoccupatiOn
Of the mind has led people into many
absurd experiences and has made them
the subjects Of many oft told jests.
But nobody would think for Il moment
Of accusing such people Of a marked
tendency toward insanity or Of intimat
iy,r 1I,,+ +po lroiD Tyoc Cof+anirr IT,
explanation would be that the lnind J.
50 concentrated on what happens to be
occupying it at the n that all
other things are subOrdinated. For eX-
ample, people wrapped in thought will
BE- carried beyond their railway station.
Will wall; several blocks ont of their
way, will even pass their own door.
\ further interesting and COnsOlin9
thought j. the fact that the prOfOnndcst
thinkers afford the most numerous illus
trati0us of Observation-Disclosures. Scicn-
It's, literary men, college professors,
lawyer5-in short, all classes Of people
who are Of a studiOus pr0fession-are
noted for such cccentricities. The wise
professor. with his head cralnlned full
Of the inspiration Of the study, Is the
butt Of the students and the practical
folk that enjoy the bewilderment into
which his preOccupatiOn leads him.
Professor SOphOcles, Of Harvard u~niyer-
sjty. was a man Of this kind. Professor
Smell, Of Amherst. was another. Pro
fcssOr Walter HoughtOn, the historian,
IS a third. It is related Of Professor
HouGhton that in leaving his room t.
pass down a long corridor and thence to
the street he invariably raised his UNI
brella unconscious Of the smiles OF the
amused spectators.
Samuel I. Glover. for many wears the
bright ornament Of the st. Louis bar,
VIGOROUSLY aDsentminded. He
would enter a restaurant, order a
luncheon and fall into a brown studvl
over Il law case. After the luncheon
had been served he would pick up the
check, pay the cashier and walk ont,
leaving the food untouched. entirely I'M
mindful Of the fact that his stomach waa
still unsatisticd. Mr.. Bpecher has related
stories III which Thought preoccupation
has played him FRANKS, and has laughed
as heartily ~ anybody ovcr the misfor.
tunes.
IN view If the thousands Of expert
enres that might be cited in evidence Of
the extent OF observation-disclosures. it would
appear that the lady WHO pranced down
town harcft Of her bonnet has 10 reason
to fer that she j. als0t to he bcreft IF her
reason. a thousand Bioomiugdale.
could not accommodate the lunaticS III
her stage Of dlSeaSc.-New York World.