Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-05-12
VICTIMS OF A BAp HABIT.


Men whose Absent Mindedncs Loads
Thorn into stormy Paths.
Tho abscnt-minded men arc hopeless
cases. One Of them played one OF his
old tricks the other day. IIewas walk
ing down Fifth avenue when he saw
some one coming toward him whose
face seemed to be familiar. His own
story best explains the situation.
~ was conscious" he said, "that
knew the man very well, but | was
thinking OF something and his approach
did not make u clearly defined impress
sion ON my brain. was also conscious
that when he saw me he gave a start
and took a step toward me with his
hand outstretched. And yet, all that
did not recall me sufficiently from my
thoughts TO enable me to realize clearly
just what was happening. said, in an
absent way. How do you do?' and
walked on as IL werc In the habit of
seeing him every day or as II | were
only slightly acquainted with him.
Even in that minute / was awake to
the fact that there was n queer light in
his face and that he returned my bow
very stinly.
ut was not until had gone u couple
of squares down the avenue that 1t
flashed into my mind that the man was
one of my oldest and most intimate
friends, whom had not seen in several
years, and that when he had started to
greet me cordially / had worse than
cut him by giving him a cold bow. |
then, as a man viii do, turned TO hurry
back after him, but, of course, he was
gone"
Here is another extreme case which
seems improbable, but for the truth of
which the writer can vouch. A New
Yorker who made IA trip TO California
was met at the pier in Oakland by a
man who rushed up to him and wrung
his hand hear tily.
"IIow do you do, WHIP cried the
stranger with delight. 81 heard you
were coming and thought you would
like TO have me meet YOU
The New Yorker looked at the other
man in blank astonishment
''Tm afraid" he said, ''that there is
some mistake. do not seem TO know
you"
"Well," said the other with a laugh,
'you are cool fellow to Joke in that
way. But how long are you going to
stay out here? want you TO come to
our house"
"But, my dear sir, declared the New
York man earnestly, II don't know you.
never saw you before. can't imagine
what you can mean.
80, il that's the ease" was the reply
in tones of Indignation, IL will not
trouble you. But just 10 refresh your
very remarkable memory propose TO
tell you that know you. ! am your
cousin, George D.. We were boys
together, we went to school together,
and you haven't changed in appearance,
and do not think that have. Good
day. sir" and he started TO walk away
in disgust, but the New Yorker ran
after him, Offering thousand apologies
He is a man who simply cannot remem-
bcr even faces.
The absent-minded writer who after
filling sheet of paper with what to
him at least is valuable literature tears
it up, without knowing what he is
doing, and throws the bits OF paper in
n waste basket, recently brought con-
fusion and horror into his existence by
one OF his ''thinkless" actions. lie had
completed an article of several thousand
words and had finished Cooking it
over" and making changes and correc-
tions ia IL. Then he sat back and let |
his mind dwell on the subject upon |
which he had been working, and work |
ing very hard, and for some time too.
As he mentally reviewed the whole arti-
Gle, his fingers began TO do deadly work |
with the manuscript. They tore it all |
into the finest bits and threw them |
away. Then the man got up with n |
sigh of content that the work was com
pleted 10 his satisfaction. Not until the |
next day, when he went TO his desk to |
take out the manuscript, did he discover |
how much his terrible vice OF absent |
had cost him. All his labor |
and pains were gone in fragments of |
worthless paper and the thought made |
him faint and sick. And yet he himself |
declares that there Is no help for him |
He considers himself hopeless case"
and tries to make the best of bad trait |
"A straying and capricious mind.-N
" Us,.;b,,v,