Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-09-14

tile eyes rested and finally made it clear
that he was anxious to be told their mean
ing. 1t was not an easy thing to do this,
his mother says, but it was finally accom-
plished through perseverance, the child lis
tening with open mouth and wide eyes to
the instruction given.
a day or two later he was sent out over
the same route in charge of a servant,
when he insisted that she should stop the
perambulator whereinshe was pushing him
to read off the words on signs and placards
that had before been explained to him.
This DONE he called for further reading,
but the girl had read enough, in her iudg-
ment, and refused. At this Otto cried and
got red in the face, attracting the atten-
ton of a passing gentleman who asked
the cause of the child's complaint. Being
told, the gentleman read for Otto, who ex-
hibited the liveliest manifestations of de-
light. Then there was little lesson at
the boys request, Otto appearing to be
especially pleased with the letter D." re-
peating many times and with evident sat
isfacton words containing it that were
read to him.
The next day the precocious youngster
discovered that there We're books and
newspapers in the house of his parents,
and that these contained printed letters
and words. Since that time nothing but
reading has awaited to keep him still. If
he sees "A piece of printed matter which he
cannot get hold of, he screams until it is
given to him. He succeeded in learning
the German alphabet in three or four days
by asking the names of the letters of who
ever happened to be nearest him. His par
ents thought the whole matter so strange
that shortly after they first noted his pre-
cocty they took him to the doctors to in
quire if it carried with it any bodily weak
ness.
The doctors tested the child's temper by
Offering him the choice of books and pa
pers or apples and cherries. He showed
every symptom of delight when he saw
the fruit, as any other child of his age
would do, but when he saw the reading
matter he left the basket at once, his eyes
shining with the intensity of his joy and
the former childlike expression of his coun-
tenance being Immediately supplanted by
a look of preternatural shrewdness. He
seized the books with all the energy of his
small person and began to read.
AT many of the long words he stumbled
and more than once was more than hope
lessy stuck. This seemed to annoy him
greatly, and he gave vent to his disap-
pointment in short impatient cries. All
the books at first shown to him were print
ed in the German text. After little some
Latin works printed in the Roman type
We're handed TO him. These we are told puZ-
zled him not a little. He seemed to but half
comprehend them. Then he asked this
question, truly astonishing to come from
lips SO immature as his:
"What is ity" and added, according to
the faithful scribe, who reported the mat
ter for n German paper. Il can make out
the letters but don't kr DIV the words"
The disposition of this marvellous boy is
stated to be vain and dictatQrial to de
gree. He seems TO be excessively proud of
his accomplishment and TO realize that it
is something that has already marked him
as "A being different from other babies.
When there are no newspapers or books
within reach, however, he seems to be
satisfied with the things that usually en-
gage the attention of little children, but
let bit of print be shown, and he forsakes
his whistles and rattles instantly. He can
hardly walk as yet, and he still nurses at
his mothers breast.
From the doctors the child was taken
home in street car where he manifested
a tremendous amount of Indignation be-
cause there was no lettering on its win
dows. To pacify him fellow passenger
showed the babe "A couple of letters These
Otto read, though parts of them were not
Easy.
This was not at all surprising" the
gentleman said afterward "for they were
written in a shockingly bad hand"
The doctors say there is no reason for
Otto's parents to worry about his physical
health though they believe he is the most
precocious child on record. Herr and Frau
Poehler claim to have no desire to exhibit
the infant prodigy, and, as may be imag
ined, number of German scientists have
shown great interest in him. They pro
pose to watch over his mental development
and If possible prevent Its taking an I'M
symmetrical course.