Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-04
MENTAL TELEGRAPHY.
Mark Twain Relates Curious Incl
dent in His Own Experience.

From narper's Magazine.
Several years ago 1 made campaign on
the platform with Mr.. George w. Cable. In
Montreal We were honored with a recep-
ton. Ii began at in the afternoon in a
long drawing room in the Windsor Hotel
Mr.. Gable and l stood at one end of this
room, and the ladies and gentlemen entered
it at the other end, crossed it at that end
then came up the long left-hand side, shook
hands with US, said word or two, and
PASSED on, in the usual way. My sight is
of the telescope sort and 1 presently rec
ognized familiar face among the throng
of strangers drifting in at the distant door,
and l said to myself, with surprise and
high qualification. That is Mrs. R.; had
forgotten that she was a Canadian" She
had been a great friend of mine in Carson
City, New, in the early days. I had not
seen her or heard of her for twenty years.
1 had not been thinking about her: there
was nothing to suggest her to me, nothing
to bring her to my mind; IN fact, to me she
Rad long ago ceased to exist, and had dis
appeared from my consciousness. But 1
knew her Instantly; and l saw her 50
clearly that I was able to note some of the
particulars of her dress, and did note them.
and they remained in my mind l was i'm
patient for her to come. In the midst of
the Misunderstanding l snatched glimpses of
her, and noted her progress with tie slow
moving file across the end of the room
then I saw her start up the side. and this
gave me full front view of her face. l
saw her last when she was within twenty
five feet of me. For an hour l kept think
ing she must still be in the room some
where and would come at last, but l was
disappointed.
When I arrived in the lecture hall that
evening some one said: Come into the
waiting-room; there's friend of yours
there who wants to see you. You'll not be
introduced-you are to do the recognizing
without help if you can
/ said to myself, 1T is Mrs. R.; sha'n't
have any trouble
There were perhaps ten ladies present
all seated. In the midst of them was Mrs
r., as l had expected. She was dressed eX-
actly as she was when l had seen her in
the afternoon. 1 went forward and shook
hands with her and called her by NAME
and said:
Il knew you the moment you appeared at
the reception this afternoon"
She locked surprised and said: But I
was not at the reception. l have just
rived from Quebec, ard have not been in
town hour
1t was my turn to be surprised now I
said: Il can't help it. I give you my word
of honor that it is as 1 say. l saw you at
the reception, and you Were dressed pre-
cisely as you are now. When they told me
a mornent ago that 1 should find a friend
in this room. your image rose before me-
dressed and all, just as 1 had seen you at
the reception"
Those are the facts. She was not at the
reception at all, or anywhere near it; but
| saw her there nevertheless, and most
clearly and Enthusiastically. To that I could
make oath. How is one to explain this? 1
was not thinking of her at the time; had
not thought of her for years. But she had
been thinking of me, no doubt; did her
thought fit through leagues of air to me,
and bring with it that clear and pleasant
vision of herself? I think so. That was
and remains my sole experience in the
that come when one is (ostensibly) awake.
l could have been asleep for q moment; the
apparitfon could have been the creature of
a dream. Still, that is nothing to the
point; the feature of interest is the hap
pening of the thing just at that time, in
Is argument that it's origin lay in thought
transferrence.
English and American Locomotives.
From the Railroad Gazette.
The best speed mentioned in the En-
gllsh report of the recent run of $40 miles
in 512 minutes, 80 miles at "A miles an
hour, falls considerably short of the record
n ade by the Camden and Atlantic on
April 81 last from Camden to Atlantic
City, N ]. This Atlantic City run was
made by an engine with 7S-inch driving
wheels. If our American editors, who are
inclined to feel chagrined at these new
speed figures they should emphasize this
performance. The whole run Of 5S3 miles
was made in 40 81 minutes, equal to 1916
miles an hour, and a distance of 1913 miles
was GOV cred in 371a minutes, or at the rate
Of 1911 miles an hour.