The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-07-17
Human Oddities.

| William Young In the Century.
| Human Oddities.
| l know man, writes a correspondent
to London ANSWERS" who never learned
! to write or read, vet it you give him
a directed envelope and tell him to write
another like it he is able to do so and
initiate the style of writing to a nicely,
although he would not be able to read it
when finished.
Although / never heard man
whistle il duet" l knew one 1T Cam
bridge who could do something like it.
He could whistle an air and hum the
accompaniment In perfect tune: The
piece especially remember was ''xAdeste
Fideles." where the accompaniment in
the fifth line lin contrary motion), and
the initiative phrases at the end were
| faultlessly rendered.
| l have a strange faculty which |
think is most uncommon. My hands
| though soft, and of Il very ordinary
tyW-are quite impervious to the stings
of WaSpS, though not of bees. and many
can testify to the accuracy of the fol-
lowing: l can sit over Il strong wasp's
nest, with my legs in tailor fashion, en-
circling the hole, and catch and kill with
the bare hands every wasp that either
! goes out or comes in, even directly after
having my hands washed in warm water,
and without anything whatever rubbed
! over them.
l had slight acquaintance some years
ago with man who possessed the ex-
| traordinary faculty of being able to
turn up his eyelids with backward
toss of the head.
1t was only OH rare occasions that he
would show his power in this direction.
and the effect was most uncanny and
startling.
Strange to say. he had to use his
| fingers to turn the lids down again.
l can sit down on the floor so as to
| form the letter w.
l stand erect, put my feet about
| twenty inches apart, and by bending the
| knees forward, sit down between my
| feet. with my legs on the floor and feet
| by tho side of me.
| may say was never able, even
when a child, to sit down with legs
straight out without great discomfort. so
| adopted the above way.
While on my way from Sydney in the
| fall of last year. business compelled me
to call at Singapore for a short time,
where | met Il Cingalese who could, by
appl wing rosin to both his forefngers.
produce music very similar to violin.
| and. indeed. almost as distinct, God
Save the Queen" being his favoritc
tune. He also changed the tone so as
| TO resemble the mandolin.
Lee and Mcclellan.
Entertaining papers giving reninis-
cences of THE Lost Cause were read
yesterday afternoon at meeting of the
| Daughters of the Confectionery. In Il
paper prepared by George Savage and
read by Mrs. D. Giraud Wright was de-
scribed the first meeting of Gen Robert
r. Lee and Gen. George B. Mcclellan
as Gen. Mcclellan had related the facts
to Mr.. Savage in the summer of 1873
ing the w"i Me sic the atty e said e Gen Mr.
Clellan to Mr.. Savage, ''that l first met
my future great opposing commander.
l was lieutenant of engineers and Lee
was Il major of engineers and favolite
on the staff of Gen. Winfield Scott. l
was walking along across field one day
when l saw Gen. Scott and his staff an
preaching ON horseback. AS the party
drew near to me Maj. Lee reigned up
his horse and, addressing me in an angry
| tone. said:
| Lieutenant. don't you know YOU are
dis2beying orders? What is your n,me:'
| II told him my name was Mcclellan
and that | did not know l was dis
obeying orders.
All officers have been told to remain
in their quarters and await orders, he
exclaimed, still appearing very angry.
Il replied that no such order had
reached me, and he then peremptoriiy
ordered me back to my quarters, and
fastened away to join Gen. Scott and
the rest of the staff, who had not
stopped.
Il returned across the field to nv
quarters, feeling much injured, for l had
not knowingly committed any breach Of
discipline. | complained to my fellow
officers of Maj. Lees treatment of me.
Scarcely had l finished my story when
was told that there was an officer out
side who wished to see me, and l was
greatly surprised to find Maj. Lee seated
there upon his horse. He saluted and |
returned the salute
Lieut.. Mcclellan said he, 4 fear
that in our meeting just now l was dis
courteous in tone and manner. l have
come to express to you the regret which.
under, the circumstances, gentleman
should
II assured him that it was all right.
and with salute and low bow, y hich
| feelingly returned, he rode away. leay-
ing me lost in admiration of a superior
officer who cou Id so promptly and SO
generously repair an error. '-Baltimore
| Sun.