The record-union., 1898-07-31

one Of the most marvellous stories of
mental feats that ever came to light is
told by A. l.. SayleS a Well-knOWn COM
mercial traveller, who is at present in
charge of department with WeinStOck
& Lubin of this city.
Mr.. Sayles gave the story to a Rec
ord-Union'' reporter few days ago,
laughing and living over his experiences
again as he recalled the days when he
was a merry drummer on the road He
said:
1T was away back in the eighties.
was just approaching a little Missouri
town called Henry, when the conductor
of the train, whom knew we'll, offered
TO bet me 50 that he could demonstrate
that a common everyday idiot of his
acquaintance, fellow who could not
write his own name, and who had never
been fifty miles from home, could knock
Inc silly at invoicing goods. You can
Imagine that l took him up in a hurry,
Tor / am rapid at figures, and having
had a commercial education and an act
I've experience Of a dozen years, L inn
ag1ned that the conductor was simply
trying to bluff me out of betting. Then,
again, L imagined that he knew some
fellow who had an aptitude for mathe-
matics and who had been drilled like a
parrot on some of the many systems of
so-called lightning calculating, and that
he would put him up against me.
The train whistled, the brakes were
put on, and looking toward the engine
saw few old-fashioned hacks and a
dozen typical Missouri River bottom
ties on the platform. 1t was division
station on the Wabash Western Rail-
way, and when the conductor had doffed
his hat and donned a citizens coat and
hat he invited all of the little party
myself and those who had witnessed the
bet-to take drink at the little grog-
gerry by the station. 1t was good old
kentucky goods that we sampled.
"A heavy-set lout who sat on beer
keg, whiting al a broom handle, grin
ned at us as we entered the place The
conductor shook his hand, called him
'Rube,' and invited him to join US. but
we were not introduced to him. When
we had finished drinking the conductor
buttonholed the unkempt fellow took
him back TO card table and spoke a
few words to him. When they parted
a dollar was slipped into the slouchy
chaps hand. 1t was then, for the first
time, that l suspected he was the math-
ematician
The conductor excused himself from
all except me, but before doing so he
said: Boys all come down to old Bill
Flanders store after dark Then he
told me as we walked along the narrow
street leading to the hotel-there is only
one there-that the invoicing contest
would take place at Flanders store
That pleased me, for Flanders invari-
ably bought cheese, cove oysters and
crackers from the grocery house for
which | was then travelling
AT 4 o'clock sharp we went to the
little frame store. | was surprised to
find twenty or thirty fellows there
ahead of US As we entered I was
stared at and grinned at and the fell
lows commented to their companions as
L passed down to the proprietor's desk
They seemed by their grinning to say:
An. now we have got sucker,' They
thought l was horrible dude for every
man who wears a billed shirt comes
within the definition there.
Sure enough, there sat the half-wit-
ted and shaggy looking fellow toward
whom my suspicious We're directed, and
the conductor stopped to chat with him,
while l got old man Flanders ear 1
told him quickly what | had bet. and /
begged him to give me a pointer that
would prevent me from making an ass
of myself. The old fellow said: Look
ye, hyar, don't ye tech it, Don't ye
tech it, for that ar feller is possessed Of
the devil, and he'll kerwhollup yer dead
sartin,'
Il was nervous. anyhow. and the old
mans advice settled it. l decided right
then that | would rather lose the 50
than to make a clown of myself in a
hopeless set-to with a man suspected to
be possessed of the devil.
Il stood out in the center Of the
floor and l said to the fellows in the
store: Gentlemen. it is my treat, and
I'll give up my money and back out
for Mr. Flanders tells me that my an
tagonist is sure to best me- There was
a regular yell of laughter. l sent boy
for a gallon of beer and the fun began.
/ demanded of the conductor that he
show me what his man could do.
Rube.' said he. you've knocked the
socks off this burned drummer without
saying word, and now suppose YOU
do little figuring for him. Blaze away,
Sayles, with your sums l saw that the
fellow had no pencil or paper and I
offered mine. whereupon he led the
chorus Of laughter ard they all said
that the beer was on me again. He did
not use pencils.
Il said, How much viii l ,356 and 1-3
yards of calico cost at q 2-13 cents per
yard?' Quick as a flash he gave me
what | found TO be the correct result. /
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