The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-05-03
GREAT MEN WHO ARE ABSENT
MINDED.
Edison SO Absorbed in His Work he
Forgot His Marriage Hour.


Edison SO Absorbed in His Work He
Forgot His Marriage Hour.
1t Is one Of the privileges Of genius
to be absentminded, and II one may
Judge from the stories told Of famous
men, it is a privilege Of which they
largely avail themselves. Mr.. Edison
is not the only man Of note who has
been so completely absorbed in his
work that he has quite forgotten such
an important appointment as his mar
riage. Sergeant Hill, the famous advo-
cate, was Immersed in the intricaeieso of
a case one day, when messenger burst
into court with the announcement that
his bride was already at the church
awaiting his arrival, and the sergeant
had barely time to throw down his
brief and present himself at the altar
to preserve his wife and his reputation
A famous Bishop Of Salisbury had
quite overlooked a similar appointment
until his footman reminded him Of it;
and another famous cleric was busy
fishing some miles away from the
church while his bride Was awaiting
him a. the altar.
A new story Of Edison proves that
his absent-mindedness on his wedding
day was nothing exceptional in the
magician's history. One day, after
spending many hours in his laboratory
engrossed in an experiment, he Joined
one of his assistants at luncheon in an
adjoining room. When he had helped
himself he continued to sit before his
untouched plate, brooding over his
problem until he began to nod from
weariness, and gently fell asleep While
his master was sleeping the assistant
removed his full plate aud substituted
an empty one. When Edison awoke
he looked at his empty plate, rubbed
his eyes and looked again. Dear me, y
he said at last, as he rose 70 leave the
room, 'I'm hanged if / haven't eaten
my lunch and forgotten all about it,"
An amusing story is told Of a famous
English Archbishop. Dining at home
one day he had occasion to find fault
with the soup, and spoke to his wife on
the subject. On the following day the
Archbishop was dining at the house Of
A nobleman. Again the soup was
faulty, and quite forgetting that he
was in a strange house, he turned to
his wife and said: '.My dear, ] am sor'
! " to say the soup is again faulty"
Mr.. Justice Keogh, the great Irish
Judge, was terrible victim to absence
of mind. One day he invited several
barristers to dine with him, and, as the
hour approached, went up stairs to dres:
for dinner The guests arrived, bat his
lordship was not there to receive them
A fter they had waited sn hour, serv
ant was scut- II. searcfs-of the nIissine
! Judge, who was found in bed, sleepinl
, peacefully. The Judge, when he haC
: reached his dressing room, had quite
forgotten the purpose for which h'
| went. and had innoeently retired fol
the night.
, The late NJ. PasteUr was never NOR
absent-minded than one evening whei
he was dining with his son-in-law
During dessert be was observed to care
! fully dip each cherry into his finger
bowl, with the professed object of get
ting rid of any microbes that nigh
, cling to the fruit. During disserta
ton which ensued on the danger of mi
! crobes, the professor became 50 absorbe'
7 in his subject that, wanting adrink, b
took up the finger-bowl and gulpe
, down water, microbes and all
1t was Isaac Newton, the great matt
raj philosopher, who casually used hi
nieee's finger to jam down the hot tC
baceo in his pipe; and Bishop of Sa
isbury who diligently scratched
neighbor's leg when a gnat bit b
own.
Sheridan Knowles had a memor
T whicn was always playing him falls
: one day a stranger met him in II
T Strand and said jocularly, You on
n me an apology for not keeping your ei
j, gagement to dine with me last Thur
e day.u Dear me-" Knowles answers
n AZ beg a thousand psrdOns; il had qui
escaped my memory" 1t was arran
> ed that the engagement should ho
+ good for the following Wednesday, an
5 Knowles made a careful note Of it
l his diary. When, later in the day, Il
dramatist was telling his experience
N n friend. the friend asked him, "Wi
IN is the gentleman ?' ''Well,n said She
:, idan Knowles, "Pm hanged if haver
h forgotten" "And his address? "
At have that, of eourse?'' ''No, not eve
If that. dismally confessed the unhapl
a. man.
Il Still more absent minded was I
I. professor who took bunch of grsI
s. TO an invalid friend During the co
ly versation the professor unconscious
Id began to eat the grapes one by one IN
ty the bunch was exhausted. ''Ah, well
I he said cheerily, on parting, ''you
~ soon be about again; only, mind yC
enjoy those grapes / have brought you
r. Volcanic Eruptions
a. Are grand, but Skin Eruptions rob
lo of Joy. Bucklen's Arnica Salve Gu
'ei them, Old Running and Fever Sor'
IA -. nil E.,lons Corns War