The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-07
MEN WITH BAD MEMORIES.
New York HeraId.)

When d man forgets his exDectant
bride on his wedding day and has to
/ be reminded that it is time to reDa-~
to the ceremony. it may safely be as
sumed that his memory is not of the
best. Several well-known individuals,
however, have beer affected in this
, way, and it must have been somewhat
| trying to the ladies when they became
acquainted with the state of affairs.
Perhaps their actions after marriage
| fully atOned for this lapse of memory.
The celebrated Sergeant Hill appears
to have been rather absent minded.
and it is related that on the dav on
which he was TO be married ne was
so deely engaged in an intricate case
that he forgot the other important en-
gagement and had to be reminded of
his waiting bride. Bishop Thomas of
Salisbury was another absent minded
individual who forgot his wedding day
until reminded of it by his servant. On
another occasion, when this ecclesias-
tic was engaged in conversation, a gnat
bit his leg, but. strange 10 say, ne
stopped and kindly scratched the leg
of the gentleman standing near TO him.
The gnat kept on biting, of course.
Other stories are also told of this dig
nitary which go to prove that his mem
DRY was not Of the marvellous descrip-
ton.
When cabinet minister let's out the
secrets of Office to one of his opponents
it may be taken for granted that it is
done in a fit of abstraction, and that it
is quite unintentiOnaL The late Lord
Derby, who was occasionally very alb
sent minded, was once walking with
Lord Clarendon, an opponent, when he
began telling him the secrets Of the
cabinet. and ultimately asked for ad-
T1~T - a.as1
Clarendon. and when he minated this,
Lord Derby came to himself saying,
Really, 1 thought all the time l was
talking TO a colleague" OF course,
Lord Clarendon did not make known
the information thus placed in his keep
ing.
The great La Fontaine was another
gentleman possessing a peculiar men,
DRY, and many amusing Instances are
recorded of his absence of mind. In
fact, it is said that when he went to
present his Fables" to the king he
discovered, after he had delivered a
very good address, that he had forgot
ten the book; while on another occa-
sion he is credited with having called
to visit one of his friends whose funeral
he had attended some time before. Al
though much shocked when told his
friend was dead. he subsequently re
membered having attended the funeral
An amusing story is told in connec-
ton with a certain professor who seems F.
to have had a bad memory. He visited |
a friend who was recovering from a /
serious illness, and took a bunch of
grapes with him for the sick man. Be /
coming engrossed in conversation. how |
ever, the absent minded individual be-
gan picking the grapes, and actually
ate them all. Then. on leaving. he said
to his friend. Nov. mind you eat those
grapes, They viii do you all the good
in the world"
Another learned gentleman was trou- /.
bled in the same way. One day he met |
a friend who told him an Interesting |
piece of news. Later on in the day the /
in question dined with this !
friend. and actually told him then, as
of great Importance, the /
story he had heard from him a little |
before. When this was pointed out. /
the unfortunate narrator Of the story I
was much upset and in his excitement !
put his hosts napkin into his pocket |
instead of his own pocket handker- |
chief. On another occasion, when at |
tending the theatre. he rose from his /
seat and bowed on the appearance of a /
celebrated actor, but the outbreak of /
laughter which this provoked soon
brought him to his senses.
An amusing story is also told of the |
absent minded Count de Brancas. Once. !
as he was walking in the street, the |
Duo de la ROchefoucauld saw him and /
crossed the way to speak to him. No /
sooner did the count see his friend, |
however. than he exclaimed, God bless |
thee, poor man." and when the duke |
to speak he interrupted |
him with, rs it not enough that have |
said. at first, that 1 have nothing for |
you? Such lazy beggars as you hinder
a. gentleman from walking in the |
streets" a loud laugh brought him to
his senses, and he was rather surprised.
and no doubt somewhat ashamed of /
himself, to find that he had mistaken