Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-05
STORIES OF FoReETFULNEss.
Some Lapses Of Memory That Had
Odd Results.

Odd Results.
To old soldiers 1t will seem in
credible that veteran could forget
the company and regiment he served
in during the Civil war, but that
such thing can happen and has hap
pened can be amply verified In the
bureau Of pensions. Congressman
Victor Murdock has two notable cases
Of that kind. One Of them is Nicholas
Hammond known to nearly every
body in Wichita. That he served In
the army during the war there is
very good reason to believe, but he
cannot remember a single incident or
feature of his service, not knowing
where he was enlisted or discharged
or what company or regiment he serv-
ed in. Some thirty odd years ago he
was struck by lightning and does not
remember a thing behind that event.
Former Commissioner Of Pensions
Eugene Ware knew that such forget
fulness was possible, for he once re-
lated this story: He and James
Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier poet,
were giving readings in Colorado.
Riley was to recite one Of his own
pieces, one he had composed and writ
ten himself. and one he had already
recited over 100 times that season.
When he went upon the stage he for
got 1t utterly.
One Of the most peculiar cases Of
amnesia In history Is recorded in the
"reminiscences Of Bishop Munster. He
went out for a walk one day, and for
the information of some visitors he
expected, he had this written on his
door: 1.-The master Of the house Is
not at home" When he returned from
his walk he noticed the sign on his
door. and forgetting that he was the
master Of the house. he sat down on
the steps and waited for himself.
I met a citizen opposite where
the National Bank of Commerce now
stands who was actually waiting for
himself. He said that the man who
was his actual self had promised to
meet him there, and was very much
surprised why he did not keep his
engagement. He has laughed many
times at the queer incident.
do not propose to show that every
time a man forgets to pay back bor-
rowed money his cells are on a
strike. but know Of one very notable
case in which that was true. A prom
inent citizen who got $400 from another
man actually forgot 1t. Until this day
he cannot remember getting the mon
ey but fortunately his bank account
proved that he did get 1t, and he paid
1t back promptly.
A preacher who had a congregation
In a we'll to do central Kansas town
one Saturday afternoon bought cow
and tied her in front Of the church un-
til he was ready to go home. When
he came to the church to hold SER
vices the following morning he saw the
cow suffering for food and water. He
discarded his we'll prepared sermon
and preached powerfully on the text
1.-THE merciful man is merciful to his
beast" He gave a very severe roast
ing to the "brutish" person who had
allowed the cow to suffer, and 1t never
dawned upon his mind that he him.
self was the owner Of the cow until
after he had dismissed his congrega-
tion.
Since l am talking Of this pastor !
am reminded Of the fact that the word
minister as applied to pastors was
associated with a very peculiar case
of forgetfulness. Calvin first applied
the word to the pastors Of his follow
ing in consequence Of the fact that
one of his disciples was educated In a
hall Of the School Of Equity Of Poitiers'
which was known as La Ministerie:
One of the graduates Of that hall had
to deliver an essay, and, az graduates
are wont to do even now, he selected
a fine garden of big cabbages to prac-
tice in. When the day came and ne
stood before his audience he entirely
forgot that he was not talking to cab
bages until he arrived nearly at the
end of his address, when he complete
ly broke down, saying: Gentlemen, L
now clearly see that you are not cab
bages, as I supposed" La Fontaine
does not say what the students did to
him.-Wichita Eagle.