The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-27
ABSENT MINDED.
Attorney General L. W. Youmans and
Comptroller General A. W. Jones.


intense persons and some Of the
strongest men intellectually have been
notoriouslv 'absent-minded- Two
ofthe intensest and most absent-minl-
ed men IN the state are Comptroller
General y. W. Jones and Assistant
Attorney General Leroy +. Youmans,
who are also among the abIest men in
public life in the Palmetto state.
Both are constantly seeing with their
physical eyes without getting a
sufficiently vividmental picture % dis
turb their thoughts. and both fre-
puentlv appear rude by hearing with
their physical ears without needing.
Many good stories are told about the
observation-disclosures of both but this
article will be confined to a few incl
dents which the writer personally
knows to be true.
Mr. Jones constantly passes his best
and most intimate friends on the
street without recognizing them. this
happening almost as often when he
walks along with his head bent IN
thought on some phase of the tax
problem. He has often passed his
own wife that way. It is said he had
a hard time explaining matters the
first time he did this.
-, But Mr.. Jones is too busy to be
vain about his person OF his official
= position or anything else. He IS as
democratic and simple and unassum-
ing in his manner as Lincoln. An
old Abbeville friend who was very
cold' recently on seeing Mr.. Jones
following Mr. Jones' passing him Oh
the street without speaking, reminded
Mr.. Jones Of how he had treated him.
The comptroller general laughed, as
much at himself as at his friend, for
it was a toss up as to whom the joke
was on.
"Why, You are not one Of these
derned fools who don't think you are
as good as I am, are you?" he asked
jabbing his friend IN the ribs with his
thumb.
The Abbeville friend required several
seconds to figure the situation out and
then laughed with those standing
about him who knew Ar. Jones and
his absent-minded ways.
A short time ago, Mr.. Jones was
standing at the Southern railway sta
tion at Hodges, having just come
down from Abbeville on the Hodges
"shoe-fly" branch on his way to Co.
lumbia. His Columbia train passed in
front of him without waking' him.
=, Mr.. Jones was looking, at the rap
idly retreating rear-end of the train
when he "came to- with start and
mild oath. He caught the next train
back to Abbevil}e and came to Colum-
hia the following day.
This incident recalls what happen
ed to a; Columbia newspaper man
few days ago when he arose hurrledly
after hard night s work and threw
his pajamas into the fire and expec-
torated into the center Of the bed.
Mr.. Youmans, who in his prime was
in the van guard Of Southern orators
when Southern oratory was a power,
is still the best after-dinner speaker
in the state so far as finished, rhet-
orically excellent effort is concerned.
He has yet a wonderful memory In
spite of his Observation-Disclosures. And
as assistant attorney general in the
absence Of Attorney General Gunter
he is one of the hardest-worked law
yers in the state.
- A few nights ago reporter found
Mr.. Youmans "lost" at the corner OF
Lady and Bull streets, one Of the
principal residential section fcur
blocks from Main street business cen
ter. Mr.. Youmans, wanted to know
where he vas, and then asked to be
shown the way to the State house.
He was escorted into Main street, for
which service he thanks the reporter
over each time he sees him. He chad
Just got to thinking and had lost his
way
Mr.. Youmans is at times dangerous
" oblivious Of his apparel. On re-
cent bitterly cold night newspaper
man come into his office and began to
search through the office "grave~
yard' for a sketch Of the lawyer,
-.ax>aa.i=:.,cx tLat ho J. I'D inst