The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-13
An Aged MaryIander Recalls
Events That Happened
When He Was a Baby.
POSSESSES SIXTH SENSE
HE CAN REPEAT EVERY cEAP.
TER IN THE BIBLE AND CAN RE-
CITE NEWSPAPER STORIES HE
READ LONG AGO.

F'ruitland. Nd, June 12.-Josian
Fooks, of Fooks's Mill, near here. has
memory that probably is unequalled
the world over. Though eighty years
old. his mentality is as strong and
active today as that Of a man of only
half his years, while his physical
strength and powers of endurance are
marvellous. He remembers very we'll
the days when he wore short dresses,
and he declares that not since the day
when he put on his first trousers has
he been so happy.
Visitors from Salisbury, Fruitland
and the surrounding country flock to
Fooks's Mill on Sunday afternoons to
hear the venerable miller relate the
many interesting little incidents that
happened in his o.-hood days and
take up matters that were of national
import three score and ten years ago.
Pes Liar "sense."
But Fooks's wonderfully retenti-e
memory Is a mere bagatelle as COM
pared with a certain peculiar sense"
with which he seems to have been en-
dowed. Local physicians and men Of
letters hold to the opinion that Fooks
was especially favored by his Creator
in that he cave him sixth sense.
hence his rather long sobriquet. The
man with the sixth sense, or The
Memory Man"
While doubling Thcmases may ex-
perience some little difficulty in get
ting 1t all down at one gulp. neverthe-
less it is true that Fooks remembers
very distinctly all that he ever has
read and that is a great deal. and can
sit for hours and recite verbatim
newspaper articles he read in the long
ago. Could he hold out, the opportun-
ity to give a doubling Thomas re-
cital sitting Of about two months
duration would him a great deal of
pleasure and amusement.
The old miller also is Biblical
scholar one does not have the pleas
ure of meeting every day. While his
Scriptural interpretations may not al
ways have the trademark of the up
to date divinity school stamped upon
them. yet they are worthy Of and COM
mand the consideration of the think
ing mind There is not a book in the
whole Bible with which he is not
thoroughly familiar. and his interpre-
tations of the Scripture and the ideas
which he advances concerning the
soul of man, not by any means con-
flicting with the doctrines taught in
the Bible. show the master mind of
this simple transformations man. who
all his life has been content TO live
by his MILL like the proverbial Dusty
Miller. and take long range observa-
ton Of what the outside world was
doing. and study his Bible hemmed
his old water mill.
Quotes Scripture.
1t is safe claim that the old miller
can quote more Scripture than any
man iE the world, for where is the
man today who can recite from men,
DRY chapter after chapter anywhere
In the Bible. word by word, just as
it is written? Fooks can do it. Where
is the man who can pick up the latest
edition of q metropolitan daily, read
q column or two Of news or q special
article in an offhand way. and then
repeat 1t Just as it is In the paper.
Fooks Is the man who can perform
this feat. and has done it thousand
times or more.
In fact. there is hardly anything of
interest that he has read that he can
not give to his auditors. verbatim.
The speeches Of great orators and
writings Of noted authors he has at
his fingers ends. and he knows
Shakespcare's plays better than most
children ot today do their evening
Deay0.