STRANGE STORIES OF MEMORY.

Evening Star, Issue 4968, 4 February 1879, Page 3

STRANGE STORIES OF MEMORY.

Tvfro instance of personal recognition alter a long period of years have recently come under our notice. They exhibit one more proof in support of the old adaga, " Truth is Btranger than fiction." Forty years ago two ' -<» were companions at a school in Bathi "i? i - "" England. They parted. Kach * ... - fa £ of hj went his several w m eame to N other no more. One ot v- -. arß bccarae Zealand, and in the course ot ~ y one of our most respected magta'TAte... , ' terday on the flagship, at the it?g7»tta, » was in company with a friend. He sIY? 9 ) face which seemed to strike a chord of memory that had lain dormant for two score yeare. He said to his friend, " That man's name is ton." He was introduced to the stranger, and it turned out that the latter was the son of that schoolmate whom he had parted from forty years ago. This man was not more than five-and-twenty, and his father had been dead many years. Yet our magistrate liad after that long lapse of time at once recognised the father in the son. The same magistrate was sitting on the Bench in Wellington the other day, when an old gentleman came into the Court and eyed him wistfully. The old man left after a few minutes. The magistrate during the adjournment met the old gentleman in the Btrcct. The latter went up, put his hand on the shoulder of the magistrate, and remarked, " You do not know mo?" The magist-ate said, "No. If you were to tell me your name perchance I might." "My name," said he, "is Smith.' 1 " I am afraid that name is not much of a guide/' said our magistrate; " Tell me your Christian name, and there may bo more light thrown upon the mystery." "My name," responded the old gentleman, "is John Smith." "Ah!" replied the magistrate, " that name is so common—there are so many John Smiths." Explanations ensued, and it turned out that John Smith had been a schoolmate of our worthy magistrate just forty-two years before. He had not seen him ©r heard of him since leaving school. Yet they met and recognised each other in this distant land after forty-two years.— ' Wellington Chronicle.'