Blame Knew the Family.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 80

Blame Knew the Family.

A gentleman promiueni in Cambridge tolJ this anecdote of ■'he late- Hon. James (*. Elaine one night, not long after witnessing the incident: Mr Blainc. said he, bad a peculiar gift for remembering names amd faces, but this was tho most amusing exhibition of his gift that I had ever witnessed. It was at a large reception in Washington. A gentlewan of rather countrified appearance was introduced t<j Mr Blame as Mr Mason. "What!" exclaimed Mr Blame. "Mr Mason, of Poult ney, Va.?" "Yes," replied Mr Mason, delighted at being definitely placed geographically. "The son of Stephsn Mason?" "Yes," delighted again to Jdo genealogically placed. "Ah, yes," said Mr Blame, and he d'ed in, let me see, in 1868, did ho not? I remember— anJ he was buried in the hi tie yard by the church. And his father was John Mason, who fought in tho war of 1812. Ah, yes." It was ab so sympathetic and so historically correct, anid the man's pleasure ovev having a distinct place in the statesman's jnincl was so evident, that we coveted the leady memory and tact of ihe busy statesman wlio could so definitely place every one Yet this seemed exceptional, so, after the man had parsed on, we said to the senator, ''How di.l you remember all that? Did ever you know his father?"' He laughed and -:did: "No, I never saw

him, but I had an old aunt who lived in PouHney, Ya., and several eurrmeirs ago I spent a Sunday with her, and I went to church with her. The day was warm, and I had difficulty in keeping awake The window was open to the little graveyard, and every time I nodded I opened my cje.s to sec on a big stone whose reflected whiteness made me blink: 'Stephen Maeon, died April 26, 1858,' and beside it \va3 another with 'John Mason, born 17 —, died 18—' "Ife never would have done to fall asleep; my aunt would n«ver havo forgiven me, so I memorised that, and I never hear tJi© lame Mason that I don't see that big white stone and; those, big letters spelling out 'Stephen Mason.' No, I never saw the man or heard of him before.'' —Boston Herald. i ■ |