Sketcber.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume X, Issue 2026, 15 September 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

Sketcber.

Absent-minded People.

li' it be generally conceded— and few, we should imagine, will be disposed to question the truth of the assertion — that presence of mind is a most excellent and enviable quality, its antithesis, or as our neighbours aptly designate it, " distraction," may with equal correctness be regarded as exactly the reverse. The one helps us out of our difficulties, tho other leads us into them, and that not by any i fault of the individual afflicted with the malady, who, being strictly irresponsible for his innate vagaries, can no more hinder his wits from " wool-gathering," than could a certain well-known kleptomaniac refrain from carrying off — in default of other available booty — the tame hedgehog she happened to espy in the hall of a friend's house after an evening party. Absence of mind has ever been a fertile anecdotical theme, and it requires no little precaution to avoid incurring the reprotfeh of " bis repetita ; " the following specimens, however, partly the fruits of desultory reading, partly original, have found their way into our note-book, and we havo grouped them together without any attempt at classification, as more or less comically illustrating the heading of our paper. An amusing instance of this infirmity is recorded by that indefatigable chronicler Talltiiiant das Reaijx in hi 3 notice of Madame de Bohan, mother of the first duke of that name, who was so deplorably subject to " distractions" as to furnish continual entertainment both to court and city. Paying a

vißiTon^ua^^aDcunipßiireuuy^^Tßuyirreutr to M. Deslandes, a gravo legal functionary, and being told that he was expected home shortly, she decided on awaiting his return, arid meanwhile installed herself comfortably in his usual sitting-room, where, according to her custom, she fell into a reverie, and imagined that she had never left her own house. On the arrival of the magistrate half an hour later, she received him with the repect due to so distinguished a visitor, and insisted on his dining with her and her companion; whereupon M. Deslandes, whose ordinary fare was of the simplest, despatched his servant to the nearest " traiteur" in quest of a supplementary dish or two, in honour of the occasion. When the dinner— such as it was— made its appearance, Madame de Itohen, still fancying herself to be the hostess, glanced disparagingly at tho meagre repast, and apologised for its insufficiency to hersuppored gudst, observing that he would probably have dined better at home. Fearing that she might continue in a similar strain, her friend quietly asked her if she knew where she was ; and this bringing her to her senses, Bhe suddenly recollected that she had already accepted an invitation elsewhere, and hurried away without vouchsafing another word to the astonished M. Deslandes, leaving him to enjoy his improvised banquet as best he might. The Duke de Chevreuse, son of the celebrated Marie de Rohen, was by no means exempt from the family failing. While staying at his country-seat, Vaucresson, he was informed early one morning that his intendant, M. .Sconin, was waiting by appointment to see him ; and, being at that moment engaged with his correspondence, sent word to his visitor that if he would take a turn in the garden, he would be ready to receive him in half an hour, and this done he resumed his work, and thought no more of the matter. Towards seve,n o'clock in the evening M. Sconin was again announced, and this time admitted to the presence of the duke, who expressed his regret that ho had caused him to lose a day. "Not in the least, monseigncuv," replied Scohin ; " having had the honour of serving you for several years, I naturally imagined thaij the half-hour you mentioned might bo rather a long one, I therefore started for Paris, where I had somo business to transact, dined there, and have just returned to receive you commands." " Ah," said M. de Chevrouee, " my good Sconin, I am afraid that you have had your journey for nothing ; for now I come to think of it, I have not the slightest recollection what they were." No one was more " distrait" than La Fontaine ; no one was less practical in the management of his affairs. Not even an important lawsuit in which he was engaged could induce him to quit his abode in the country for tho purpose— then universally adopted — of soliciting the good offices of the judges in his favour, until he received a letter from a friend, announcing that tho trial was fixed for the following day. His correspondent at the same time sent him a horso, in order that he might have no excuse for delay ; and thus provided, the fabulist started on his journey. By the time he had arrived within three or four miles of Paris, he had entirely forgotten the motive of his rido, and bethought himself of paying a visit to a literary colleague residing in the neighbourhood; and being cordially welcomed by his host, remained there all night, utterly oblivious of his lawsuit and everything connected with it. When he awoke next morning, he suddenly recollected the object of his expedition ; and, taking leave of his hospitable entertainer, remounted his steed, and reached the capital exactly an hour after the verdict had been given against him. On being reproached by his friend for his unpardonable negligence, he merely observed that he was perfectly satisfied, "for," he added, "now that I have lost my first cause, I shall at least have no temptation to begin another." Shortly after the publication of his fables, it was intimated to him that he ought to present a copy to the king, and, acting on the suggestion, he repaired to Versailles, where he was graciously received by Louis the FourI teenth, who in the course of conversation expressed a wish to see the work. "Ma foi, sire," stammered La Fontaine, after vainly searching his pookets, " I have forgotten to bring it." During the long struggle for supremacy between the rival con^posers Gliick and Piccini, the latter was presented to Marie Antoinette, who, as is well known, was an enthusiastic partisan of his adversary. Wishing to learn the maestro'a opinion of her vocal talent, she requested him to accompany her on the piano, and, when too late to repair the mistake, discovered that in a momentary fit of abstraction, she had selected for the display of her powers an air from Alceste. "I never think of it witkout blushing," thequeon afterwards remarked to the Prince de Ligne. A certain great lady, whose absence of mind was proverbial, happening to meet in society a young widow who had lately lost her husband, condoled with her sympathetically on her bereavement ; then, after a pause, during which she lapsed into her accustomed forgetfulness, enquired to the stupefaction of the mourner, " Was he the only one you had ? " A very prolific French dramatic writer, whose failures were far more numerous than his triumphs, had read one of his comedies previous to its representation to a few chosen colleagues, who, one and all, declared it to be excellent-; the public, however, thought differently, and the vaunted masterpiece, when at length produced on the stage, was outrageously hissed. Annoyed at having been the dupe of his own gratified vanity, tho author complained bitterly of the insincerity of his friends, and, addressing himself to a wellknown man of letters, who formed one of the group assembled round him at the Cafe Procope — the favourite resort of everybody connected with the theatre, vowed that henceforth he would never submit his productions to the judgement of his fellow-dramatists. " I would rather," he said, " ten thousand times rather read them to persons who have no pretension to talent of any kind, even to a pack of idiots ; so, monsieur, if you have no objection to listen to my next comedy, I will read it to you." A good story is told of M. de Sabran, the author of some highly-esteemed fables, aud perhaps tho most incorrigible " distrait " of his time. While on a visit to Madamo de Stael at Coppett, he was in the habit of indulging every day after dinner in a solitary ramble, and one ovening remained out of doors so much longer than usual, that his hostess began to grow uneasy at his absence. At length he arrived in the most pitiable condition, splashed from head to foot, and dripping wet up to tho knee. "Where in the world havo you been?" asked Madame de Stael. "Madame," he replied with the greatest calm, " I have been taking my customary walk." " You must havo fallen into the water," she said, " for your feet aro positively soaked." " Only the dew, madame, 1 assure you. I never once left the broad alley by the mill." " That explains the state you are in," exclaimed Corinne; "is it possible you never perceived that the water had been turned into that very alley, and that you have been walking in it up to your ankloa for tho last two hours?" Munster, Bishop of Copenhagen, was noted for his absonce of mind, an infirmity which increased as he advanced in years. He waa accustomed, whenever his duties summoned him from home, to hang a placard on his door, announcing for the benefit of any chance visitor, that he would return at a certain hour. One day, being obliged to attend to some important business in the town, he affixed the usual notice, and, his errand accomplished, came home, and ascended the stairs leading to his modest apartment. On arriving opposite his door he glanced mechanically at the placard, and, entirely unconscious of his own identity, concluded that he was too early, and waited outside until the clock struck, when he suddenly recollected who and where he was, and let himself in. This reminds one ol SeneTsl de-LaJborde, an ex-aide-de-camp of Louia Philippe, who, i after making his bow at a ministerial soir6e, |

leaving, that, while still half-way through a long suite of rooms communicating with each other, he fancied that he had already reached the porter's lodge, and, to the astonishment of all present and his own confusion, exclaimed in a sonorous voice, " Cordon, s'il vaus plait 1 " Chateaubriand relates in hia memoirs that his wife, who had organised for charitable purposes a sale of chocolate manufactured under her own personal superintendence, was so entirely devoted to her philanthropic project that she thought of nothing else ; and on more than one occasion so far forgot herself as, instead of subscribing- her letters " Vicomtesse de Chateaubriand," to sign them Vicorntesse " de Chocalat." French actors are rarely on good terms with their managers, being generally apt to regard them as their natural enemies. Few, however, have carried their animosity farther than Arnal. During one of his innumerable lawsuits with the director of tho Vaudeville, he deemed it expedient to propitiate his judge by a preliminary visit, and lost no time in soliciting an audienco of the president of the tribunal. " Monsieur," was the unexpected reply of the porter, " he died last night." " Oh," said Arnal, too deeply intent on his own affairs to realise the other's meaning, " that docs not signify in the least, I have only one word to say to him I " Perhaps, after all, the individual most notoriously subject to tbi3 infirmity was the country manager, Thornton, of whom more instances of chronic absence of mind have been related than would fill a volume. The following, which we believe to be authentic, has never to our knowledge appeared in print. Thornton was staying with his wife at Brighton, whether for business or pleasure is not recorded ; and, according to his usual custom, started one morning for a stroll on the beach before breakfast. It was nearly high tide, and in the course of his walk tho brightness of a pebble just washed by the sea struck his eye, and he took it up in order to examine it more closely. Presently it occurred to him that it was time to return to Tho Old Ship, where the couple lodged ; and, looking at his watch, he discovered it was almost nine oc'clock, the hour appointed for the morning meal. Putting the pebble carefully in hia pocket, he mechanically tossed his watch into the water, and reached home just as the shrimps and fried bacon were placed on the table. Their departure having been previously fixed for that day, Mrs. Thornton, after doing amplo justice to tho dainties provided, and not wishing to be late for the coach, turned to her husband, and enquired what time it was ; whereupon the manager, extracting the pebble from his pocket, began to stroke his noao (his invariable habit when in great perplexity), and staring at the stone, fell to wondering how it came there. " What are you looking at, Mr. Thornton ? " asked his astonished wife. " And pray, where is your watch? " " My dear," he replied with a bewildered air, " I haven't tno least idea, unless — " here a fresh inspection of the pebble appeared to suggest some faint remembrance of the substitution — " unless it is at the bottom of the seal" — All the Year Round.

•Mature.

Do Animals Reason?

A BUDOET OF SINGULAR STOHIKS TO PROVE THE

FACT THAT THEY DO. Doctor Guokoe Romanes, of London, is the author of an interesting volume on " Animal Intelligence," which has just appeared in the " International Scientific Series." Hi 3 observations have extended over a period of many years, and his anecdotes have been considered only when given on undoubted authority. Among other topics Dr. Romanes deals with the notable indication of high intelligence presented in the alleged custom of certain cats to attract birds by scattering crumbs upon the ground. An anecdote bearing on this point, and communicated to Nature by Dr. Frost, is cited by the author : " Our servants have been accustomed during a late frost to throw the crumbs remaining from the break-fast-table to the birds, and I have several times noticed that our cat uaed to wait thoro in ambush in the expectation of obtaining a heavy meal from one or two of the assembled birds. Now, so far, this circumstance in ftself is not an example of abstract reasoning. But to continue : For the last few days this practice of feeding the birds has been left off. The cat, however, with an almost incredible amount of forethought, was observed by myself, together with two other members of the household, to scatter crumbs on the grass with the obvious intention of enticing the birds." A somewhat similar incident is recounted by another of the author's correspondents : " During the recent severe winter a friend was in the habit of throwing crumbs outside of his bed-room window. The family have a fine black cat, which, seeing that the crumbs brought birds, would occasionally hide hertelf behind some shrubs and when the birds came for their breakfast would pounce out upon them, with varying success. The crumbs had been laid ouk as usual one afternoon, but left untouched, and during the night a slight fall of snow ocourred. On looking out next morning mj friend observed puss busily engaged in scratching away the snow. Curious to learn what she sought, he waited and saw her take the crumbs up from the cleared space and lay them one after another on the snow. After doing this she retired behind the shrubs to await further developments. This was repeated on two other occasions." Concerning another brilliant cat a trustworthy correspondent of Nature relates that " while a parafline lamp was being trimmed, some of the. oil fell on the back of a cat, and was afterwards ignited by a cinder falling upon it from the fire. The cat, with her back in a blaze, in an instant made for the door (which happened to be open), and sped up the street about one hundred yards, where Bhe plunged into the village watering-trough and extinguished the flame. The trough contained eight or nine inches of water, and puss was in the habit of seeing the lire put out with water every night."

The author tells many singular tales concerning elephants. Among them ia one related by a Mr. G. E. Peale, who says : " One evening, soon after my arrival in Eastorn Assam, and while the five elephants were, as usual, being fed opposite the bungalow, I observed a young one, lately caught, step up to a bamboo stake fence and quietly pull one of the stakes up. Placing it under foot, it broke a piece off with its trunk, and, after lifting it to its mouth, threw it away. It repeated this operation twice or thrice, and then pulled up another stake and began ogam. At last it seemed to get a piece that suited, and holding it in the trunk firmly, and moving the fore leg well forward, passed the piece of bamboo under the armpit, so to speak, and began to scratch with some force. My surprise reached its climax when I saw a large elephant-leech fall on the ground, quite six inches long, and thick as one's finger, and which, from its position, could not easily be detached without this scraper or scratcher, which was therefore designedly manufactured by the elephant. I subsequently found that it was a common occurrence. Such scrapers arc used by every elephant daily." Mr. Pealgoes on to recount that on another occasion, at the time of the year when large flics aro so tormenting to an elephant, " I noticed that the one I rode had no fan or whisp to beat them off with. The mahout, at my order, slackened pace, and allowed her to go to the side of the road, when for Borne momenta Hhe moved along, rummaging the smaller jungle on the bank ; at last she came to a cluster of young shoots well branched, and, after feeling among them and selecting one, raised her trunk and neatly stripped down the stem, taking off all the lower branches, and leaving a fino bunch on top. She deliberately cleaned it down several times, and then, laying hold of it at the lower end, broke off a beautiful fan about five feet long, handle included. With this Bhe kept the flies at bay, flapping them oil on each side. ?„.__ The BtorieY iold~*teu4,inselligent dogs are numerous. A speoial oharaoißHflHoJn oer-

ness. Among "high-life" doga wounded sensibilities and los 3of esteem are capable of producing much keener suffering than mere physical pain. For example, a Skye terrier, owned by Dr. Romanes, would be rendered miserable for a whole day by a reproachful word or look from any of Mb friends. During the author's absence his brother was accustomed to take this animal out to walk, and " one day, while he was amusing himself with another dog in the park, my brother, in order to persuade him to follow, struck him lightly with a glove. The terrier looked up at his face with an astonished and indignant gaze, deliberately turned round, and trotted home. Next day he went out with my brother as bofore, but after he had gone a shoit distance he looked up at his face significantly, and agaiu trotted homo with a dignified air. After thus making his protest in tho most distinct way he could, tho dog ever afterward refused to accompany him." That dogs display, also, such complex feelings as emulation and jealousy is a familiar fact, but an interesting proof of it came under the author's personal observation. He had a terrier which took great pains and manifested paternal delight in teaching his puppy to hunt rabbits. But in time the puppy outgrew his father in strength and fleetness, ao that in the chase, hi spite of straining every nerve, the father found himself being gradually distanced. Thereupon, "lii 3 whole demeanor changed, and every time that ho saw his son drawing away from him, ho used in desperation to seize the receding tail of tho youngster." It is further to be noted that " although tho son was now much stronger than the father, ho never used to resent this exercise of paternal authority, oven though the rabbit was close under his nose."