ABSENT – MINDED.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue V, 29 January 1898, Page 143

ABSENT - MINDED.

Fred Sharp was one of those alisentminded men who do the queerest things with perfect unconsciousness of what they are about. For instance, he one day sat down in his room to eat an apple, and when he had carefully peeled it, he deliberately threw his knife into the fire, put the apple in his pocket, and began to eat the peelings. Once, however, Fred's forgetfulness stood him in good stead. He was buying oilcloth for bis kitchen floor when, looking out, he saw a runaway team rapidlv approaching. The single occupant of the carriage tried in vain to stop the frantic horse, and serious disaster seemed certain. Out rushed Fred, and in his forgetfulness he took with him the roll of oil-cloth which he had just taken up. On came the frightened horse, and was close upon our hero when he made a hinge at the l>east with the big, hard roll, and hit him so fairly between the eyes that he fell to the ground, and was at once laid hold of and quieted. This act made Fred famous, and some of his acquaintances wanted to know why he didn’t get a patent on his new method of stopping runaways.