Red Wing Sentinel

A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY.—Some
people have photographic memories.
If they see a face once, under cir-
cumstances calculated to impress it on
their recollection it remains there for-
ever.
The memories of others are
looking glasses, from which the image
passes as the substance is removed.
One of the most extraordinary speci-
mens of the former class of memories
we have ever heard of is said to be
possessed by a gentleman of New
Orleans. It is indeed if our authority
is to be believed wax to receive and
marble to retain. Our informant says
that some months ago, (this is an
of-
fleer in the U. S. Army,) he was
accosted by an individual on the levee
with—
"How do you do my dear fellow?
Glad to see you looking so well. But
that was an awful scare we got, was
it not?"
"Sir," said the accosted, gravely
"you have the advantage of me."
"Had the advantage of you, you
mean, but not much; you were down
nearly as soon I was.
"Sir," said the party addressed, you
speak in riddles. Will you be so good
as to explain?"
"Ah!" responded the phenomenon,
"don't remember, I suppose.
Quite
natural; we had only a passing glimpse
of each other.
"Sir, you probably mistake me for
some one else."
returned the other
more mystified than ever.
"Not a bit of it," said the man with
photographic memory.
"You were
on board the steamer --- when she
blew up near Memphis, on the 22d of
April, at thirteen minutes past eleven
o'clock, nine years ago, were you not."
"Yes. I was, but—"
"No buts. So was I. You were
blown up sky high. So was I. Not
that I saw you before the explosion.
My first and only interview with you,
sir, was in the air. You were going
up and I was coming down. The
glimpse I had of you was very short.
Your features were distorted by fright
our faces were killing, and I was
wrong side up. Consequently my op-
portunities for observation were un-
favorable; but I never forget faces
under any circumstances however
discomposing.
I photographed you,
sir, and I have had you in my mind's
eye ever since. The moment I saw
you I recognized you as the original
of my mental daguerreotype. Glad to
see you looking in better trim than
when I saw you last. But we all have
our ups and downs in this world.
Suppose we adjourn where we can
crack a bottle of champagne for the
sake of auld lang syne."
…Which said
our informant "they accordingly did."