Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1894 — Arithomaniacs. [ARTICLE]

Arithomaniacs.

An arithomaniac is a man who has a strange idiosyncracy for some one of the nine numerals, and is impelled by a power beyond the control of his will to cause that particular figure to play a part in every transaction of his life. Boswell says that Dr. Johnson was so afflicted and that hiS idiosyncracy was to touch with his hand every third pillar or post he came across. The affliction or habit, or whatever you choose, is rare. It formed a topic for discussion last night in the Broadway Central Hfetel, by a group of commercial travelers with Henri Durand, of Montreal, as the interesting center. Mr. Durand, who was inclined to be facetious, says that the figure two is constantly in his mind’s eye, and that, try as he will, it keeps before him in everything he undertakes or performs. It has been that way since I was a child,” said he, “and as long as I can remember. The figure two or one of its multiples must always be connected wtth everything I do. It is difficult for me to convey my meaning clearly, when I make such a broad assertion, but perhaps you will understand me when I say that I am always impelled to take a room in a hotel whose number contains the figure two. I always want two pitchers of ice water; I eat two meals a day; I order my dishes two at a time; I invariably comb and brush my hair with two combs and two brushes; I wear two suits of underclothing; every day of my life I wear two hats, one in the morning, one in the afternoon ; two collars, two sets of cuffs, two pair of shoes; take two seats at the theatre, whether alone or accompanied ; I always buy two trunks; two valises are my constant companions—in fact, I do not know of anything in the ordinary affairs of life that I am not impelled to calculate on two in the concrete or abstract.” “Do you always sleep in two beds at once?” asked one of the party. Mr. Durand was silent for a moment. Then he said: “Thesedoubts are too, too bad. Let’s adjourn.”— [New York Mail and Express.

A singular disease is epidemic in Southwestern Ohio and Southeastern Indiana. It appears to be a fever of the glands of the body, and is extremely annoying. The disease appears to be contagious, and it is a singular fact that the patient improves after a sharp wind blows. Those afflicted are compelled to take to their beds. Missouri has a most remarkable phenomenon in Ray York, eleven years old, whose eloquent preaching has been stirring up the dry bones during a revival at Warrensburg, in that State. Ray preaches in knee breeches.