STREET CALCULATORS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 229, 29 January 1876, Page 23

STREET CALCULATORS.

(From the Home Nexus.)

The Wizard Oil Man, or somebody possesshig a similar habit of business, has recently turned up in England. The individual referred to calls himself the Californian " Professor of Arithmetic." He may fairly be regarded as the king of street-traders. Selecting the end of a street abutting on some large but comparatively quiet thoroughfare, such as the Pentonville-road, he drives up, about a couple of hours before dusk, in a handsomely appointed open brougham, driven by a negro servant in blue livery, with gold-laced hat and topboots, in accordance with transatlantic fashion. He is accompanied by a lady somewhat elegantly attired, who plays with a large poodle-dog which occupies a seat beside the driver. Our professor, who is an intelligentlooking man, apparently about forty years of age, and attired in a tweed tourist suit, °commences his proceedings by opening a small travelling bag, with plated fittings, and producing therefrom a small American flag, which he ties to the top of his driver's whip, which is thus made to answer the purpose of an extempore flagstaff. Of course, this speedily attracts a crowd, who o-aze with mingled perplexity and interest as the professor, having hoisted the stars and stripes, returns to his bag, from which he next produces sundry mysterious-looking pieces of wood, which, being fitted together, forms a large-sized easel, which the professor places ao-ainst the driver's seat. The curiosity of the spectators is now awakened to the highest pitch, but the professor does not hurry his movements on this account. With great deliberation, he produces what seems to be a laro-e folding chess-board, but which, when opened, forms a black drawing-board. This he places on the easel. Then removing his hat and taking a piece of chalk in his hand, he announces that he has discovered a wonderful system ®f calculation, whereby a student might learn more in a few hours than in as many years by the ordinary method. The prof ess or is a fluent speaker, despite the many Yankee idioms which flavor his discourse, and it is wonderful how he contrives to gain the interest of his hearers in what is ordinarily regarded as one of the dullest possible subjects. He dilates on the many advantages arising from a knowledge of figures, maintaining that an ignorance of arithmetic is one of the principal causes of low wages, and illustrating his arguments with numerous anecdotes, which seem to be much relished by his hearers. He then, with the assistance of chalk diagrams on the black board, describes his system for learning arithmetic in a few hours, and offers for sale a number of handbooks containing a full

account of his method. Although the price of these handbooks is one shilling each, they find a ready sale, and it is amusing to note the disappointed expression on the features of those who do not possess the requisite sum. The system advocated by the professor is ingenious, if not novel. It is a kind of shorthand arithmetic, and very useful in its way. as a rough and ready mode of calculation. But the most singular feature of the 'whole affair is the evident popularity of the professor. After he has related one of his anecdotes, for instance, that of a poor ragged lad„ who, by means of his knowledge of figures, was enabled to work his way up to a position of comparative independence, there is observable a disposition to give a loud cheer. But the professor never detains his auditory too long. When he has sold about two or three score of his shilling books, he bids his hearers farewell, takes down the easel, restores the American flag to its place in his travelling bag, and drives away in the direction of Mayfair.