PARRY MEMORIAL OF PROF. SHELDON. 183 



What answer could I make, when I knew that his most earnest thoughts 

 were being printed daily on the living tablets of the hearts of his pupils, 

 only to appear in distant results, in which the hand of the master is 

 known only to the All seeing Eye ? 



In matters pertaining to his avocation as a teacher, Prof. Sheldon's 

 memory could be safely relied on, but to such things as related only to 

 his personal interests, he was, at times, strangely oblivious. A charac- 

 teristic instance in point will well illustrate this phase of his character: 

 A bank deposit, to his credit, of no small amount, was allowed to ac- 

 cumulate for years, till the interest greatly exceeded the principal. 

 When accidentally informed by one of the bank officials that there was 

 such a sum to his credit, he could hardly be convinced of its truth, so 

 completely had the whole transaction passed from his recollection. 

 Similar instances of forgetfulness, where the debit account is on the 

 other side, are unfortunately not rare; but, in this case the only ex- 

 planation was in the man — it was Prof. Sheldon literally carrying out 

 the Scriptural injunction of not letting his left hand know what his right 

 was doing. 



Most of us will remember the long shaggy-haired dog which, for so 

 many years, was the constant companion of his daily walks. To many 

 it seemed rather a strange attachment for a learned professor, but ad- 

 mits of a ready explanation. However wide apart in other respects, 

 in both the character of friendliness and faithfulness was plainly exhib- 

 ited; the dog knew that his master could be trusted to do what was 

 kind and generous, and the master knew that a look or a sign was 

 sufficient to enforce the strictest obedience. There was thus a bond of 

 union established that terminated only with life. 



Not in this instance alone was his natural taste exhibited in an affec- 

 tionate study of animal life. At an early day in his Davenport career, 

 in one of his rambles, he made captive a nest of flying-squirrels, and 

 no captives ever fared better at the hands of the capturer. He at once 

 (assisted, as in all his schemes, by his faithful wife), undertook a careful 

 study of their habits, provided every convenience of shelter, food, and 

 exercise for their comfort and well-being, nursed the young with his 

 own hands and was rewarded in seeing them thrive and enjoy life under 

 his watchful care. Soon unbounded trust took the place of instinctive 

 fear, and they indulged their nocturnal sports in his presence, darting 

 from place to place, but most at home when nestling in his sleeve or 

 bosom ; in fact, they would not object to make that their daily resting- 

 place. As a matter of historic interest, it may be added that, in the 



