The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-10-22

ueallnS IFdnSly Win you, WneD L say, tuf
in my opinion, you are not not long for th
world ~
MilIer's heart sank within him when h
heard his doom. He had the most implie
confidence in the professor; and, as h
thought of his wife and child, he felt yer
much as if for the future the world woul
be blank to him.
"Did you ever drink whiskey ?" inquire
the professor, as he paced the room.
"Never, except upon one, or perhaps sw
OCCASIONS" said Miller.
"You can keep yourself alive two year
probably three--by the moderate Use O
whiskey. 1t is n dangerous prescription
but in giving it to you l have reason t
believe that you will not let it obtain tn
mastery over you. Get the bes. whisS
you can buy, and drink pint of it day.
Poor Miller, ready to grasp at the neares
shadow of relief, went to liquor store an
purchased demjohn Of Bourbon whisky
and commenced taking doses Of it at inter
walls throughout the day.
year rolled away, and Miller was muc
improved. His cough was easier, and tn
stimulus appeared to Impair: kind of arti
fetal strength to his bod "; but, regret e
| ." Hl5 iItEtitts "HiSil HCNtt bSioiO u"
alcoholic drinks, had assumed an abnn,mal
condition, to appease which it now required
not less that qpart per diem. He ell tha'
he was not doing much toward Fsardlng
his march down to the grave; but he heavy
doses of alcoholic stimulants Invested the
past, present and the future with feeling
Of obliviousness that was quie re!lef TO
his melancholy bsoodings ov;r his misery
when he was properly hinseG.
When in this state, Millerloved solitude,
and he frequently walked n far away from
home, rs his strength woud permit him
generally in the neighboriood of the brick
yard, in the southwest part of the city.
One day. having extended his walk beyond
| his usual limits, and b.ing overtaken by q
thunder storm, when he reached the brick
yards. he took shelter under the shed OF one
of them. Having Crunk an unusual guam
tity of liquor durisg the day, he fel! asleep
upon the wheelbarrow on which he was
resting. while the storm was still raging
! nor GIl lie woke till the dawn Of the next
dav, Z mild, beautiful June morning. Al
! first he w4s mystiied but soon recalled &c
! his rec2.: :-ation the storm and the brick,
yard, and feeling somewhat drowsy. ne
CUUlpbsGu uiElSEIi lDl uhOtIiNi l''l 49, -
uncertain how long he lept-probaoIJ not
over an hour-but during that time he haC
remarkable vision. He dreamed out the
principles of a machine for the manufacture
of brick-a machine that would in a great
measure supercede hand labor. Every
wheel, cog, or casting, passed through his
braip. and in his dream he even saw tht
machine IN operation. When be awoke, il
was quite light, and he hastened towards
his home. His mind was entirely taken uI
with the Iaachiue. his dream having evi
dently made an impression upon him al
| iuIeliJic az any idea conceived in his mos
wakcful hours. Long before he reached
| his home he had resolved to carry out th'
spirit of his dream. After breakfast h
made the necessary preparations to carry
out his model. The obstacles that inter
posed were legion, but he overcame then
all. Tools that he could not borrow, hC
| bought, and 1t was now that he went tt
work most patiently and perseverance Y
paving very little attention to the whisky
as his whole soul seemed wrapped up in ont
grand object.
His wife, from the beginning Of the work
thought that his mind was giving away: ant
the poor, patient, enduring woman, finding
their stock of money rapidly decreasing
took in sewing, while he sawed, planed an,
! chseled at his model. lie grew morose
and seldom spoke. Sometimes he wou!l
gaze abstractedly upon the model for Ion!
I time, and then, as if treasured, he woul(
| 90 to work again with renewed energy; ant
SO he continued for many long and wear,
weeks. until the model was finally completed
and stood before him perfect in all its parts
As he worked it in the presence of his wife
gleam Of satisfaction sat upon his coun
tenunce and he smiled, 1t was the frs
smile that had Illuminated his features sine
he had been at work upon the model. III
carried it off to finished mechanic. VIII
engaged to make a fine duplicate for twent
dollars; and when he had finished his job
the wife saw him take that amount frol
, their slender store more in sorrow than il
anger. but she knew the utter folly Of pro
testing.
Richard Miller now. for the first time
consulted 4 friend in the matter: and tha
friend having had some experience in pro
curing patents. gave him the benefit of hi
knowledge. To procure the patent wou
cost thirty dollars more. This alarme
Miller: but the patent must be had, an
that amount went. In due time letter
patent arrived, and he had the rough mode
and docum nnt-nothing more. Out Of ther
it would be next to impossible to realize
No. he must have machine capable O
working. lie felt satisfied that nothn
short Of machine would enable him t
dispose Of his right. But how to get Il ma
chine built was a question that puzzled bin
sadly. No one capable of making perfec
machine would undertake the job for les
than one hundred dollars. Alas ! he had II
longer that sum Of money in the house.
Miller was almost bordering on despair
when one Of the mechanics to whom he ha
spoken, called upon him in order to max
a more minute examination of the mode
He was eminent!y practical man, at III
end Of which be declared his firm convictlo
was that the machine was great inventor
At MI events. he wOvld be willing to bull
enc on IL contingency. If it failed to wort
he would charge nothing: but if it answere
the expectation of the inventor, then b
would charge two hundred dollars for ms
chine and risk. This was virtually takIn
an interest in the success of the invention
and Richnrd closed with him. The mechan
was ttoihtL anu eHci SctlC, "uu puttI!'e u
whole force to work, in few days turne
over to Miller complete machine.
His next business was to give the machil
a trial. lie went over to Camden, whc
he had an acquaintance in the brick bus
ness, and prevailed upon him to let the tri
take place at his yard, next day, at elevt
, O'Clock. The proprietor had very lit
faith in the machine, but as he had a lar!
lot Of brick for sale, he was willing to su
nit to almost anything to attract attenti(
,, to his yard. TO this end, he slyly insert
an advertisement III several of tho dai
papers of Philadelphia announcing the tri
Of a wonderful patent brick machine, nami,
the time and place, which. of course,
thought would only be another addition
the long catalogue Of failures in that line
. inventions.
: Next day Miller partook of an early brea
fast, and then possessed himself of the Ia
dollar in the house to pay current expense
: lie bade his wife be of good cheer-that
, thought he would return before night wi
D not less than FIVE hundred dollars. The po
e woman thought it more likely that he wou
0 return dejccted, broken hearted, and rea
h to die; but she said nothing.
r From his house he went direct to the m
g chine shop, and had his invention taken
!, the ferry boat, had it safely landed a