The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-12-03

RESISTANCE Is useless, Sne 6alQ, Draw
ing forth a revolver and pointing it full
in my face. This might hurt you
whereas the vial causes no suffering
whatever. You had better choose the
latter;
/ had never realized till that moment the
feelings of Fair Rosamond
"And when," she proceeded, "the god
dess grows impatient, the jaws Of her pro
wider are more extended"
This was the fact, and I was inspired
with a sudden resolution. One road of es.
cape was obvious, and, in fit of despers.
ton, I leaped into the open mouth, head
4 foremost, like harlequin.
/ Again few moments of darkness, during
which heard shrek of female rage, and
when this had passed, found myself IN
neat little study, looking at q slim gentle
man, trinity dressed, and especially re-
| markable for the perfect arrangement of
hair. he seemed to be rather startled.
| swell, James" he said, "you need not
have taken me unawares like this. I did
not so much as hear you knock" -
NV name is not James; but rejoiced as
was to find myself in room where the
image of Bowanee was not part of the fur
niture, did not deem it expediens to cor
rect the error. Indeed, was beginning
to stammcr out an apology, when he
fortunately prevented me by saying,
quickly:
No matter-no matter. / am only too
happy to show you the successful result of
my little experiments"
expressed, in turn, my happiness at
the proposed instruction. He proceeded
thus:
"The greatest discoveries in practical
science often, as you are aware, have q
comparatively childish beginning. The
steam engine itself was, in its earliest form,
a toy; and it was by means of . boys kite
that Franklin drew the electric spark
from the clouds. / have devoted myself
to bubbles You smile" / had done
nothing of the sort AZ do not refer to
those hollow commercial enterprises which
are stigmatized by that name, but to bona
fide bubbles, such as urchins are in the
habit of blowing from an ordinary tobacco
pipe. Just watch me now"
So saying, he dipped the bowl of an or
| binary pipc into small basin of fluid, and,
with evident exertion, blew q fair, round
bubble, which, when detached, rested
upon the table.
"Just touch that" he said.
1 did so: the bubble did not burst, but
was as firm as if it had been made of
glass
"Now you see the nature Of my inven.
tion," he continued, smiling with evident
satisfaction. 81 add to the saporaceous
fluid, vulgarly termed soap-and-water, an
ingredient the nature of which shall not
reveal, and which has the effect of render
ing the bubble permanent. You may dash
that bubble against the ground, or strike
| t with the hammer-stillit will not break.
All you have to avoid is contact with
fire. Observed"
He lighted lucifer-match, and applied
it to the bubble, which, with report like
that of small cannon, exploded so instant
", that he was thrown to the ground as il
stricken by a thunderbolt However, he
rose smiling, and, rubbing the part thai
had been most Inconvenience by the fall
quietly said:
"There is no occasion to repeat the ex
pertinent ?"
Decidedly not" was my remark
There is one point, however, on which
am curious cannot sufficiently admire
am at loss to perceive its USE"
"Oh, that I can easily explain" was his
reply. "Not only have 1 discovered the
ingredient which hardens the saponaceous
fluid, but 1 have invented method O.
blowing which enables me to enclose
whatever object please within the pre-
cincts of a bubble. Look herer'
He opened a cabinet, and showed me 6
collection of humming- birds, butterflies
statuettes, and other objects that are com
monty put under glass cases, each enclosed
in a hardened bubble. ] acknowledged
that the invention was admirable.
EYES," he said, al think it is; and i
will soon go forth to the world as Bubbles
worth's patent. But have not come tt
that yet. Just sit for few minutes il
that chair, while / prepare to astonish yoI
with an application of my principle"
complied with his request, and h,
slipped behind the chair Presently wa
aware that there was something like
medium between me and the surrounding
objects, and, throwing my head back, per
ceived that Mr.. Bubblesworth had actually
enclosed me in an enormous Transparent
sphere, streaked with brilliant colors, whlcl
resisted my touch as though it had beel
of iron. was msnifestly prisoner, bu
the spherical wall of my PRISON gradual,
receeded till it was beyond the reach o
my outstretched hands. Soon the ga,
prismatic colors that played in stream
around me began to assume definite shapes
some of which apparently were distan
from me several miles, while others wer
in my immediate vicinity.
was standing near neat whitewashe,
cottage, in front of which, seated by
table, on which stood foaming jug, wa
jolly old gentleman, of the conventions
type, which we often find repeated in en-
: cravings of the last century as the embodi
ment of rural felicity in advanced year,
To sit alone smoking and drinking a
: through whole summer evening, with
fat face that smiled benignantly upo
: nothing, was long the summit of huma
bliss in the eyes Of many well-meanin
artists who wished to contrast the innocer
pleasures of the country with the riot an
dissipation of the town.
"This is an uncommonly pretty country
sir" observed to the ideal farmer.
Yes, sir, it il" he replied, Though
I. that very reason All, there was no raj
roads when l was a boyl"
4 "You came here young?" 1 asked.
"Came here? was born here, in tn
very house, and this very day is m
:. eightieth birthday"
1 instinctively glanced upwards toward
q the sky, as if to catch the face of M
e Bubblesworth, to whom would willingl
o have referred the doubts that arose in m
mind. But nothing was above me say
= the pure azure l could address no or
S but the old gentleman himself.
v "My question may appear very ignoran
: sir" said, "but what county is thisg"
Il "This," he answered, is Soapshir
n on the borders of Bubblesex.
:; / discovered at once the etymologic
d origin of these strange names; but still
c scarcely burst trust my ears. az hay
heard, said, "of Shropshire and Middl
: sex"
r "Have your" interrupted the old gentl
man that's more than have. May
|. you have travelled in foreign parts. How
S ever, this is Soapshire, aad if you GRO
o the river you see yonder, you'll find you
self in Thughamptonshire."
i Observation-Disclosures -Thughamptol
" shire-odd names! Not only was ST
somehow in the old world, but there W,
I a slight connecting link between me III
It my immediate neighbors.
a "Did you ever go to any church
Ell Thughamptonshire? / asked.
Mot very often but have done SUI
It thing" was the reply.
b "Hai and in the course of his sermo
did the minister make any mention Of
\ Bowanee
i mo; can't say as he did-lesstway
q while was awake. But tell you wins
In the churchyard of Thugton, which
s the chief market town, there is a lit
r. hill or mound like, which they call Bon
n Barrow and the story goes that gre
o many butcher-boys are buried there wi
were sacrificed by the Druids, as they c.
7 them, in the days of the ancient Britons