The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-05-22
Selerf Sturp
IN THE BALANCE.

The only adv,rture | ever had worth
relating said II, friend Philip Holman
occurred one Light during a journey
from New York 10 point few mile,
north.
The cars were just comfortably full,
the coach / entered having a single va
cant seat as well as a few containing only
one occupant each. i established my.
self comfortably in the vacant seat. close
by the window, and, as the train moved
slowly through the depot, watched the
vanishing lights and passengers waiting
for other trains. While thus engaged
my attention was arrested by a man
rushing hastily from little crowd near
| the ticket office. He ran toward the ear
/ had taken, and in another moment
entered, His appearance was striking
| He was of large, commanding stature,
with a full black beard. His face was
| expressives and intelligent, and would
have been noble but for a peculiar look
| about the eyes, which moved about rest
lessly and with a nervous alertness.
! Having closed the car-doo- he hesitated.
| looked back as if in anxiety, and then
peered intently out of the window for a
moment. Finally he walked forward as
if some mental question had been decid-
ed, and stopped by my side.
''Is this seat occupied, sirl' he inquired
courteously.
mo, SIR" / replied, and made room
for him.
Il came near missing the train. y he
said, after being seated. You haven't
noticed small man with irOn-gray wills
kers and clothes aboard. have YOU ~
NO" answered. Were you look
ing for friendl'
"A friend" he echoed absently: and
then with animation. ''Oh. no-by no
means-not at ALL" He wound up his
emphatic denial with short laugh.
'It's all right.' he finally explained.
Rather an eccentric character" |
thought.
For some moments our Journey was
pursued in silence, when my companion
abruptly turned to me, and said in a
tone of confidence:
For years l have been studying one
of the most gigantic problems that has
ever occupied the human mind"
''Ah!" | said, not knowing what else
to say
''They say the British Government
has n standing offer of ten thousand
pounds as II reward for its solution. DO
you believe it,
TO what problem do you refer.''
inquired.
''Oh, pardon me. Perpetual motion
that grand desideratum of all invent
ors, scholars, and thinkers.
Il have heard something of such an
offer, but scarcely credit the story"
And whyl" he demanded.
Because it is a generally accepted
conclusion among intelligent people that
there can be no such thing as perpetual
motion. An effect without a cause is
an anomaly which no amount of invent
i've genius can overcome
MY dear sir. he said earnestly. ''you
have been imposed upon by the old
sOphism. How singular are the delu-
sions that logic creates, Reason, that
great attribute of man, can prove lies to
be true, and cause people TO deny facts
and cling to error. 1t can and does de
csive. delude, degrade, when it ought to
enllghten and elevate. And, sir, it's all
owing to the hopeless imbecility of its
recognized exponentsr'
You are rather sweeping in your de-
nunciation," | suggested, with n smile
and a curious look at him.
Il know L am, >" he responded lOftily
But if | am Il century i'll advance Of
tie age, | am not to blame for it. My
theories will in time be accepted as i'm
mutable laws. But benefactOrs of the
race seldom live to see the fruits of their
work. am content; / can endure the
prosecutions | have been subjected to-
| do not murmur. Whatever is, is
right
And on the other hand, " said light
ly, scarcely knowing whether he meant
to be facetious or not, whatever is, is
wrong | suppose"
Certainly; you have hit it," lie re-
piled, gravely.
| began to suspect that my fellow
traveller was not exactly what is termed |
''sound in the upper story" A search
ing glance into his face showed that he |
was in earnest, and his eyes began to
glitter with excitement If he was a |
mOnomaniac l thought it best not TO do
anything to arouse him on his particular |
hobby, and so | endeavored to let the |
subject of perpetual motion drop, but |
he was bent on pursuing it.
This perpetual-motion problem, he |
resumed, has, l know, received ridicule |
at the hands of many; but it is, never
theless, fact-an existence-that has
as yet been undlveloped. And, sir, y
he spoke in low, mysterious tone-''it |
has been reserved for Inc to astound the
world by making the principle apparent
and useful"
"POssible,r
Not only possible, but true. see
you are incredulous, but do not blame
yOus You look like a man of intelli-
gence-in fact, there is something III
your eye that leads Inc to believe you
are the person | have been looking for
so long"
''Oh, no" began.
Don't be modest about it, sir. II it
is an unlOoked-for honor. it is also des-
tiny, and destiny cannot be resisted.
The conviction grows upon me every |
moment that you are the man."
But | know nothing of the subject. 4!
| have never looked into It, could not
even give you the name of single one
of the many who have failed. after years
of labor and lives of study, to discover
the secret"
80 much the better for that, sir.
nor laden with arguments against it.
You are open to conviction, and are not
so stepped in bigotry that you would
deny what might be plainly proven to
you. Am | not right"
Il don't know but you are, ." | laughed.
''Of course | am"
Il wish, he added, lowering his voice /
almost TO whisper, that | could pre-
vail on you to accompany me tonight
to my workshop, where | have. after |
arduous toll and intense mental labor,
accomplished the long-lOoked-for result. /
Accomplished it, | say: il is true there is
one thing lacking but only one. and |
when this single want is supplied the
contamination will be shown to the |
world as the grandest achievement OF |
the age,r
You may be assured, " l replied, ''that
| feel deeply interested in your inven-
ton"
Yes" he interrupted, with a nod Of
appreciation.
But cannot go with you tonight
Some other time perhaps
I'VE may never meet again. and your |
chance for a share in the honor of the |
thing may be lost.
"Oh. / claim no share of the honor.
Wait until the one thing lacking is sup |
piled, and then take all the credit and |
profit to yourself"
Aye, the one thing lacking: there's
the rub. 1t is something very difficult |
to secure"
May | ask what it Isl
Il would be fool to tell you, and
thus reveal a secret that would enable
others To SupDIant me But / might do |