The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-06-11

A Heart at Stake.

The only adventure L ever had
worth relating (said my friend Philip
Holman) occurred one night during a
journey from York to point a few
miles north.
The cars were Just comfortably full,
the coach 1 entered having a single
vacant seat as well as few contain
ing only one occupant each. l estab-
lishod myself comfortably in the va
cant seat, close by the window, and,
as the train moved slowly through
the depot, watched the vanishing
lights and passengers waiting for 9TH
er trains. While thus engaged my
attention was arrested by man rush.
ing hastily from g little crowd near
the ticket office. He ran toward the
car had taken, and in another mo-
ment entered. His appearance was
striking. He was oflarge, commanding
stature, with full black beard. His
face was expressive and intelligent,
and would have been noble but for q
peculiar look about the eyes, which
moved about restleSsly and with q
nervous alertness. Having closed the
car-door he hesitated, looked back as
if in anxiety. and then peered intent
ly out of the window for a moment.
Finally he walked forward as if some
mental question had been decided,
and stopped by my side.
SIS this seat occupied, sir ?" he in
quirsdeOurteOusly.
"No, sir" replied, and made room
for him.
"I came nearing missing the train,'
he said, after being seated. "You
haven't noticed a small man with
iron-gray whiskers and dark clothes
aboard, have you?"
NO" 1 answered. "Were you
looking for friend?"
"a friend Z" he echoed absently;
and then with animation, "0h, no
by no means-not at ALL" He wound
up his emphatic denial with q short
laugh. "It's all right!" he finally ex-
planned.
"Rather an eccentric character" l
thought.
For some moments our journey was
pursued in silence, when my cOmpan-
ion abruptly turned to me, and said
in tone of confidence
"For years / have been studying
one of the most gigantic problems
that has ever occupied the human
mind"
"Ahw / said, not knowing what
else to say.
"They say the British Government
has a standing offer of ten thousand
pounds as a reward for its solution.
Do you believe it ?''
"ro what problem do you refer ," 1
inquired.
s'Oh, pardon me2 Perpetual mo-
tion-that grand desideratum Of all
inventors, scholars, and thinkers"
ST have heard something of such
an offer, but scarcely credit the sto-
ry."
"And why ?" he demanded.
because it is generally accepted
conclusion among intelligent people
that there can be no such thing as
perpetual motion. An effort without
cause is an anomaly which no
amount of inventive genius can over
come"
"My dear sir" he said earnestly,
'you have been imposed upon by the
old sophism. How singular are the
delusions that logic creates Reason,
that great attribute of man, can prove
lies to be true, and cause people to
deny facts and cling toyerror. 1t can
and does deceive, delude, and degrade,
when it ought to enlighten and ele-
vate. And, sir, it's all owing to the
hopeless imbecility of its recognized
exponents !"
"You are rather sweeping in your
Ienunciation,n l suggested, with q
smile and a curious look at him.
~ know / am," he responded lofti-
ly. "But if 1 am century in advance
OF the age, am not to blame for it,.
My theories will in time be accepted
as immutable laws. But benefactors
of the race seldom live to see the fruits
of their work. am content; I can
endure the prosecutions I have been
subjected to. I do not murmur.
Whatever is, is right"
"And ON the other hand" 1 said,
lightly, scarcely knowing whether he
meant to be facetious or not, what
ever is not, is wrong / suppose"
Certainly; you have hit it." he re-
piled, gravely.
began to suspect that my fellow
traveller was not exactly what is term
ed "sound in the upper story" A
searching glance into his face showed
that he was in earnest, and his eyes
began to glitter with excitement. If
he was q monomaniac / thought it
best not to do anything to arouse him
on his particular hobby, and so I en-
deavored to let the subject of perpetu-
al motion drop, but he was bent upon
pursuing it.
"This experimentation problem" :"
he resumed, "has, 1 know, received
ridicule at the hands OF many; but it
is, nevertheless, a fact-an existence
that has as yet been undeveloped.
And, sir, ,"-he spoke in a low, mys-
terious tone-''it has been reserved for
me to astound the world by making
the principle apparent and useful"
possible I'
"NOt only possible, but true. 1 see
you are incredulous, but do not blame
you. You look like a man of intelii-
gence-in fact there is something in
your eye that leads me to believe you
are the person have been looking for
so long,"
"Oh, no. I began.
"Don't be modest about il, sir. II it
is an unlooked-for honor, it is also
destiny, and destiny cannot be resist
| ed. The conviction grows upon me
! every moment that you are the man. /"
'tBut know nothing of the subject.
have never looked into it. 1 could
not even give you the name of a sim
gle one of the many who have failed,
after years of labor and lives of study,
to discover the secret"
$50 much the better for that, sir.
You are not burdened with prejudices
nor Iadened 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?"
az don't know but you are" laugh
ed.
"Of course / am."
ST wish" he added, lowering his