Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-05-14

| 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 aye! ''
You may be assured, Ireplied, that
I feel deeply interested IN your inven
ton"
eyes" he interrupted, with a nod OF
appreciation.
Some other time perhaps"
eve NAV never meet again, and your
| chance for a share in the honor of the
thing may be lost"
On. claim no share of the honor.
Wait until the one thing lacking is sup
piled, and thea take all the credit and
profit to yourself"
AVE, the one thing lacking; there's
the rub. 1t is something very difficult to
! secure"
"May ask what it 50"
81 would be fool to tell you and thus
reveal a secret that would enable others
! to supplant me. But | might do it if Won
would manifest confidence and interest
| enough to 90 with me and witness the in
| vention. Then you would comprehend
nv want and perhaps be willing to sup
ply it"
Ono, no" rejoined, hastily; al credit
myself with no such capability. You
must seek assistance elsewhere. I have
no attention to spare from my business
now"
[ was growing somewhat uneasy at nv
companions strange talk and pertinacity.
and wished to rid myself of him. 10
have monomaniac tackle himself to YOU
is by no means a comfortable situation,
and | determined to repel, if possible,
any further advances from him.
He sighed at my last words, and said,
resignedly: "Well, | will not press you.
You are cruelty Indifferent, though, in re-
gard to a matter of such.vital Importance.
1t is so with them all!
After this he relapsed into silence, but
seemed i'll at ease, looking hither and
thither, and frequently half rising in his
seat.
Finally, as an excuse to leave his pres
ence, [ SAID | believed | would take a lit
tie fresh air, and stepped out on the plat
form Of the car This proved to be a most
unfortunate move The train was NOV
ing rapidly, and, yielding to the fascina
ton of gazing at the swiftly-shifting
scenery, illumined by the pale beams Of
the moon, lit cigar and remained in
my position for some time.
Suddenly | became aware that some
body was standing behind me. I turned
and beheld, with some CONSERVATION, my
perpetual motion friend. He must have
| opened and closed the car door very 81
| lently, for [ had not heard his approach.
81 thought | would take the fresh air,
too" he said, with peculiar smile. 81
can circumvent anybody who stands in
my way; yes, anybOdy-ne matter who !"
| This was with considerable vehemence.
Then, with an air of suavity, he remarked:
"There is something very exhilarating in
standing here in the breeze, in listening
| to the rumbling of the noisy wheels, al
most under ones feet, and gazing at the
flying landscape and moving lights in dis
tant houses. Do you not think 500"
replied that l did. He came closer
and bent over me, his strange black eyes
| glittering in the moonlight. My position
was anything but comfortable one. [
was on one Of the steps, and he immedi-
ately above me, so that I could not ascend
to the car door without requesting him to
move. This l did not wish to do alb
ruptly, for if he was of unsound mind any
appearance of uneasiness or distrust on
my part might cause him to indulge in
oOI1C N1OlCIlb llCoh blC1ClO1C IC1S1lCI
to welcome his presence, though in fact |
heartily wished myself back in the car.
lie drew closer to me and said
: have concluded to give you de
scription of my perpetual motion machine,
for somehow | have taken a singular
fancy to you, and believe I can trust
you"
Don't be too sure of that" rejOined,
inanCa1xr. I wolf IN &c
| clOChing, and betray your confidence"
q am not afraid" he replied; {" am
| too good physiOgnOmist TO be thus i'm
posed upon. But we trife. To come at
once to the point my workshop is not a
great distance from here. A road just on
the outskirts of the next station leads to
it. AS soon as the train arrives within a
mile of its stOpping-place [ shall jump on
and repair directly to the spot. | have
| already lost much time by an unavoidable
absence and must make all haste to re-
sumo my task"
You would not jump off while the
train is in mOtion?"
Eyes; there is no danger"
Pardon me; the practice is a very
dangerous one, and has frequently resulted
in loss Of life"
do not contradict me! 1 shall jump
off and so must you'll"
g shall not" l replied, "and beg of
you not to risk your own life"
"Bah! It's no risk at all, l tell you.
I'd willingly try it now, fast as we're
going!"
1 did not reply to his last remark, but
started to rise, saying: 81 believe l will
go in the car again"
But hand was laid heavily on my
! shoulder with a nervous strength against
which resistance would have been futile.
My strange acquaintance said:
No, you dOn't-I'm not through with
you YETI
Let me pass" l exclaimed, angrily.
Il" shall not! you are the man -"
. shall call on the brakeman the next
time he steps out. You are taking an I'M
warrantable liberty"
If you say a word to the brakeman |
will push you off"
"Come-this is no time or place for
| testing. l wish to enter the car"
"And wish you TO remain here. AS
for jesting, nothing was ever further from
my thought"
l was now fairly alarmed. The man
was undoubtedly a lunatic. And he had
me at an advantage, for, in our relative
positions, he could easily launch me into
| eternity by an energetic push. saw that
the assumption of defiance was of no
avail and abandoned it at once for fear OF
provoking him to an immediate fulfill
ment of his threat He still retained his
hold on my shoulder with unrelaXed
vigor.