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


relating (said my friend Philip Holman
occurred one night during journey from
New York to point few miles north.
The cars were just comfortably full, the
coach | entered having a single vacant
seat as well as a few containing only one
occupant each ] established myself
comfortably in the vacant seat, close by
the window and as the train moved slow
" through the depot watched the vanish
ing lights and passengers waiting for
other trains. While thus engaged my
attention was arrested by man rushing
hastily from a little crowd near the ticket
office. He ran toward the car | had taken
and in another moment entered. His APP
pearance was striking He was of large,
commanding stature, with a full black
beard. His face was expressive and in
telligent, and would have been noble but
for peculiar look about the eyes, which
moved about restlessly and with nervous
alertness. Having closed the car-door he
hesitated, looked back as if in anxiety,
and then peered intently out of the win
dow for a moment. Finally he walked
forward as if some mental question had
been decided, and stopped by my side.
is this seat occupied, sir?' he in
quired, cOurteOusly.
Ono, sir" | replied, and made room for
him
q came near missing the train,'' he
said, after being seated you haven't
noticed small man with iron gray wills
kers and dark clothes aboard, have
your"
"No," answered. "Were you look
ing for a friends"
" A friend?" he echoed absently; and
then, with animation, ooh, no-by no
means-not at all" He wound up his
emphatic denial with a short laugh. "It's
all rightp he finally explained.
Rather an eccentric character" I
thought
For some moments our journey was
pursued in silence, when my companion
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"
'Ahn' | 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?"
"To what problem do you refer?" I
inquired.
ooh, pardon me! Perpetual motion
that grand desideratum of all inventors,
scholars and thinkers"
g have heard something of such an
offer, but scarcely credit the story"
"And why?'' he demanded.
" Because it is a generally accepted con-
clusion 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 inventive
genius can OyercOmen
My dear sir" he said, earnestly, "you
have been imposed upon by the old soph-
ism. How singular are the delusiOns
that logic creates! Reason, that great at
tribute of man, can prove lies to be true,
and cause people to deny facts and cling
to error. IL can and does deceive, delude
and degrade, when it ought to enlighten
and elevate And, sir, it's all owing to
the hopeless imbeciIity of its recognized
exponents"
You are rather sweeping in your de-
nunciation," suggested, with smile and
curious look at him.
:" know l am" he responded, loftily.
But if am century in advance Of the
age | am not to blame for it. My theo
ries will in time be accepted as immuta-
BILE laws But benefactOrs of the race
seldom live to see the fruits of their work
lions | have been subjected to- | do not
murmur. Whatever is, is right"
"And on the other hand" l said, light
ly, scarcely knowing whether he meant
to be facetiOus or not, whatever is not,
is wrong l suppose"
Certainly; you have hit it," he re-
piled, gravely.
| began to suspect that my fellow -trav-
eler was not exactly what is termed
"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 monomani-
&C | thought it best not to do anything to
arouse him on his particular hobby, and
so | endeavored to let the subject of per
petual motion drop, but he was bent on
pursuing it.
This experimentation problem" he
resumed, "has, know, received ridicule
at the hands of many; but it is, never
theless, a faCt-an eXistence-that has as
yet been undeveloped. And, sir,"-he
spoke in low, mysterious tone" it has
been reserved for me to aStOund the world
by making the principle apparent and
useful
"Possiblem
"Not only possible, but true. see you
You look like man of intelligence-in
fact, there is something in your eye that
leads me to believe you are the person !
have been looking for so long"
ooh. no" | began.
Don't be modest about it, sir. If it is
an unlookedfor honor it is also destiny
and destiny cannot be resisted. The con
yiction grows upon me every moment
that Won are the man."
but | know nothing of the subject.
have never looked into it. | could no
even give you the name of single one Of
the many who have failed, after years o.
labor and lives of study, to discover the
secret"
$50 much the better for that, sir. 9or
are not burdened with prejudices nol
laden with arguments against It, 1or
are open to conviction, and are not Sc
stepped in bigotry that you would deny
what might be plainly proven to you
Am not right?"
don't know but you are" laughed
:" Of course [ am.
L wish" he added, lowering his voice
almost to whisper, "that | could prevail
on you TO accompany me tonight to my