The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-29


with his dogcart and soon We we're
bowling along pleasant country road.
Look" he cried, "that is my house
you see there among the troes; and this
we are passing, and that one beyond,
and the other, whose chimney you cnn
just see-are all occupied by friends OF
mine-ss we'll as some others you cannot
see from here--apd to each of them l
have laid telegraphic wire SO, when l
have nothing particular to do OF an eve.
ming, 1 telegraph will you come and
have game of whist p or, i saw Brown
in town to-day; he's coming to shoot
with you tomorrow.
We now arrived at the entrance. gate
Harry pulled up "Ill get down and
open it," said 1.
sit still !" be DRIED. The gate opened
of its own accord.
Halo That's open sesame with
vengeance" exclaimed. How is it
done 7"
"Why, don't you see l have placed
across the drive plate Of iron like a
shallow gutter when | stop, the wheels
pressing on this cause 1t to sink slightly
this, acting on levers and cranks under.
ground, opens the gate and catch
holds it SO, until wo pass over similar
one on the other side, which releases it,
and the gate falls to-"
"Well, that's very convenient"
ITO be sure it is /; savcs me lodge
and gatekeeper."
We now drove up to the house, where
the groom was waiting to take the horse.
and the house maid was opening the
door
"Do you see, Marx they had notice
of our coming. When We stopped at the
gate, the weight of the dogcart pressed
TWO electric wires into contact, which,
passing underground, rang one bell in the
stable yard and another in the kitchen,
SO that when we arrive the servants are
ready to attend upon u.s."
we now entered the house. Miss Ora.
dient met US in the hall, and was in.
troduced to her by her brother. should
never have supposed her to be Harry's
sister, for she was tall aud gaunt: and
whether it was the blue spectacles or not
| cannot say, but she struck me as be.
ing frigid aud severe not at all the sort
of person you would willingly care to Of
fend. She, however babe me welcome.
asking me if had had pleasant jour.
ney, &c.
As | was taking of my overcoat in
the hall l exclaimed : why, Harry.
what on earth is that extraordinary look.
ing machine in the corner ?" 1t looked
something like shower.bath without the
curtains; attached to the upright sup.
ports were number OF crooked iron
arms, and on the end of each n brush.
"Oh, that is my automaton brushing.
machine will explain it to you. You
see, at the bottom there is small plat.
form about a foot high; when you step
on this it gradually descends. and as it
does SO, sets in motion train Of wheels
aud levers-you are, In fact the weight,
the motive power which puts all in mo-.
tion. All these arms with the brushes
begin to revove, and brush you all over
at once. But the most curious and com.
plicated is the hatbTush at the top you
see it is something like hat.box divided
vertically in two parts you perceive
they are now some distance apart, so
that you can pass between them they
are lined with bristles, AMI are fixed on
two lever.liko jaws When the machine
is set in motion, these jaws come together,
and clasping your hat between them,
they revolve rapidly; and in few
seconds your your hat is brushed, at the
same time az your coat, trousers and
| boots. When the platform reaches the
ground, the hat-brushes again separate,
und you step out; the platform springs
up, and is ready for another dusty Gus.
TONER"
"Well. it Is a very curious contrivauce
l should like to see IL in actiop," said ]
That you shall soon do s" and he
D stepped on the little platform. All al
, once the shoe brushes began to work Wig
orously: but the hat machine did mol
' come into action sntil the others had
about half done their work it theI
closed upon his hat, aud spun round aom:
4 fifteen or twenty times. and then few
apart, leaving him free to walk out
There !" said Harry. "What do you
q think of tbatf Jump up, and try it."
mo, thank you, not just now, som'
other time, perhaps. said l for fel
too nervous just then to trust myself t,
such an ordeal.
Excuse me, then, for one moment
t while l just speak TO my sister, and ther
: | will 60 up stairs with you"
q He had 10 sooner left me, than. as
5 stood looking at the curious machine,
o made up my mind to try it. Nobod,
r was there to laugh at me if jumped ou
K suddenly SO boldly stepped in. Tb
b brushes seemed to do their work yer
Is we'll, but found | must keep in m
j. arms. having got knock on the funny
r. boue oi my elbow from sticking it ou
q too far. But the hat trush-oh hor
l. ror had forgotten that had no ha
a. on, and that | was ID head taller than N
s. friend the consequence was, the inierns
machine suddenly descended. and seizn
t. me by the head, whirled round at
g. frightful pace, till / thought no ski
would have been left on my nose.
g. tried to stoop and escape it, but got sue
ln blows behind from the revolving clothe,
ID brushes that was glad to stand uprigt
is again. Fortunately it was soon ovel
y and then the hateful thing stopped.
ct opened my eyes and saw Harry stapdin
ie looking at me, convulsed with laughte
70 | felt very angry at the moment as
I'd rushed out, with Que of my iavo.ito Ion
y whiskers brushed over my face and th
other back over my ear, while my ha
III was twisted into q vortex on the top
OF my head.
in "lt's hateful machine !" | cried.
n tried to rearrange my dishevelled lock
us Harry roared with laughter, but
4 II 4 = III 4 4