Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-09
MISCELLANY.
A VICTIM TO MODERN INVENTION,

SlnCc quite Cullu Harry OFdOleut Eae
been noted for his ingenuity in devisine
various mechanical oddities. When not
engaged in graver pursuits he was sure to
be ankle deep in some hydraulic scheme,
or head over ears in some other Of the
mechanical sciences. His knack of in.
vention was truly wonderful, though as
yet-at the time l write Harry was
twenty-Gvc-my friend had had few op.
portunities Of turning ii to a practical
purpose. He and I were beth engaged in
some engineering works sn the continent,
undertaken by an English firm, iAftcr
We had been there some months, Harry
received the welcome news that rela.
tive had died, leaving him nice little
miles out Of London.
Prior to leaving me to return to Eng.
land-for there was much 10 be done in
the way of setting the property and house
in order-my friend said. with his usual
enthusiasm: SHARK, my boy (my name
is Mark Mildmay), shall expect you to
come and see me when you come back.
I suppose you are booked here for
another eighteen months or so, and that
will just give me time to set my house in
order. Such house my boy! You've
never seen such a one as it shall be. l
mean to give up engineering for the pub
lie, and to exercise my talents in that
way for my own benefit and comfort; my
house shall be full of ingenious and curl.
Gus contrivances. such as have never been
seen BEFORE
Time passed on, and tho business
aad been ingaged in was. completed, and I
had returned home. had written to Har-
~ occasionally, and rs soon as he heard
l had arrived in England, nc sent me a
pressing invitation to, come and visit
him. ? -,
gladly accepted the invitation. for
wanted to see my old friend again. and
wrote to him saying, l would run dovn
the next day, and arrive at station
some two miles from his house, about 6
o'clock in the evening. I therefore
pack sd small portmanteau, and at the
appointed time got out at the little road
side station. Harry was there waiting
for me with his oog.cart; and soon
We were bowling along pleasant country
road.
Look" he cried; this is my house
you see there among the trees; and this
we are passing, and that one beyond, and
the other whose chimney you can Just
see-are all occupied BY friends of mine
as we'll As some others vow cannot sec
from here--and to each Of tk.h, l have
laid telegraph wire; so, wher ! have
nothing particular to do of an evening,
telegraph, will you come and have
game Of whist!' or, saw Brown up town
to-day; he's coming to shoot with you
tomorrow"
We now arrived At the entrance gate;
Harry pulled up. .'l'll get down aud
open it," said I.
''Sit still!'' he cried. The gate opened
Of it's own accord.
"Hal]o! That's 'opcn sesame with
Vengeance" / exclaimed. :'Ho~ is it
done T. s. -
"Why, don't you see; i have placed
across the drive plate OF iron like
shallow gutter when stop. the wheels,
pressing on this, Cause it to sink slightly;
this, acting on levers and cranks under.
ground, opens the gate; and a catch
holds it so, until we pass over similar
One on the other side, which releases it,
and the gate falls to-
swell, that's very convenient
''T0 be sure It is-saves me q lodge and
gate.kcepe+.'
We now drove up to the house where
the groom was waiting to take the horse,
and the house.maid was opening the door.
'sDo you see, Mark; they Mad notice OF
our coming? When we stopped at the
gate the weight Of the dogcart pressed
two electrical wires into contact, which,
passing underground, rang one bell in the
stable yard and another in the kitchen,
SO that when We arrive tho servants are
1eady to sttend upon u.s.
We now entered the house. Miss Ora.
dent met us in the hall, and ] was intro.
duced to her by her brother. ! should
never Rave supposed her to be Harry's
sister, for she was tall and gaunt; and
whether it was Che blue spcctacles or
not could not say; but she struck me as
being frigid and severe; rot 1t all the
sort Of person you would care 30 offend.
She, however, badc me welcome asking
me if I had pleasant journey, &c.
As l was taking off my overcoat in the
all I exclaimed: Why, Harry, what on
arth is that extraordinary. looking ma.
chine in the corner g It looked some.
thing like a shower.bath without the
curtains: attached to the upright sup
ports were . numberi of crooked iron
arms, and on the end Of each brush.
''Oh, that is my automatic brushing.
machine. will explain it t. you. You
see, at the bottom there is .. small plat.
form about : foot high when you step
on this it gradually decends, and, ss it
does SO, sets in motion train of wheels
and levers-you are, in fact, tho weight,
the motive power whichputs all in mo-,
ton. y thsee srms With the brushes
ct once. But the most curious and com.
plicated Is the hat.brush at tho top; you
sec it's something like hat-brnsh di.
yided vertically in two parts; you per-.
ceive that they are now some distance
apart, 90 that you can pass behind them !;
they ore. lined with bristlcs, and are FIX.