The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-05-19
wish you would give him your boots to
mend. That is his trade"


"I'll try him." Fred agreed.
Mr.. Barnwell was more encouraging
than Fred. He declared himself inter,
ested in nv protege &C would like tt
have talk with him in his workshop
He tells me he has several other 'leetlt
ideas he has been studyln' out that ht
would like to show off,,
Il know where he lives; ri 20 with
you" said, grasping at the notion.
Mr.. Bsrnwell was one of those apple
checked, prematurely bald. natty per
sons who have a natural predispositior
to benevolence. I'm my minds eye
| beheld Wagoner's fortune assured, i
Mr.. Barnwell would only befriend him
Which brings me back to where
began. That was day before yesterday
And here are Mr.. Barnwell and I now
having "plet by chance the usual way,
rapping at Wagoner's door.
He opens it himself, and ushers u:
first into little shop, then into little
back room. mo need to knock" ."ht
explains. customers allays walks
right in"
The little shop was furnished with s
counter. Under glass case were a lit,
! tie candy, few cakes, few paper flow
ers. / doubt whether trade In these ar
ticles was brisk. / fear the Wagner!
had too many irons in the fire to succeed
at any one thing.
Mrs. Wagner was sewing in one cor
ner of the back room on gaudy patch
work quilt. In an opposite corner was
cobbfer's bench. The husband and wife
were in direct contrast to each other
She was pretty young mulatto woman
with soft gazelle eyes and half-asleer
air. He was wide. awake-l looking as
his companion was inert, of light caft
au 1ait color, which he would have
characterized himself as bright" eyes
strikingly large and observant; hair al
most straight. He was all action, with
a hearty desire to please in every ges'
ture.
Mr.. Barnwell rubbed his hands to-
gether in his hearty way. $50 you 81,
and sew while your husband works,
he remarked to Mrs. Wagner.
| She replied, Yes, sir" dreamily.
Wagner added, "Yes, indeed, miss,
with quadruple animation. "It is Ger.
tainly very agreeable for gentleman
to have his occupation, and for a lady
to have hers, and for they both to carry
them on together"
Mrs. Wagner produced a hair ring
she had been plating. This was an
other of her industries. "It is really
very nice, LOU" said; at which praise
sbe smiled and sighed, and cast down
her gazelle eyes prettily.
Wagner had already remarked to
both his visitors: 'We would be ex-
tremely proud if you would set down.
Oh, certainly. It's all in lifetime, as
the sayin' is" After briefperiod, ap-
parently designed for the purpose of
taking breath, ne proceeded to exhibit
his "leetle idees."
First of all an article which looked
like a mouse trap, but which he ex-
planned was paten' designed to lift
heavy weights. He moved little hits
of wire about, and explained to me the
different points of the contrivance. 1t
seemed to me extremely ingenious, and
/ told him 80.
.,"Oh, yes, miss, it's very nice affair.
There's nothing exactly like it. Ger.
tainly, miss and sir. Look at this here
other leetle notion, sir. It's swing.
It's a-worked back k'arfs and for'ards by
jest a-pressin' this here board with the
foot. I never see nothink like this.
Certainly, sir. I am allays a-thinkin'
out these leetle things. Work is dull"
glancing at his empty cobbler's bench.
"Now here's the wagon you thought
so much OF, miss. I've put an entire
new crank into it to make it turn more
easy and convenient like. Don't look at
it too close, miss. It's put together real
rough. But I'm not nothin' of a car
penter. nor yet q wheelwright. And
so" finishing off with his usual little
nervous laugh.
was cheered to see that Mr.. Barn
well was giving the subject his close
attention. But, alas, he said to me
presently, in the undert one he knew so
well how to manage: "They have some
things like that on the railroads already
like it to T." indicating the mouse.
trap. He likewise criticised the con-
struction of the wagon. "Springs
crooked" he objected
Next we were shown 4 60. cart which
was propelled by windmill. 1T will
be very nice on windy days. declared.
To which Wagner added: "Oh, GER
tainly, MISS" cheerily, and put it aside.
"It occurred to me it was curious
cotton. I'm allays a-thinkin' up these
here curious notions when / have a
spare hour or so. But here's somethin'
else, ladies and gentlemen, 50 to speak
somethin' for the fourth of July for
the youngsters"
Another wagon! !" Lou and Mr.. Barn
well and I all laughed together. "Oh.
certainly. Yes, miss. You see, sir, one
boy sits in front, and presses this here
spring with his foot, like my other
paten', and off we air. And another
youngster sits behind, and presses this
here, and that sets these bells a-ringin'
and these here flags ;,-fyin'. Hail,
Columby, miss!'
Decidedly. Why. Wagner, this is
Splendid"
"Oh, certainly. Yes, indeed. That's
so, miss"
Mr.. ,Barnwell had walked up to the
one window 10 examine yet another
paten' more minutely. The inventor
and exhibitor followed him. Mr.. Barn.
well asked number of questions in his
easy, cheerful way. 1t ended in Wagner
wrapping the paten' up in a piece of
paper, and in Mr.. Barnwell's putting it
in his pocket. "We'll see what we can
do-we'll see what we can do" MIR.
Barnwell said, as he caught my eye, as
W who 20 should say Isn't it about time t.
"Well," queried, when we were ou
of ear-shot.
"Poor soul! poor soul! Nothing very
practical about him. / have brought
away rather ingenious little conceit.
I will take it up to Washington with me
when 60 there next week, and show it
to q friend of mine there, o patent law
yer. Wagner may make few dollars
off it."
"Oh. thank you. That is Just like
YOU. You are always so good! He is
so wretchedly poor!" I cried, all in a
breath.
I communicated this possibility to
Wagner when next we met. He al
ways brought my clio hes home. He
considered that emphatically gentle
mans occupation. Certainly, miss.
liked that ar gentleman's appearance,
MISS" he averred.
A day or so afterward / saw Fred.
THAT inventive friend of yours is a
fraud: he can't cobble worth q cent"
he declared. Il wasted dollar and a
half on him; looked over those idees
OF his. That swing works crooked.
Pshaw! Never heard of colored inven-
tor yet"
"Wagoner may be the earliest de-
velopment of the type"
Possibly. You're welcome to your
theory"
That was an uncomfortable period