The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-10-29
JOHN MUIR AS AN ECCENTRIC STUDENT.

Twenty years ago there were but few students
at the University of Wisconsin, But among those
few students were many who have since made
name in their various lines of work. Among
them came queer genius, now John Muir, the
naturalist. Where he came from l do not now
know. He was of Scotch parentage, studious, in
dustrious, inclined to have but few companions,
yet social; was lover of quiet fun and long ram
bles in the country, and, like many others who
had their way to make, cooked his frugal meals
in his room. In all these things he was not sin
gular; his remarkable trait was his love of prac-
teal mechanics and invention
He seemed to need few tools; an AK, saw,
ijaek-knife, and gimlet were his chief weapons,
while almost any thing served as material. His
clock served as a centre about which several of
his most interesting machines clustered This
was in the form of scythe and snath, hung in
an old, gnarled burr-oak grub, where Father
Time is supposed to have left it. The scythe was
split lengthwise, and in the opening thus formed
was a train of wheels constituting the works.
The motor heavy stone, concealed under
the roots and moss, from which the clock rose on
the table. The year, month, day. hour, minute,
and second were indicated by index arrows on the
various paper dials. The pendulum was also an
arrow with a heavy copper point.
His study desk was provided with spring
trap-door, under which moved a rack in which
his books were set up separately on their backs
He arranged his study hours for each lesson and
connected the machinery of his desk to the clock,
so that at the appointed moment the trap-door
opened dropped the book into it's rack, moved
this along, threw up the next book and closed the
destructive to the little sleep" of the slug
gard 1t was hung on pivot, and supported at
such q height that when turned up it stood
nearly perpendicularly foot down The foot was
held up by lever.
Beside the bed was the lamp stand on which
the fluid lamp, then in use, was placed at night.
To this bed the clock was connected and then set
for rising. In the morning the machine took off
the extinguisher struck match, lighted the
lamp and then withdrew the lever, letting the
bed down and bringing its occupant out on his
feet [ have known him to satisfy the curiosity
of visitors by putting them into the bed wrong
end to- and so bring them out head down. In
summer time he connected this bed to the east
window by linen thread. A sun-glass so
adjusted as to burn off this thread when the
sun came to the right position.
Judge Griswold and myself roomed opposite
him, and he arranged signals by which we were
often called in to see bit of fun, in particular
with his "loafer chair" As soon as the supposed
loafer, but real VICTIM leaned back, he pressed
concealed spring which fired an old pistol, di-
rectlA under the seat. The wonderful leaps of
the victims were worth seeing. Nor did John
forget the ladies, who sometimes came to see his
machines Out of rasin, huge, vicious-look-
ing black spider was made, which was so sus-
pended as to drop ust before the fair visitor when
she was well seated in his best chair. 1t was de-
licious to hear them scream. John Muir taught
school near Madison one winter, where his clock
built his fire for him every morning. 1t only re-
mains to say that he now has the reputation of
knowing more of Yosemite valley and the Ne
vada mountains than any other man liying.-Er