Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-24
misfellanenns.
From the Springfield Republican.
JOHN DEMSTERS DAUGHTER.
BY MRS. CHRISTINE sEEGER.
Continued from yesterday

BY MRS. CHRISTINE SEEGER.
(Continuec from yesterday
IL wish your mother could have lived
to see it," he said, hastily. "She never
thought it would come to anything. and
wanted me to give it up. She wanted you
to have prettier dresses, like the other
children that lived about here, and once
she cried when Tim was little and .siekly.
and could not buy him a baby wagon.
was at work on valve. then, but l never
succeeded in getting in just right
II think mother did not want to be very
rich," said the child, wisely; 'she only
wanted enough
"We shall have more than enough now.
You shall have piano and wear silk
every day, and Tim shall 60 to college"
he reiterated. going back to the thought
that seemed uppermost. IL always meant
that he should GO" and SO ne wan
dered on. His castles were fair and of
goodly shape and proportion. and he took
nnwonted pleasure in building them.
The kettle ceased its song and the fire
died out unobserved, before the two part
ed for the night. But John Demster
could not sleep. He wandered about the
house like an uneasy ghost, waking De-
light from her first delicious nap to tell
her that he must 60 up to the city in the
morning to see about applying for pa
tent.
II cannot be too soon, he said for
some one might steal my invention and go
before me-"
After meagre breakfast next morning
Delight said, with more courage than she
usually showed in stating the emptiness
of the larder:
1.-The flour is gone. father; used the
last this morning. and the milkman wants
the money now for every quart.
Well, well. my dear. he cried impa-
tiently. pulling on his coat at the same
time Here is dollar have nice little
supper ready for me when come home,
tor shall be cold and tired.
He did not add that he had given her
nearly all his store, he only said, lightly.
turning back moment at the door, that
he should walk home-it was not far-he
was good for fifteen miles-he should
come on the railroad track it was short
err; and if Tim could watch the supper,
she might walk a little way and meet him.
1t was not until she had watched him
well on his way to the station. Tim
trudging by his side, that she wondered if
he had left himself money enough to buy
: = bit of dinner at noon. And she tried to
call Tim back, but he did not hear. Tim
had been up in good season that morning,
enjoying the unusual bussle of departure.
and running about on the various errands
the occasion demanded, and finally escort
ing his father with proud satisfaction to
the very steps of the car. After all, the
. !, new invention must be big thing, and he
told all the other boys that his father had
s gone to the city to get pattern" and
gave occasional glowing accounts of the
wav the little engine over there in the
= shop could make the steam fly, and the
a probable millions that would accrue to
+ the family because of it. 1t was not often
;; that Tim got a chance to boast, and he
l did not fail to improve his opportunities.
1t was nearly noon before John Demp.
ster could get the ear of the great patent
lawyer whom he had come to see. He
, waited patiently in the outer office. a pa
q thetic figure in the threadbare coat. and
4 lines about his mouth that told of patience
long tried, and hope deferred gentle
. shy man, who had staked everything upon
the one great venture of his life.
II wish, he said, when his turn had
come, to apply for a patent for an engine
have invented. 1t cannot fail to be 6
success There is such a saving of steam
i Tell ne about it," interrupted the
LAWYER.
a With great simplicity, and much uncon
scious eloquence, Dempster explained it:
workings. Any one who had seen his
trembling hands, or watched the fire ii
his eye, would have understood how the
idea of it had been bound up in his hear
and life.
The successful lawyer heard him care
fully to the end. Then he left his chair
and walked to the window and back again
1t was not easy to stab a man so frail as
this one, who looked at you with such
confident eyes.
Il am very sorry" he began; sit was
a strong thought for man like YOU tO
work out, but an engine similar, Just the
same, in fact. in all essential particulars
was patented year ago"
He was long time saying it, but the
man who listened was longer in realizing
the full force of the words
''Do you mean he stammered, wipine
the great beads of perspiration from his
forehead. "that some one has been before
me, that all my work is to go for nothing
Why, have mortgaged my house-it was
for the children" he continued broken.
ly. for the moment and then paused, real.
izing in dull way the absoluteness OF
any further words
1t was all over-the glory of the long
. dream-the fine dresses, the carriage, the
piano for Delight. the college education
{ for Tim, had vanished into thin air. His
n face. as he turned toward the door, was as
!, the face of the dead. He moved like a
5 man abandoned to despair. The great
$ lawyer. moved to pity, put his hand on
!. his shoulder. The distance was very wide
o between his palpable success and this
mans abject failure. But the touch OF
human nature which makes the whole
! world kin. moved him to say:
This must be great disappointment
, to you. my friend; the same thing often
= happens; invention is poor business.
d We lawyers sc, rich out of it sometimes
. manufacturer does; the inventor almost
never. If you had brain enough to think