Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-05-09
! A|RD EDITION,
A Well-Meaning Inventor.

From the N. Y. Times.
There Is not the least doubt that
when Mr.. Hawkins invented his RINK
Protector he meant we'll. The test
m0ny of those who know him is unani-
nous IN declaring that he is sn excep-
tionally benevolent man, aud II the
rink proprietor really persists in max
in 'lr. Hawkins pay for the chande'
hers IL will be an unjust and con
temptible act.
The idea of the Rink Protector oc-
CURED to Mr.. Hawkins one morning
when he had accompanied the young
ladies of his Bible class to . popular
skatius rink. There were seventeen
OF these young ladies, and as Mr.. Haw-
kins leaned against a pillar and watch
ed them falling either separately or in
masses, and sustaining much apparent
and probably greater invisible injuries,
he was filled with compassion, and
asked himself If something could not
be done to render IL unnecessary such q
painful spectacle OF sweet girls tangled
out of tune. The conception Of the Rink
Protector suddenly occurred 10 him and
he resolved to give 1t to the world with
out delay.
That afternoon Mr.. Hawkins took q
with him for nearly an hour. He ascer-
tanned that when shaker is betrayed
by his skates he either ats down VIC
lently, thereby jarring his spinal col.
umn, or he knees with equal violence,
and runs the risk of fracturing his knee
CAPS. With these facts at his command
Mr.. Hawkins readily perceived that his
contemplated Rink Protector should
meet double want.
1t should lie male TO protest the knees
as well az the spinal column. MI.
Hawkins therefore gave himself to the
study of the capabilities of India rub
Der, and in the course Of the week he
had patented under the general name OF
Hawkins Rink Protector two strong
India rubber air cushions. to be fitted to
skaters knees, and larger air cush
ion tc rs worn in the place OF an ordi
nary Dress Improver."
MT. Hiwkins has daughter "a younl
lady Weighing 10 pounds. He has
never permitted he! to visit the rink
but he now informed her that if sh
would wear his Rink Protector sh
might skare all Saturday afternoon. A
the Rink Protector could he worn b.
Miss 6awkins without attracting al
tention she adly agreed To her father
terms aud on Saturday afternoon las
she accompanied him TO the rink, wher
he Drip sed to see his new iaventio
put 10 bual test.
Miss Hawkins, curl1usiy III ugl
mana led to keep her feet for nearly te
minutes after putting on her skates. bu
at the expiration of that time she h
came less cautious, and in another III,
ment she sar down with trememdou
violence. The air cushion I'D its out.
The fair wearer, the moment she struc
the floor, rebounded in way thai
the spectators seemed supernatural
The chandelier was fully fifteen fe,
above the floor, but Miss Hawkir
struck il with terrific crash. Descen,
ing amid fragments OF broken glass, u
unfortunate young lady struck on b
knees, and again rebouIded, but tn
time al an angle Oh forty degrees wi
the floor. In her aerial flight she MOI
ed down twelve girls and eight me
and had she not fortunately struck Il
wall with her head-which was U
elastic she might have inflicted 81
further damage.
OF course this experimenting vrj L
Hawkins Rink Protector was MT
desirable thing, but it certainly did !
prove that Hawkins was acuuated b,
desire to injure the rink proprietor, a
the conduct of the latter in suing
Hawkins for the value of the chandeli
and in denouncing him rs bad IN,
cious man cannot be too severely C
demned by all who Judge neil by Ii
motives and not by their mistakes.