Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-01
AN INVENTORS IDEA.
Rropesang to Label Tombstones In Order
to Interest Sfrhtseers.

NV SNV6NBO IN = uOetSs
Prepesing to Label Tombstonss In Orael
to Interest Sishtseers.
In this great city there are many pc
culiar kinds of business and many
strange ways Of making money, But
there are few more novel than that
adopted by Frederick Kuhn, an old
German. who lives in East Fifteenth
street. He recently advertised for cap
ital to start new business, which he
said you'd be the introduction of ,n
invention that would revolutiOnize so
ciety. A reporter found him in his
little shop in a rear building ON the
first floor. Every thing about the
room appeared to be musty and tired;
two old chairs that stood in the middle
OF the floor appealed to the reporter to
stand up and let them fall down. There
was strange chill in the air. A few
old iron and wooden molds were scat
tered around the floor and were of ex-
ceedingsy old designs. A stuffed crow
stood in one corner on a perch, with
about half its feathers fallen out. In
the general appearance of desolation
and decay the old man seemed to fit
in perfectly. He was small, with big
head and solemn face, partially COW
cred by . tangled beard. In his hand
was = hammer with which he made
gestures as if to drive his ideas into the
brain of his visitor. Between the puffs
of Overpowering smoke which came in
q Jerky Way from pipe with q stem
an inch long tucked away in the far
corner of his mouth, he said:
well. as long as you have got the
money to put up I'm willing to take
You into this business. But don't
want any fooling. I've had enough of
that Lots of people have been here
who are always coming around the
next day. I'm waiting for them yet.
These people all promise largely but
never come to time. But rs you look
sort OF honest, come along"
The old man opened q door leading
to dark room, went in and after the
reporter had got inside closed the door
Not a ray of light entered the room.
The old man stumbled and fumbled in
a far corner, knocked down several OBJ
jects, and finally struck a match and
lighted small piece of candle which
stuck about an inch out of the end of
bottle. The Pickering light revealed a
sight that was not encouraging to
nervous man. Standing with one end
upon the floor and the other against
the wall were number of collins,
medium-sized, and all ranged in a row.
The old man held the candle aloft and
viewed the lusubrious scene with APP
parent delight. His companion did
not share his pleasure. There was
pungent odor around that
gave rise to the idea that the collins
were inhabited.
''This," said Mr.. Kuhn, sis tomb.
and these" with a proud wave of his
hand, ''are supposed to be the people
who dwell in it. But what can you tell
about them from those characterJess
collins. They indicate nothing. There
is just where my invention comes in.
will make them tell the story of their
lives in a few moments"
Going to closet he took out num-
Der of Odd-looking models, and when
he had got an armful he walked
around from coffin to coffin and
snapped them fast on the top side with
a metallic click. When he had gone
The round of the collins he turned sud-
denly and exclaimed:
Nov you have it. Before, nothing
but coffin, now what do you see?
Here upon this first box is loaf of
bread, pretzel and pie; this indi-
Gates that the man within was a baker,
and the story of his life is told at a
glance. Upon this next box is knife.
4 piece of beef and a cleaver. You can
guess who is inside. Here is tailor
with a pair of scissors, a coat and a |
goose. There are q wig and razor |
or barber, Bible and hymn book |
or preacher, a skull and cross-bOnes |
or doctor and a copy of Blackstone |
or lawyer. A dove indicates wo-
nan and bunch of roses whether she
vas married and the number of her |
children. So on l would go through
very trade and profession, and have a
suitable coffin for each. 1wOuld carry |
he same thing into monuments and
make every one tell the history of the
lead by artistically wrought figures,
which could be read at glance. What
! pleasure it would be to go through a
then and you would not have
o wonder any longer who the dead
'sRson was and what he had been do
Z in life. His monument would tell
and would mean something
more than sign of grief. My idea
ould also be extended in several other
directions. l have patented the pro-
ess of making these designs out of
'aper. They are indcstructible and
row harder and tougher with age and
Exposure, and meet long-felt want in
he community. Now what do you
hink of itp"
''Good-day," said the reporter.
''Call again." said the INVENTOR
7. Y. Tribune.