The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-05-25

not know what 90 do with an utter
stranger suffering with the disease. But
in the kindness Of his heart he sent the
servant for a doctor who lived across the
way and went up stairs to his vile for
her advice and a eamphor bottle. As he
glanced over the balustrade on his way
up, he saw the stranger writhing in ap-
parent agony on the lounge in the lower
hall, where he had left him. He fastened
in his search and reached the head OF the
stairs on the way down just in time to
see the man of fits get up, look stealthily
around and then sneak into the parlor.
The householder, descending the stairs
cautiously, reached a point where he
could see the stranger helping himself to
some small japanese vases and rare
china cups which adorned the mantel in
the dimly-lighted room. Then there
was a shout
"What are you doing with those
thingsl"
The lank man dropped his booty, and,
after the crash OF china, said calmly; u
beg pardon, but I'm a kleptomaniac.
The householder was even more aston
ished at this statement than at the re-
quest Of the man which led to his intro
duction into the house.
Don't use any violence, - said the man
of fits, as he burst into tears. ''Ill tell
you my story if you will promise to let
the go afterward, and tomorrow, if you
care to come to my room, will show
you some Of the most wonderful inven-
tons of the age"
The householder, assuring himself that
he was dealing with a crank, finally con
sented to let the man go if he would tell
his story:
- may as well confess, said the lank
man, as he sat down, ''that the fit bust
ness is all put on. l don't have fits, but
| suffer with a passion for art, and have
worked that fit scheme to get into houses
lets of times, and then have made my
escape You see | am frank with you
| love bric-a brac, but l an poor and
have TO supply myself from the mantels
Of the rich. Better than art, though,
and bric-a- brac | love invention. am
an inventor myself, and, as l promised,
will show you at my room tomorrow
some remarkable things"
At this point the servant returned, say
ing that the doctor was not at home. and
as she looked at the odd stranger, seated
comfortably in the parlor, her face be-
came blooming interrogation point
AS l was saying" continued the
shabby man, with an engaging smile, Il
have a number of inventions, some of
which am sure are destined to make
countless thousands happy"
You 90 to the theatre, of course 2
All thought so, and you dislike tall
hats Right again, l see. have per
fected plan for relieving ladies of their
hats which cannot fail of meeting their
approval, and which will place the the
atrical manager who adopts it upon a
throne Of popularity where he will re-
ceive the homage of all men You have
seen the wires and cups used for trans
porting change from the counter 10 the
cashier in our large retail dry-good,
houses Certainly. 1t is my purpose tc
adapt this invention to the needs of the
theatre l have at my room an excellent
working model Of my invention. pro-
pose the stringing of wires across the
theatre which shall lead TO 4 check room.
On these wires l intend to place hand
some gilded cages large enough to con
tain a lady's hat. have cage to hang
over every other seat, and springs to pro-
pei it to a place in the check room The
lady arrives, takes her seat in the theatre,
languidly removes her headgear, hands it
to her escort, who places 1t in a eOnve-
nient cage, pulls the spring, and shoots
the hat to the check room, where it re-
mains until after the performance, when
it is shot back over the wire to its owner.
Nice idea, isn't it You shall see the
method of its working tomorrow"
At this point the householder, lost il
admira. ion of his strange guest, offered
him a cigar.
"Now, l have at my rooms" said the
guest, as he pulled rings Of smoke from
his cigar, ''and you shall see that, too a
very simple invention, which have not
patented, but which has everything to
commend IL There is a fortune in its
manufacture if can get it patented It
is paper shirt bosom, but not like those
which have been made before. Mine is
composed of from twenty TO fifty sheets
of linen paper pressed together like a
pad of writing paper. When one smooth
! front becomes sOiled all a man has TO do
is to rip it off, and then he has beauti-
1 full, clean, fresh surface to display TO the
world. These fronts will be nice thing
! for busy business men and after pause
/ for reporters When they happen to bC
without writing paper all they have tC
do will be to tear off front and 20 Il
work"
There was flash of silence after thi,
speech which was broken again by The
ingenious guest
with my other accomplishments
am proud 10 place that Of sleight Of
, hand said he Then he arose and
walked timidly toward the householder.
~ touch you" here he seemed to TAP
lightly on the waisteoat of the man he
was entertaining, land now take you
watch out of my coat-tail pocket" He
pulled the watch out of his pocket, to the
astonishment of its owner, and handed il
TO him.
Then, writing an address on piece o
paper, he handed it to his host and
humbly begged leave to depart. Tn,
man of the house begged TO know how
he got the watch.
"Please do no not ask me that h,
said. as he backed TO the door at is
matter of practice, that Is ALL
4 will give you Slo,n said the owne
of the watch, who had replaced his time
piece in his pocket, IF yoa will tell mt
how you did that trick"
By this time both men were at tn
front door. "Well." said the pale man
1910 is good deal. I'll take it and Dc
the trick again; perhaps you can catcl
on this time"
He approached the gentleman again
lightly tapped him on the waistcoa
pocket, and produced the watch as be
fore.
Didn't you see how that was done
No, Well, I'll put it back in your poke
again"
This he appeared to do deliberately
saying, with weary smile: ''Now. i
you will call at my room tomorrow II
show YOU Just how did the trick. It i
too late for me to show YOU to- night