The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-19
SPRIGGS' INVENTIONS.
How Success Came from an Un.
expected Quarter.

0xp0CC0o GkudTG6T.
"Spriggs is to work now on something
fur weavin' silk, they say" remarked
Jim Bates, as he cut fresh Quid Of to-
bacco. 'That's the tenth machine he's
invented that l can think of, to say
nothin' of the cyclometer and hoss-rake
that didn't work, an the burned wagon
jack most of us was fools enough to
lend him money on. l hain't had any
faith in inventions since then, l can
tell you"
'"Twas that trick of flying up an
hitting you in the face as soon as it got
q little out of order killed that" re-
Elected the store-keeper. ''He'd ought
to ben made to pay damages fur put
ting the thing on the market. An that
powder-and-shot rat-trap that fired off
into Charlie Smiths leg when he forgot
1t and went into the but'ry in the dark
was jest as bad. They can talk about
'Spriggs' inventiveness;' it's my opinion
q man that'll spend his time fur twenty
years over things that never bring
him in a cent amt any more or less
than a crank"
That's So" assented several in the
crowd, recollections of the various times
when they, too, had been victims of
"Sprigg's inventiveness" lending en-
phasis to their words. But old, blear-
eyed Jerry Tolles, seated in the farthest
corner of the store, reused up to shake
his head with confidence that all the
defective wagon-jack and rat-traps in
the world could not unsettle. He be-
lieved in the inventions. He always
had believed in them since the days
when he was hired man for John
Spriggs' father and John himself
played truant from school to stay all
day in the shop and study out wonder
full contrivances of wood and wire. He
had been hit in the face with the
wagon-jack. and cut with the can
opener and kicked with the new kind
of gun; he had given ten dollars for
Johns rat-trap, and used the alarm
clock till it burst; but his faith in their
final success never wavered. ''The
boyll mount to somethin yit," he NUT.
tered, feeling in his pocket for the old
clay pipe. He'll make his way in the
world"
IF he does twill be Polly that pints
1t out fur him." grunted Jim Bates.
Polly was John Spriggs' daughter,
and, in the vernacular of the village,
chad common sense enough fur her an
him both" Scrogsville was proud Ct
Polly. Not only was she the handsom-
est girl around, the smartest and the
best cook, but she was city educated.
At least she had spent six months at
the home of her uncle in New York, and
that amounted to the same thing
There had been fabulous stories of Pol
ly's success in society during that stay
in the metropolis; and though some of
the more skeptical in Scrogsville af-
fected disbelief on the subject of her
being introduced to the mayor and par
ticipating in the charity ball, it was the
recollection of the season In New York,
even more than her black eyes and
stirring ways, that inspired the neigh
bors with pride and admiration.
eff it wasn't for her fathers being
what he is, and every dollar she earns
going to help him along, I wouldn't say
word against Charities taking such a
evening, when her husband recounted
the conversation at the store. ''But
whoever marries her will have to marry
him, too; an the way things are
and the good woman ended her SEN
tence with sigh and firmly resolved
not to have Polly stay at her house
again, even if she never had any sewing
done. Mrs. Smith was not the only
careful mother who had deemed il
prudent to resort to this extreme meas.
ure; and it is highly probable she
would have held to the resolution had
1t not been for the unexpected arrival
one washing afternoon few weeks
later Of Mrs. Latham and Mrs
Latham's little girl Mrs. Latham was
Mrs. Smiths cousin and lived in the
city. Her husband was foreman in &
shop, and Mrs Smith had planned *
have baked chicken and cream pies and
the front parlor open every day wher
they came to visit her. No wonder thai
now, with both visitors to entertain
Daniel coming on later train-and
cake and biscuit TO be baked for tea,
Mrs. Smith forgot her fear lest ''Charlie
should make fool of himself and sent
down for Polly Spriggs- Though
don't know what you'll think of my
wanting you to do housework," she
said, anxiously, upon that young lady's
arrival. sand if you're going to take il
amiss just tell me; but with that child
who's enough to try the patience of q
saint unless she's changed from what
she was last time, and her mother Sc
easy she'd let her burn the house dowr
without saying word, don't see what
can do.n