San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-26
A VALUABLE SECRET.
A MASSACHUSETTS, RECtUSe WONT
SELL A. GREAT IDEA.

He Knows a, Process That Is Worth
$500, 900 to the United States Govern
ment-Hs Has Led q Hermit's Life for
Forty Years-He Livss on SIS Year.
On the wall behind the stovepipe in the
Office of the Stone hotel at Great Barring
ton, Mass, hangs a crayon portrait, life
size, of a queer genius. 1t is that of a round
headed man, with slightly convex face,
shelving forehead, somewhat shelving chin,
and wide open, wild looking eyes. The
original of the sketch is Clinton Crosby,
recluse, gunsmith, IS years old. He is a
borer of gun barrels as well.
Clinton Crosby came from Connecticut,
the land of inventors, forty years ago. and
has dwelt alone in the mountains since.
What part of the land of steady habits was
his birthplace and early home no one
knows; he does not talk much, least Of all
about himself and his history. But this
much is known; In youth and early man
hood he was spruce, smart, good looking
and his head was packed full of thinking
brains.
He fell in love with Connecticut bell
in country village, and the maiden pro-
fessed to be in love with Clinton. Whether
sue ever really iONtu niUf, UT, tnifsOihS LUZ
conquest, only pretended an affection she
did not feel is not known; but finally she
Tilted him, married another man, raised
houseful of babies, and lived very happily,
as most women do in similar instances.
HE TAKES TO THE WOODS.
But Crosby was of different metal; he
took life seriously, and this first affair o
the heart spoiled him entirely. His head
went wrong. He became odd, yet remained
shrewd and sensible enough withal; soured
on the world, turned hermit aud settled in
the mountains about Great Darlington.
One morning he suddenly appeared in that
village nearly forty years ago, bought lum-
Der, dragged it into the forest and built
two story house over wild stream in
black gorge among the hills. He has dwelt
there since. Now and then he comes into
the village for supplies, and has a few
friends there.
The most remarkable thing about Crosby
is that he carries in his head a secret that
is worth $780, 900. The United States gov
eminent wants that secret but Crosby
won't sell it. A mechanic of wonderful
ingenuity, he discovered many years ago
method for boring gun and rifle barrels far
superior to any other in the world. A bar
rel bored by him is endowed with eXtraor-
binary propelling force, penetration and
marvellous precision. How the old man
ever managed to do such work in a shop in
which little machinery is to be seen is q
profound mystery.
Though he lives alone and is not over
fond of society, yet he receives every one
who calls at his home in good style. Fol-
low a wild mountain road with manifold
turnings to his shaggy, implanted hut;
cross a little grassy glade to the rough,
heavy front door and rap on the panels.
The rap echoes in the hollow house and
there is perfect silence again, interrupted
only now and then by the twitter of shy
forest birds in the boughs of distant trees.
IN HIS DWELLING.
The windows of the dwelling are open,
and soon the visitor hears the leisurely
shuttle of Crosby coming in response to the
rap. OF giant frame that is somewhat
bowed, with unshaven face ablaze with
eyes that have an almost furiously intent |
look, the host is the sort of a man whose |
face alone would brighten timid visitor |
into the woods again. He shakes hands |
with his caller, leads him into his work |
shop, directs him TO take a seat, and then |
with an air of unfathomable secrecy bolts /
all the doors and shuts and fastens all the |
windows.
Such a reception from such man, with |
such fierce eyes, is not at all agreeable to
persons unaccustomed to encounter all |
sorts of queer people; but Crosby means
nothing worse than a morbid and eccen-
trio precaution against the eavesdrOpping |
world. He has simply grown to revel in
his little serio-comic play of hiding an
$500. 900 mechanical secret; yet all his pre-
cautions are oddly theatrical, and nothing
more, for if the inventor has any telltale
appliances, the exhibition of which might
betray his secret, surely they are invisible.
There is not even turning lathe to be seen
in his shop All his tools, it is said, are
hidden.
After locking himself and visitor into
the workroom Crosby comes right up to
his visitor, squares away at him, and lets
drive conversational broadside on any
thing and everything at rate that would |
ruin typewriter in thirty minutes. Yet
his volley of language with a
question about his great invention and in