The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-26
A NARROW ESCAPE.
story Of a Maniac and rzis Invep-
ton.

ton.
There were dozen Of us who were
waiting for train that wns loafinQ
along four or fiye hours hohind time
The junction where We We're held un-
willing prisoners was a remote and
lonely crossing without any scenic al
fractions Of any kind, ami totally limo
cent Of any means OF passing away the
time. Not book or paper could lie
bought and the alleged restaurant
was place In which 10 CON
tract an Aggravated cnse 81 avs.
pcpsia We read the time -tables and
computed the distances between tho
stations On the various roads repre-.
sented; We got hungry and fell totnllx-
ing - the hotels in varionA< cities. nm
III, satisfied with the Barmecilc feast
oar imaginations SET forth. that sub
ject grew cid; we criticised the rail-
way managers Of the country and sug-
gested laws with dreadful penalties
for allowing trains to vary second
from the published time; We compared
our watches and each insisted that his
was Just right and hal not varied for
months, aud still the train did nat como
Then with one accord we fell to watch.
Ing atiock ~ pigeons that were flying
about One 81 them was il beautiful
tnntbler She would rise 10 height "a
two hundred feet and suddctly her
wings would drop rs II she were dead
and she would come tnmbiing over and
over until she would almost strike the
earth, when she waQld recover herself
and sweep tlp into tho mir only 70 re-
peat her performances Among the
party there was a portly gentleman
who was evidently delighted with the
birds action aud his exeinmations Of
delight were frequent
THAT must he a glorious sensation
for the bird, he said. ITO fall as II
limp and lifelcas, with the speed Of m
arrow, knowing that she Is In no dan,
ger. ! was reading not long ago In
some paper that men who have been
saved after falling long distances Ia
variably claim to have experienced .
delightful sensation while dropping
through the air.
II had little experience In that line
short time ago, said another Of the
party, who was dressed like a priest or
an Episcopal minister. "and assure
you my sensations were the reverse
Of pleasant
We were quick to avail ourselves OF,
and half III us asked the gentleman TO
relate his experience. He seemed per-
fectly willing to do so. and moment
afterward we had disposed ourselves
on the edge az the platform and the
trunks that stood around. ia MS com
Portable positions rs We could ilnd.
u nm Clergyman. began the gem
tlcman, .nnd among the members OF
the church under my care Ii gentle
man who is an enthusiastic student Of
electric phenomena, and to him the
world il. indebted for number Of i'm
provements in tho telegraph, telephone
and incandescent light, which Is cred
itcd to better-known inventors Re-
Gently he has been investigating the
claims made that telephone pictures
were possible. and have become very
much interested in his researches,
though lay no claims TO bcingan cleo
tricul expert.
\ My friends Office Is in tho twelfth
story Of ono Of the high buildings Ia
Chicago where my home Is, and from
the windows there Is distance OF not
for frem one hundred aud fifty feet to
the pavement below have often
thought that there would be no shadow
Of chance for man who should fall
from one Of these windows. little think
ing what was In store for me
"Ifreqnently call on my friend be-
cause his talk Is interesting, and be-
cause his Office Is high enough to be
about us cool place as there Is in tho
city
One morning about two weeks ago
dropped into his office Just as he was
preparing to go out. He sat down, but
insisted that he should not stay on
my account. and finally he suggested
that stay till he returned. which he
said would be In the course Of an hour.
interested in ewiwork which found
lying on the table
II had not been alone long when q
gentleman entered and saluted me, say
ing: Are you interested In electrical APP
paratusp' answered that was to
certain extent, and that my friend who
occupied the Office was an expert
~ have something here that want
TO show you, said the stranger II Is
going to revolutionize the whole cleo
trical system Of the country.
Is I shall be glad 10 examine IT, re-
piled, as he proceeded TO unlock .
small metal box he carried In one hand
From the box lie took curious looking
machine that appeared to be made Of
SOME metal resembling aluminium ~
was in the shape Of II box. on one side
Of which was funncl-shaped orifce
resembling the receiver Of q telephone
The sides Of the box we're glass, and
inside was complicated system OF
wheels Taking key from his pocket
the stranger wound the machine mp
and the wheels began " run with as
tonishing rapidity, Little glass tubes
were inside the machine and q sub
stance which Isurmised was quicksilver
was in them As soon rs the machine
began TO run, this substance began 70
shoot back and forth with the rap idity
Of lightning
Going to the Telephone in tho room.
tho stranger quickly detached the
transmitter and replaced II with his
machine Ringing mp the central sta
tion he asked Nlne the number Of my
telephone and gave N to HIN, and
soon the connection was made Turn