The Somerset reporter., 1893-09-28
ALWAYS INyENTING.
AN INGENIOUS MAN WHO Is Usually
0OiN3 SOME ING

Hittihi Ahf 'lsftNt III M
gtnutty May Be-Two Evenings III the
House of an Inventor.
Had II not been that NY family went
out of town IA short time age and left me
homeless and despondent, would never
have been able to write this story. AS it
was was won over by the entreaties of
friend and went to live with him and his
little fanily-for awhile.
1t pleases me to meet geninses. like
to touch shoulders with men of ideas,
and that is just what this friend of mine
might be labeled-a man of ideas. | did
not know it before | went to his mouse,
but then | discovered he is an inventor.
What he invents is ilnmaterial; suf-
fee il to say he invents i'll the full sense
of the word. If he works out an idea,
and when the model is perfected it doesn't
20 what he thought it would he makes
It d. something else.
Its a double back action style of in
venting that is destined TO fill long felt
wants or leave an aching void The in
ventor is not TO blame for either of these
happenings, his business being exclu-
sively to invent.
We We're sitting in his dining room the
first evening | was at his house. The
servant had just cleared the dinner table,
and my friends wife was looking after
the Youngsters and keeping their nurse
out of mischief.
George WAS looking intently at one Of
the gas tips, and his brain machinery was
grinding exceeding fine material, could
see.
We'll, what is it, asked looking up
and around for a stray June bug or some
other bird Of plumage.
I'm just thinking" George said rather
dreamily, Il can improve on that gas
tip. Ill do it. I've got it sure Then
he began drawing things on a piece Of
paper that looked like deforined church
steeples. He said they We're gas tips.
For a day on two George ate very lit
tie. l afterward learned this is conf
mon with inventors, as they are able to
go for weeks ut time without touching
morsel. Their brains stop working
when their owner eats. There's no mon
ey in eating except for tle dealers in
edibles.
When George came back to earth and
food, he had a model in his pocket. 1t
was the tangible outcome of his think
ing.
Isn't that splendid;' he said, with
ecstasy, holding it up before me. His
black eyes glistened.
Eyes, its very pretty Ireplied. "Will
it work.
you bet it'll work. Tie user will
get IA large and steady flame, with no
waste of gas and vito. third the usual
pressure I'll show you.
George got up ana adjusted it to the
chandelier. He got ont matches and
then turned out the remaining gas Jet
Fully IA matches were struck while we
sat in the dark. | held my breath be-
cause my hold on solempity befitting the
occasion was fast loosing
He said many things which | could
not be led to repeat. The sanctity of
private home should not be invaded it
was his right to say things, AS he paid
the rent
Tbs thing did not work. | could see
that, even though il was dark He re-
lighted the gas and sat down. You can
never tell what an inventor is going to
do, 50 | said nothing. Oh, believe [
did ask him if there was an opening in
the end for the gas to ooze through. I'm
not sure, though. but | know George
didn't answer
Ia llt-g Il NIL, e 81
small rubber hose that he had used in
another experiment and fastened the gas
tip on one end He thought perhaps
there was an obstruction that water
would clear away. The other end of the
hose he attached to faucet.
| stood by like any well behaved in
vited guest. George turned the water,
and it shot through in first rate shape.
The fact was the gas tip was splendid
sprinkler. Even Georges wife acknowl-
edged that, and she gave up acknowledge
ing anything but his inventive failures
years ago.
by gracious!' George exclaimed,
isn't that Il dandy sprinkler? I'll get
that patented" Then he laid it down
1t was the next evening Georges wife
said that her expensive music box was
out of order and would not play. The
valuable instrument was put on the ia
BILE, and George peered into it for about
five minutes.
mo wonder; / see what's the matter
George remarked as he left the room.
He returned with four or five imple-
ments that for all l know belonged to
kitchen range.
He unfastened couple of screws and
then-yes, and then! The case was full
of snarled up springs, things that looked
like comb teeth and various odds and
ends that one would never suspect hav
ing been within 10 miles of the house a
minute before Tears ran down the
cheeks of Georges wife and dropped in
on the cylinders.
What are you trying to do-spoil and
rust the works. George asked. Then he
dickered and dickered until he had
about a bushel of pieces of machinery
strewn about. Georges wife retired,
and | fell asleep on a lounge. My host
worked until 6 o'clock in the morning
and then gave it up,
left the next day. 1t was impossible
for me to remain longer in the house
with Georges inventive brain. 1t fairly
crowded me out. The music box is now
in Geneva being fixed, the gas tip sprin-
kler keeps papers from flying about, and