The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-09-11
ALWAYS INNENTTNG.
An INGENIOUS MAN WHO IS USUALLY
DOING SOMETHING.

\ story That shows What a Terrible Al
Fiction the Disease of Improbable In
g.nuit. May E--Two Evening, In the
House of an Inventor.
Had it not been that my family went
mt of town II snort time ago and left ne
homeless. and dcspondent. would never
law been able to write this story. As it
wasI was won over by the entreatics of a
riend and went to live with him and his
title family-for awhile.
II pleases me TO meet geniuses. | like
o touch shoulders with men of ideas.
md that is just what this friend of mine
might be labeled-a man of ideas. did
not know it before | went to his house.
out then / discovered he is an inventor.
What he invents is immaterial; suf-
ice it to say he invents in tine full sense
# the word. If he works out an idea.
md when the model is perfected it doesn't
10 what he thought it would. he makes
it do something else.
It's a double back action style of in
venting that is destined to fill long felt
wants or leave an aching void. The in
sentor 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
irst 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 vas looking intently at one of
the gas tips, and his brain machinery was
grinding exceeding fine material, l could
see.
We'll. what is it, l 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 OF that gas
tip. Ill do it. I've got it sure" Then
he began drawing things on II piece of
paper that looked like deforlned church
steeples. He said they We're gas tips.
For a day or two George ate very lit
tie. l afterward learned this is com
mon with inventor. as they are able to
go for weeks at a time without touching
a morsel. Their brains stop working
when their owner eats. There's no mon
9 III eatihS SA'cPt ioi tHe utdieIs al
edibles.
When George came back to earth and
food. he had a model in his pocket. It
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.
Yes. it's very pretty" replied. will
it work."
You bet it'll work. The user will
get "A large and steady fame, with no
waste of gas and with one-third the usual
pressure. I'll show YOU"
George got up and adjusted it to the
chandelier. He got out matches and
titen TURNED ont the remaining gas jet
Fully IA matches We're struck while we
sat i'll the dark. l held my breath be
cause my hold on solemnity BETTING tn.
occasion was fast loosing.
He said many things which | coulG
not be led to repeat. The sanctity Of .
private home should not be invaded. 1t
was his right to say things. as he paiG
the rent.
The thing did not work. l could SEE.
that. even though it was dark. He re-
lighted the gas and sat down. You can
never tell what an inventor is going to
do. SO | 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 l know George
didn't answer.
He finally secured a couple of feet of
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.
l 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 a splendid
sprinkler. Even Georges wife acknowl-
edged that, and she gave mp acknowledge
ing anything but his inventive failures
years ago.
by gracious!' George exclaimed.
isn't mat a dandy sprinkler: I'll get
that patented" Then he laid it down.
II 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 il for about
five minutes.
mo wonder; l see what's the matter"
George remarked as he left the room.
He returned with four or FIVE nipple.
ments that for all / know belonged to a
kitchen range.
He unfastened a 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