The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-17
IMPROBABLE INGENUITY.
This Mans Inventive Ideas Made Life
Miserable for Himself and Family.


Miserable for Himself and Family.
New York Herald.
Had it not been that my family went out
or town short time ago and left me nome
less and Respondent 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 family
for a while.
1t pleases me to meet geniuses. 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 house, but then dis
covered he is an inventor.
What he invents is inmaterial; suffice 1t
to say he inventS in the full sense OF the
word. If he works out an idea, and when
the model is perfected it doesn't do what he
thought it would he makes 1t do something
else.
It's doubIe-back-action style of invent
ing that is destined to FIJI long felt wants
or leave an aching void. The inventor is not
to blame for either of these Happenings. his
business being exclusively TO invent.
We were sitting In his dining room the
first evening / was at his house The ser
want 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 exceedingly fine material, could
We'll, what is it?" 1 asked, looking up
and around for stray June bug or some
other bird of plumage.
I'm just thinking" George said. rather
m do y can aot improve on that hat gas tip TIP
gan drawing things on a piece of paper
that looked like deformed church steeples
He said they were gas tips.
For day or two George ate very little.
L afterward learned that this is common
with inventors, as they are able to go for
weeks at a time without touching a NOR
sci. Their brains stop working when their
owner eats. There's no money in eating
except for the 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 thinking.
Isn't that splendid?" he said, with &C.
stacy, holding 1T up before me. His black
eyes glistened.
Yes. it's very pretty" 1 replied. "will it
You bet it'll work The user will get a
large and steady flame with 70 waste of
gas, and with one-third the usual pressure.
I'll show you
George got up and adjusted 1t to the
chandelier. He got out matches and then
turned out the remaining gas jet. Fully
sat in the dark. held my breath, because
my hold on solemnity BETTING the occa-
sion was fast loosing.
pc led TO repeat. The sanctity of a private
home should not be invaded 1t was his
right to say things, as he paid the rent
even though it was dark. He reiighted the
gas and sat down. You can never tell
what an Inv inventor is going to do so SAID
there was an opening in the end for the
but know George didn't answer
He finally secured a couple of feet Of
small rubber hose that he had used in an
other 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 at
tached to fawcet.
L stood by like any well-behaved invited
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 acknowledged that and she
gave up acknowledging anything but his
inyentive failures years ago.
that dandy sprinkler? I'll get that pat
ented." 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 table and
George peered into it for about five min
utes.
George remarked as he left the room. He
returned with four five implements that
for all know belonged to a kitchen range.
lie 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 odd ends that one
would never suspect having been within
ten miles of the house 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 be
| dickered and dickered until he had about a
bushel of pieces of machinery strewed
| about Georges wife retired and fell
asleep on lounge. My host worked until
| C O'clock IN the morning, and then gave it
up.
/ left the next day. 1t impossible for
| me to remain longer in the house with
| Georges inventive brain. 1t fairly crowded
| me cut. The music box is now in Geneva
being fixed, the gas tin sprinkler keeps
papers from flying about and George is
working on something that can be used as
| q self-adiusting car coupler or a seltzer-
ter