The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-15
a NARROW ESCAPE.
story Of q Marine ana ITls Inven-
ton.

There were dozen az is who were
waiting for o train that was laailng
nlonr four or five hours behind time.
The junction where we were held UNI
willing prisoners was remote and
lonely crossing without any scenic at
fractions OF any kind, and totally limo
cent " any means Of passing away the
time, Not book or paper could DO
bought, and the alleged restaurant
was n place in which. TO con-
tract an aggravated case Of dys-
pepsia. We read the timetables and
computed the distances between the
stations on the various roads repre-
scnte,l; we got hungry and fell 10 talk.
ing Of the hotels la various cities, un-
til, satisfied with the Barmccide feast
our tmaginations set forth, that sub
iect grew old we criticised the rail-
way managers of the country and sug-
CRESTED laws with dreadful penalties
Tor allowing trains TO vary q second
from the published time; we compared
our watches and each insisted that his
was just right and had not varied for
months, and still thetrain did not come.
Then with one accord we fell to watch
Ing Hook 81 pigeons that were flying
about One OF them was beautiful
lumber SHE would rise to a height OF
two hundred feet and suddenly her
wings would drop as IL she were dead
and she would come tumbling over and
over until she would almost strike the
earth, when She would recover herself
and sweep up into the air only to re-
peat her performance. Among the
party there was portly gentleman
who was evidently delighted with the
birds action and his cxclamations Of
delight were frequent.
That must be glorious sensation
for the bird, he said, ITO fall as II
limp and lifeless, with the speed Of an
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 In
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 priest or
an Episcopal minister. and assure
sou my sensations were the reverse
Of pleasant
Here was chance tolsill time which
we were quick to avail ourselves Of,
and half Of us nslsed the gentleman TO
relate his experience He seemed per-
fectly willing to do SO, and moment
afterward we had disposed ourselves
on the edge of the platform and the
trunks that stood around. In as com
Portable positions as we could find
= am clergyman" began the gen.
tleman, and among the members OF
the church under my care is o gentle
man who Isl an enthusiastic student Of
electric phenomena, and to him the
world is indebted for a number Of Inn
proycments In the telegraph, telephone
and incandcscent light, which is cred
tied 10 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 being an cleo
trical expert
My friends office Is In the twelfth
story Of one Of the high buildings In
Chicago, where my home Is. and from
the windows there is distance Of not
far from one hundred and 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.
a frequently call on my friend be-
cause his talk is interesting, and be-
cause his Office Is high enough to be
about as cool q place as there is In thc5
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