Arizona silver belt., 1894-02-03
ALWAYS 1NvENTING.
AN INGENIOUS MAN WHO IS USUALLY
 DOING SOMETHING.

|
 House of an Inventor.
 Had it not been that my family went out of town short time ago and left me homeless and Respondent, would never have been able to write this story. As il was was won over by the entreaties of a friend and went to live with him and his little family awhile.
 It 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 l went to his house, but then l discovered he is an inventor.
 What he inyents is immnterial: suf- 1 flee 1t to say he invents in the full sense of the word. If he works ont an idea, and when the modelis perfected it doesn't do 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- ventor is not to blame for either of these happenings his business being exclu- siyely to invent.
 We were sitting in his dining room the first evening l 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 lis brain machinery was i grinding exceeding fine material, l could | see.
 Well, what is it27 asked, looking up and around for stray June bug or some other bird of plumage.
 I'm just thinking, George said rather dreamily, "I can improve on that gas np. I'll do it. I've got it sure" Then he began drawing things on piece of paper that looked like deforned church steeples. He said they were gas tips.
 For day or two George ate very lit. tie. l afterward learned this is com mon with inventors, as they are able to go for weeks at time without touching Inorsel. Their brains stop working when their owner eats. There's no mon- cy in eating except for the dealers in edibles.
 When George came back to earth and food he had a model in his pocket IL was the tangible outcome of his think ing.
 Isn't that splendidy7 he said, with ecstasy, holding it up before me. His black eyes glistened.
 Yes. itsyeFy pretty, Ircplied. .Will 1t worky
 You bet it'll work. The user will get largo and steadv flame, with 10 waste of gas and with one-third the usual pressure, I'll show you"
 George got up and adjusted il to the chandelier. He got out matches and then turned out the remaining gas jet Fully II matches were struck while we sat in the dark. held my breath be- cause iny hold on solemnity befltting the occasion was fast loosing.
 He said many things which could not ho led 10 repeat The sanctity of q private homo should not be invaded. 1t was bis right to say things, as he paid the rent.
 The thing did not work coull sec that even though it was dark. He re- lighted the gGs and sal down. You can lever tell what an inventor is going to do. so l said nothing On, believe did ask him If there was an opening in tho end for tl3 6ls to oozo through. I'm not sure. though, but I 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 lip on one end. He thought perhaps there was an obstruction that water would clear away. The other end of the hose he attached to q lancet.
 l stood by like any well behaved in- yitod guest. George turned the water, and it shot through in first rate shape. The fact was inc gas tip was a splendid sprinkler, Even Georges wife aclsnowl- edged tbGt, and sho gave up packuowiedg- ing anything bat his inventive failures years ago.
 By gracious" George exclaimed, isn't that dandy sprinkler I'll get that patented" Then he laid it down.
 It was the next evening Georges wife said that her expensive music box was out of order and would not play. Tic valuable instrument was put on the ta- ble, and George peered into it for about five minutes.
 No 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 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 hay ing been within 10 miles of the house a minute before. Tears ran down the | cheeks of George's wife and dropped in on the cylinders.
 What arc you trying to do-spoil and l rust the works?' George asked. Then he dickered and dickered until he had about bushel of pieces of machinery strewn about. Georges wife retired, | and l fell asleep on lounge. My host | worked until o'clock in the morning and then gave it up.
 left the next day. It was impossible for me to remain longer in the house with Georges inventive brain. It fairly me out. The music box is now In Geneva being fixed, the gas tip sprin- lder Keeps papers from flying about, and George is working on something that