The record-union., 1894-06-21

has a vast range of knowledge in this do
main and is an expert chemist. Every
thing going on in the scientific world Is
known to him. He subscrlbes to ali the
scientific publications In TINS country
and Europe, and keeps close watch OF
the march of discovery.
1t must not be supposed, however, tnaG
Mr.. Edison's familiarity with literature
is of purely scientific nature. lie Is an
omnivorous reader and he skins through
a book rapidly. Many people VIII be
surprised to learn that he is a student OF
political economy. He likes everything
of a practical nature. II was very sorry
when Gaboriau died." SAID he, ''for was
very fond of his works." Works OF ad-
venture in fiction havea strong attraction
for him. Occasionally he lndulges In
Observation-Disclosures novel ofthe old school,
where at least three men are killed In the
first chapter and mystery follows on the
heels OF crime.
There was no sentimentality about
| Gaboriau, who wasted no time descrlo-
| ing the heroine, but started right IN Win
| mysterious murder in the outskirts OF
Paris, and the disappearance oil large
sum of money. That is why Mr.. Edison,
who likes to get right at the meat OF a
thing and follow clue, liked Gaborlau.
He has been following clues and solving
mysteries all his life, ana he wanted TO
him, did it.
He is fond of the works CT Edgar Allan
| Poe, who founded the school OF modern
detective stories, and ''The Murder in the
Rue Morgue" and "Arnheim" gave him
more pleasure than many OF the English
classics. MIR. Edison is not fond OF po-
etry which describes languishing maidens
! and beautiful sunsets. The literature OF
science is more fascinating, and he often
turns TO it for relaxation. In fact, Mr..
| Edison's work is not merely his passion,
| but hisipleasure. He finds poetry III the
works of Faraday, Tyndall and Huxley,
| and he is an admirer of Ruskin. Flaln-
marion and Jules Verne he has read with
! pleasure.
He is fond of rapid movement and ac-
| ton. Edison's mind works like shut
| tie, flying from one subject to another
with extraordinary rapidly. That Is why
| he is able to keep SO many irons III the
! fire at once. 1t is doubtful If he ever con-
| tinuously devoted himself exclusively TO
! one invention. And yet, each OF his IN
ventions has been the result OF laborlous
and long-continued search and expert
ment. But he has dozens of inventions
| in hand at the same time, and he knows
! the exact stage to which each has pro-
crossed For days at time he WORKS
without sleep and almost without food.
They have little cot out at the labora-
tory where Edison sleeps when he spends
a night at the laboratory, which is not
more than teu minutes walk rom ms
handsome house in Llewellyn Park.
! Upon this cot he will snatch an hour S
and a half-hour's sleep at night while
waiting for the workmen to nnlsh an
armature or to bore a hole in some eX-
perimental steel. His meals during such
times are sent down from the house, and
he may eat them working at the bench or
| e. flN..st nlf rff hn
This may go on for days at time, and
Edison may not even take the trouble to
go to the cot, but may turn in on heap
! of sawdust or the soft side of board and
snatch a few minutes of sleep. Mr.. Edi-
| son long ago got weary of people who
went up TO him and said: You will ruin
your health" Physicians gazed at him
with long face and told hun II he kept
! this up his days were numbered.
They wanted me to take drugs" said
he to the World reporter, but l am my
| own doctor.o
lie has poor opinion of doctors who
write prescriptions designed to insert
strange drugs inside man. Mr.. Edison.
who is blessed with a most rugged con-
stitution and an elastic nature, has a Curl
| Gus theory upon which he doctors him.
self" He holds that nature somehow
balances things. When he has deprived
| himself of sleep for several nights in sue
| cession he takes long sleep TO make up
! for it. When he has been eating meat
and his liver or his kidneys trouble him,
! he suddenly turns vegetarian. THAT
brings me around all right" said he,
land then if, after time, anything goes
wrong | begin 10 eat meat again. wnen
everything is justified"
81 eat what L like" says Mr.. Edison.
| 1t appears TO agree with him, for latterly
| he has been gaining weight. One of the
things he likes is pie. He drinks very
| little, and yet is far from being total
abstainer. when | was in France they
told me that / must drink wine, or I'd get
the typhoid fever. So l began to drink
their wine, but after while my hands
began TO shake. guess they only threw
! in the typhoid fever to advertise their
wines. Tea and coffee and water are the
| best drinks for me.
Though | have no conscientious scru-
pies against the use of spirituous liquors,
! | don't care much for them and drink
very little. You ought to see the beer
they have in England! It's as heavy as
lead. 1t goes down to the bottom of your
stomach and there it stays" The men
who never drink at all. says Mr.. Edison,
are pale and sallow complexioned and,
although they have broad shoulders, they
invariable die Of consumption.
Mr.. Edison expects TO live to be 80 years
of age. MY father went to Europe at the
age OF 81" said he. 'When in Paris his
companion, young fellow of So, pro-
posed going to Versailles. The old gentle
man declined to rice, and they walked
out and back. My grandfather lived to
! be l03, despite the horrible influence of
tobacco, and think my chances are good
for 80, barring accidents" Mr.. Edison's s
reference to ''the horrible influence of
| tobacco" is what he calls his ''little
| joker" lie is an inveterate smoker HIM
| self.
"How many cigars do you smoker"
From ten to twenty day." was the
reply. "Strong onesY 1.-The strongest
1 can get" was the reply. Doesn't il
| hurt Your nerves?'' mo, L never saw a
sign it. If 1 thought it hurt me, I'd
stop it." Mr.. Edison was asked What he
did for amusement and he replied that
he liked a good story, and was fond of the
! theater. On account of being slightly
| deaf however, he cannot hear all the
actors say, and is therefore more devoted
to light opera. He says he can get down
in the front row and hear all the music.
Are you fond of music?" '.Yes, in
deedu do you sing?" "Well, 1 used
to sing, but l ruined my voice expert
menting-trving for many years to get an
intelligible sound through my telephone.
| succeeded, but then / busted my larynx
in the effort"
Are you fond of horses?" mo. /
think they are a poor motor. They are a
necessary evil. L keep them because
have to, and there isn't fast one among
them. | came near being killed twice.
and don't consider horses safe. l like q
Awarded Highest
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