Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-13
CATERING TO MIDAS.
NO LIMIT TO THE MODERN USES or
ELECTRICITY.
Odds and Ends OF Household Luxurics
Now Operated by Iiarnessed Lightning.
The Fluid M IL Is Used In u Rich Mans
House.

Now Operated by Harnessed Lightning.
The Fluid as IL Is Used In u Rich Mans
House.
Electricity dominates invention nova
days. A steady stream OF now ideas re-
latlng 90 the mysterious fluid In pouring
into tho patent Office Yet this branch of
research Is only In Its infancy. Before
long, II progress continues Mt It's present
rate, the work OF tho world will be mainly
done by ELECTRICAL apparatus
Already electricity contributes enor-
mousy TO tho luxury Of tho rich The
household establishment OF Mr.. Gorgius
Midas Is fairly run by harnSssed lightning.
The walls Of tho dwelling are threaded
with u maze of hidden wires, the currents
arc distributed over It, being controlled by
switches and automatic regulators. A
complete electric plant In tho basement
furnishes lights and runs an elevator which
has no attendant, being perfectly controlled
by push buttons.
On waking In the morning Mr.. Midis
summons his valet by push button and
presently Is notified that his bath Is ready.
His ablutions arc accompanied by mild
scrub with an electric brush, which pro-
duces IA pleasant tingling sensation and Is
healthful for the skin. Emerging from
tho tub, he rubs himself to glow with
an electrical towel, which Is woven on
loose web Of very fine wires, SO as TO be
perfectly flexible. Towel and brush are
connected with q small storage battery,
and the current may DO made rs gentle rs
desired This also applies to u comb that
hangs by the shaving glass. Nobody has
yet invented an electric razor but that
will come in time.
Mr.. Midas uses an electric toothbrush
for the benefit Of his gums, and then, feel
ing fit for a little exercise, he devotes nve
minutes TO handling pair OF light dumb
bells. These also arc electrical and give
a series of mild shocks to the person en-
ploying them. The gentleman Is now
ready for his breakfast. His coffee Is
drunk out Of cup Of precious metal,
which Is readily attached to "a little bat
terry beneath the table by hooking IL on to
the end Of fine wire. In his left hand
he holds small clcctrode that terminates
another wire. The act Of drinking closes
the circuit, and the liquid conveys the
electricity to the alimentary canal and
stomach This is not only excellent for
digestion, but it renders more palatable
the fluid taken from the cup, because the
" ~.
Having finished breakfast and read tho
morning paper, Mr.. Midas takes his hat
and cane and starts down town for his
office The stick has a massive gold head
and would be prize for q sneak thief,
but 1t reposes safely In the hall rack, which
has an alarm attachment, SO as to give in
stant notice In case a coat or anything
else on it is removed. The cane referred
to Is itself electrical, sending pleasant
thrills through the body Of the user Mr.
Midas wife, who Is musically inclined,
spends most Of the morning In playing on
q piano which Is SO contrived that she re-
ceives series of shocks while manipulat-
Ing the keys, this undergoing a treatment
for rheumatism incidentally to the per-
formance. Up stairs the children arc play
ing with dolls that are made to dance by
electricity.
All this might be considered rather far
fetched, were it not that patents have been
taken out for every one of the devices de-
scribed.
Mr.. Midas occasionally has an engage
ment at his club that keeps him out late
He may decide to have his shoes shined
He drops nickel into slot, sits down
In chair and puts his feet upon two sup
ports provided for the purpose. An elec-
trio motor actuates the brushes-flrst q
brush that carries blacking supplied from
reservoir and then polishing brushes
On his way home several hours later, the
night being dark, Mr.. Midas wishes to
know the time. His watch Is provided
with very small electric light bulb. In
his other waistcoat pocket, connected with
the watch by chain which serves as q
conducting wire, Is little battery. An
instant's pressure upon "a charm that Is at
tached to the chain closes the circuit, ig-
mites the lamp and illuminates the dial.
When Mr.. Midas reaches home, he has
no trouble in finding the keyhole. He
pushes button, and an electric light
shines through round hole in tho door,
illuminating the keyhole. AS he enters
the house all Is silent. The only noise he
hears as no passes his wifes room is that
of the baby's cradle, which is being rocked
by electricity. Ho retires to rest and
dreams that he Is shipwrecked on desert
Island, where savages amuse themselves
by tattooing him with very improper pic
lures SO that he will never again DO able
to appear in civilized society
The process Is infinitely moro painful
than the modern method, by which a
needle, actuated by electricity, jumps up
and down and makes punctures so rapidly
that a line Is described with IL almost as
fast as IL drawn carefully on paper. Thus
the sketch is outlined and is filled in with
a similar machine carrying five needles
and making stripe one-eighth of an inch
wide. The needles are dipped in vermilion
for red. To turn out n tattooed man In
this wise, all ready for exhibition, costs
only $50.
OF course Mr.. Midas has an electric
pleasure boat The power for running Il
Is contained In storage batteries concealed
under the seats. Electricity Is rapidly com.
Ing into use for navigation 1t Is said that
electric boats are replacing gondolas In
Venice. A now invention Is an electric
float for the lifc saving service. 1t Is sent
out through the surf to distressed vessel,
being propelled and stccred from the shore
and carrying an electric lamp of several
hundred candle power. An improved life
buoy Is provided with an electric li1bt On