The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-02
A HEART SEARCHER.


curious mechanism he called his "hcurt /
scarcher.' In appearance ~ rcsomhlod "A .
Waterbury, watch. OF its internal mcchan.
ism snow nothing. Professor Pepper re-
gartlcd tho Instrument as the greatest In .
venticn of the age, and nc always refused /
TO cSplnin its principles Of construction, /
IS he had an idea that If the world knew
how 10 was made the market would be
flooded with imitation heart soarChers.
Fortunately for me the professor in /
vcntion was accompanied by card Of di /
rcctions for use" so that l had no diill- |
Guilty in testing its great value rs an aid |
In the search after truth. The instru /
ment had face like an ordinary watch
except that there was only one hand or
pointer, and in place of the usual IL figures
there were the names of the moral and
immoral sentiments. At the top, opposite
the stem or handle was the zero mark,
and when not in use the pointer rested at
the zero or neutral mark From the stem
extended two Insulated wires about yard
long and at the end of these wires was
fat ivory disk that could be easily hid in
the hand.
My first experiment with the professors
heart searChCr was calculated to inspire
confidence in the invention. 1t told the
truth with refreshing exactitude l had
at the time of professors demise been
/ dwelling in n state of raoher distressing
| uncertainty concerning the feelings Of my
fourth cousin, Amy Clinket, toward my
| self. My own feelings were quite clear,
! at least to myself. She seemed to be all
! that was most desirable in young wom-
| an. | wanted to tell her how much l loved
! her and had not dared, being uncertain
| of the result of any such declaration. The
! heart searchcrl Fortunate legacy 1t
might tell mo all, and then | could cheer
! fully propose, knowing in advance that
would be accepted.
First, it might he desirable to test the
heart searchcr upon some minor subject.
1t was the first experiment that led me to
press boldly forward in the search for the
pure truth. l placed the heart soarcher in
! my vest pocket and secured it there with
! watch chain, to give the impress
sion that l had my watch with me. The
wires passed through the sleeve Of my
coat, leaving the ivory disk just hid in my
cuff. Thus armed l set forth in the quest
of the unknowahe. / took the trolley car,
intending TO make calls. In the Car l met
my young niece DIANA aged Z. Slipping
the disk into my hand, cordially took her
hand and pressed the disk against her
active little pulse. Pretending to be alb
sorbed in learning the time of day, asked
her sundry questions and at once saw pic
tured ON the dial of the heart scarchPr
every passing change in the dear child S
transparent nature.
care you not glad to see me, dear?'
The pointer swung slowly around to
"delight.'
"What are your views, my child, upon
the subject Of caraInels?"
The pointer on the dial promptly moved
to "hope." This was significant. Clearly
the heart searcher was most important
invention.
The dear child at once expressed herself
as interested in c;Iranels, concluding her
, remarks with the information that she
knew of place where they sold 1.-TWO fol-
g." Manifestly the instrument and my
young relatives words did not agree She
, was evidently torn with conflicting emo
tions, for the pointer quivered slightly ant
moved to disappointment. She did NOT
wish to plainly ask for caramels, and yet
in the deep recesses of her young heart sht
hoped would give her some.
"I'm very sorry my child, but / have
no caramels with mo. If had only known
should meet you, would have brought
some with me-.
TIE pointer was greatly agitated ant
vibrated between disappointment" ant
doubt"
at once offered the child a dime, ant
: to my ama2ement the dial indicated "dis
appointment" only.
"Oh, beg pardon. Let me see. Wa
that u quarter? Dear me. I'm sorry
made such a mistake. Here's quarter. ,
At once the pointer swung swiftly t.
"delight."
ha hprx trit nj n n
success. 1 squeezed the dear child's hanc
once more. The dial marked gratitude
, "Goodby, dear 1 must get off here"
} She smiled sweetly and said, "They Civ
12 for Il quarter. This seemed to be trutl
based upon experience and did not meet
examination by the professor wonderful
instrument.
AS left the car l saw young Brown O
our office walking quickly down til
street, as II in haste to catch train.
grasped his hand fervently. "My dear boy
I'm SO glad to meet you. How is you
mother and your sster-inlaw and you
brother, Theodore Augustus? You bay
plenty of time" l remarked as pretende
to look at my watch.
He pulled his hand away and said Il
his usual breezy manner: Delighted t
: meet you. Goodby-train-awfu late
y By
He was gone, and gazed upon tn
white face of the heart searcher. Althoug
disconnected with my friends pulse, tn
pointer still fingered at botheration."
6 was more than an hour before it FINAL
settled back to zero. Brown had evidentl
a very powerful emotional nature.
The heart searcher was remarkable in
strument. 1t reported the exact emotiona
truth concerning the subject. 1t was in
deed a boon to bashful lovers. They could
by its skillful use, ascertain the exact stat
of the beloved ones heart without the dif
tressng uncertainty of a formal proposal
/ would at once put it to its greatest test
If it proved successful could proceed t
manufacture heart searchers upon larg
scale, and no doubt live in comfort upo
the resulting profits.
Amy was at home when / called, an
when shook her hand warmly glance
hastily at the telltale dial-"expectation.
, This was encouraging. l would procee