The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-05
A UNIQUE GENIUS.
An Inventor of Rcnown Who is Totally
Indifferent 10 Fame.

There was a unique genius among he
Hterati-he lives ia Lexington now-Cap-
tain John NJ. Brooke of the Military In
stituto. lie had served seventeen years
in the United States navy when Doc joined
the Southern navy Ills name was
known across the seas boy reason of his
inventions. one day T was al bis quart
ers che was a bdcheiOr), and ho pulled
out a common old trunk of the value Of
81 IL contained splendid sword. with
Jewels I'm the HIT. and there was saucer
fun of decorations by kings sultans, em-
pcrors. He made the apparatus Tor
aadia1 o8{ The character of The soil ON
the bottom of the sea. II n was mud,
the water was stll and a cable might be
laid: II gravel the restless water would
rdsp apart the wire strand Mucn
praise has been giyen 10 Cyrus Field ior
the Atlantic cable since the war; but
Brooke. the pathfinder. received no mem
tion. He cared not. Few I'm Lexington
knew be had the diamond and gold in-
sicnia. We became friendly lie own
ed a beautiful r0w1Oat costing hum
drcd dollars gt Darling g, in NeW YORK.
/ amused myself with a pretty little
steam yacht So common pastime en-
the water drew Us Wto pleasant rela
ana. b. I'm the mood. would delight me hy
scientific talk. lie was the most indit-
fercnt person 10 fame 7 ever saw He
had. i'm Confercdate times written n
work or made large report ON gunnery
(he WAS the inventor Of the Brooke gum.
which was captured Ia the manuscript "a
the evacuation I'm Richmond north
ern professor. holding high position.
quietly published d. ass his own. \ copy
got into Captain BrOOke's hands He
made corrections and forwarded them
10 the author" saying that II might be
that Southern officers. seeing the volume
and knowing he had written H. would be
led 10 think he made the mistakes. The
"autho-" sent his thanks and had the
corrections made. Brooke was satisfied.
Along the same line was his utter uncon-
Germ about the theft. He invented a
sliding seat for rowing. He ordered one
for his own boat il WAS sent And
soon the Loat-builder was advertising
Reimbursement Brooke never no.
ticcd the rOguery.
During the Franco-prussian war 7 met
CAPTAIN Brooke on the cars coming from
the North / inquired what had taken
him into those parts. 10 came out, by
persistent qucs,ioniaeF. that the Prus-
sian Minister AT Washington was trying
10 get an expert I'm torpedo planting for
his harbors lie had sent for Brooke 7
heard hut not from him. that am offer
WINS made of f'1 '0 year ard position
fin the German navy if he would super
intend the protection ot the rivers Of
Prussia. He declined upon the ground ne
had engaged FOR another term 20 teach
at the Virginia Military Institute The
superintendent would have given him long
leave Of absence for the sake OF the glory
but Brooke's notion was that ne could
not say a word. only Keep his engagement
lie was then coming back from Buffalo
y Y. whore be bad found RS two ne
slgtants during our wo- whom be pre-
eonted 20 Ire Prussiln Ambassador. with
the pledge that II these two Southern EEL
lows were given full swing they would
keeu out the navy Of France. Ii is
not forgotten that the many French war
sbjps did no harm TO any German city