Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-24
A GIRL INVENTOR.

recited with IA faroff look in her eyes.
Sometimes that look came to her W hen she
was talking with her girl friends, and she
would forget what she had said IA moment
before, call people by wrong 10 return
wrong answers tn questions and act alto
gether so strangely that somo observing
girl would break out into a laugh, saying:
sylvia, | believe you are crazy.
If Sylvia had been II boy, her straIGe
reserve wonid have been readily under
stood by nor family. and she would never
have been permitted to remain so long
undisturbcd in the garnet, but how could
they suspect that a girl would be afflicted
with the family craze for inyenting some-
things This passion for studying mechan.
ical devices had survived through three
generations of Ringgolds, and it had cost
them a great deal of money and much sor-
row and Disappointment.
Sylvia knew the family story. Many II
time she had heard about Grandfather
Ringgold's pulley, which had never been
completed. Then there was her. Uncle
Alexander, who repeated her grandfather's
failure, spending money, but gaining
nothing, II finally there was her Cousin
Dick, whom half the people in town called
Crazy Dick Ringgold, because he walked
the streets trying to interest rich men in
his impraoticable patents.
The women of the Ringgold connection,
one and all, had a horror of patents, be-
cause they had suffered SO many p~rivations
from the failure and losses incident to
them. No one knew these things better
than Sylvia.
How could she tell her mother Oh her
Aunt Hester or her father or any one that
her mind was on fire with the spirit of in
vention and that she was trying to solve
the mystery of grandfather's pulley?
But the day Of discovery was at hand.
1t was house cleaning time, and Aunt
Hester, while in the garrett, came upon a
remarkable mechanical continuance of
springs and wire and cords and bits of
wood and brass and steel. She did not
have to look twice to know what it meant.
She gave rent to her feelings by little
scream of surprise and dismay, which
brought Mrs. Ringgold running up from
the story below.
"Oh, ~sister!" cried Aunt Hester tragic
ally, pointing to the young girls model.
"Lookl Sylvia has the fatal fever in her
blood-the curse of the Ringgoldst"
After awhile Sylvia came in from school.
Sho knew in a moment that something
had disturbed the family serenity and in
tuitively guessed what 1t washer model
had been found.
The next day she was taken out to the
country to sec what a change Of scene
would do for her. Uncle Jerold lived on
a small farm that had formerly been q
part of Grandfather Ringgold's estate.
Sylvia had never visited there before, and
she found everything very interesting.
Her aunt took her III for a long ramble
through the woods, and the two gathered
autumn leaves and lichens and punches of
bright red berries. In a secluded corner
of the woods Sylvia noticed a tall iron
construction, which she thought resembled
the observatory in the park at home, and
she asked what it was.
"Oh," said Aunt Rebecca, with a little
sigh, ''that is your poor grandfather's der
rick. He had it erected that he might ex-
pertinent with his pulley. Dear me, il
your grandfather had let %inventing alone,
wo might all be rich!'
You see, Aunt Rebecca knew nothing OF
the young girls %infatuation.
Sylvia tried to keep her thoughts off the
forbidden subject, but this was not easy
with the top of grandfather's derrick in
full view of her window.
II must examine it, " the girl said to
herself one afternoon, and she went out by
herself into the woods and looked at the
derrick. 1t was just as her grandfather
ho1 loft IL roorc nbo,,a vpoo nv 1,o,,
box supported by four chains attached to
a lever, which was intended to be lifted
by a spring, but the lifting had never been
accomplished, because grandfather pulley
would not "work." Sylvia fingered at the
spot, thinking and comparing what she
saw with what she had read, Why did
not the spring work? She went out to
look at 1.-THE next day, and the next.
One afternoon Sylvia was engaged at
fascinating occupation out in the
woods. She had made a clearing around
the derrick, adjusted the machinery and
some pieces that were missing.
She had stepped into the lifting box and,
happening to pull a hanging cord above
her head, she found herself suddenly
"Oh," she cried, 'I've found it'll I've
found it!'
Up and up the box went, the old rope
creaking and the scales of rust from the
falling back on Sylvia's head. She
was SO happy that she had no thought Of
fear. Up and up she was carried, till she
out of the little car Oh to the top
floor of the derrick. And here, up in the
air, Sylvia stood for five or ten glorious
minutes, saying to herself, II have COM
pleted grandfather's invention!'
Father will be proud of me now" she
"and mother will laugh, and
Aunt Hester won't scold." And Sylvia
herself laughed a little bit triumphantly
she stood on tho high structure with
the top of the trees nodding at her.
Presently she heard Aunt Rebecca's
voice calling from the world below:
Sylvia, where are your Supper's
readyr"
"I'm here" said Sylvia.
When Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Jerold
her up on the top Of the derrick way
her handkerchief, the sight filled them
with CONSERVATION and almost took away
their breath, and when she said, speaking
down from her elevation, "I'vo found out
what was the matter with grandfather's
they soon learned the truth.
In due course Of time the Ringgold pull
ley was patented, but only q few that saw
u In operation several years ago at a great
fair knew that a girl of IA had
the invention. philadelphia
Times.
Hi Line.
What line are you on now?" asked the
7oung lady Of her lover, who CHANGED to
10 a street car conductor.
"Just at present" replied the register