The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-16
a GIRL INVENTOR.


was talking with her girl friends, and she
would forget what she had said moment
before, call people by wrong names, return
wrong answers to questions and act alto
gether SO strangely that some observing
girl would break out into laugh, saying:
''Sylvia, believe you are crazy"
If Sylvia had been boy, her strange
reserve would have been readily under
stood by her family, and she would never
have been permitted to remain so long
undisturbed in the garnet, but how could
they suspect that a girl would be afflicted
with the family craze for inventing some
things This passion for studying mechan-
ical devices had survived through three
generations Of Rtnggolds, and it had cost
them great deal of money and much sor-
row and disappointment.
Sylvia knew the family story. Many
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, and 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 impracticable patents
The women of the Ringgold connection,
one and all, had horror of patents, be-
cause they had suffered so many privations
from the failure and losses incident to
them. No one knew these things better
than Sylvia.
How could she tell her mother or 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.
It was house cleaning time, and Aunt
Hester, while in the garnet, came upon
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 vent to her feelings by a little
scream Of surprise and dismay, which
brought Mrs. Ringgold running up from
the story below.
ooh, sisterp' cried Aunt Hester tragic
ally, pointing to the young girls model.
"Lookl Sylvia has the fatal fever in her
blOod-the curse of the Ringgolds!"
After awhile Sylvia came in from school.
She knew in a moment that something
had disturbed the family serenity and in
tuftively guessed what it washer model
had been found.
The next day she was taken out to the
country to see what a change of scene
would do for her. Uncle JeroId lived on
a small farm that had formerly been
part of Grandfather Ringgold's estate.
Sylvia had never visited there before, and
she found everything very interesting.
Her aunt took her out for long ramble
through the woods, and the two gathered
autumn leaves and Hchens and punches OF
bright red berries In a secluded corner
of the woods Sylvia noticed a tall iron
construction, which she thought resent led
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 der
rick. He had it erected that he might eX-
pertinent with his pulley. Dear me, il
your grandfather had let inventing alone,
we 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
had left it years ago. There was an open
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 fwork." 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 it the next day, and the next.
Ol0 dAO6I1lOOA sylvia Vas Gn8dS60 at
her fascinating occupation out in the
woods. She had made clearing around
the derrick, adjusted the machinery and
supplied 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
hoisted.
ooh" she cried, GIVE found it'll I've
found itl''
Up and up the box went, the old rope
creaking and the scales of rust from the
chains 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
stepped out of the little car on to the TOP
floor of the derrick. And here, up in the
air, Sylvia stood for five or ten glorious
minutes saying to herself, 81 have COM
pleted grandfather's invention
Father will be proud of me now" she
thought, land mother will laugh, and
Aunt Hester won't scold." And Sylvia
herself laughed a little bit triumphantly
as she stood on the 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 you? Supper's
readyr'
I'm here" said Sylvia.
When Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Jerold
saw her up the top Of the derrick wav-
ing her handkerchief, the sight filed them
with CONSERVATION and almost took away
their breath, and when she said, speaking
down from her elevation, i've found out
what was the matter with grandfather
pulley" they soon learned the truth.
In due ooU&o of time the Ringgold pull
ley was patented, but only few that saw
it in operation several years ago at a great
worlds fair knew that girl Of IA had
perfected the Observation-Disclosures
Times.
His Line.
"What line are you on now?" asked tbs
young lady of her lover, who CHANGED b.
hc. ,nr.