The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-24
"The Master Key
Eagles Sunday Review
Of a Popular Book.

parents, ike ali boys as d genus ana 70
the rest of the community as kid.
He has an inclination TO electricity. and
his room at home is a tangle Of wires
and bewildering multiplicity of bat
teries and electrical contrivances. In
hunting for a current one day he makes
a combination which brings before him
the awe-inspiring presence OF the Demon
of Electricity, a wonderful creature who
has been hanging back in the obscurity of
the future. waiting for a stupid world 10
develop to the point where it could dis
cover him.
The Demon, as q reward for Rob's &C
cidental summons, bestows upon him
nine gifts, three at a time. The first
three consist of an electrical mechanism
which, when strapped to the wrist, car
ries the wearer upward and outward, or
in whatever direction he may choose TO
take. The second is an electrical tube,
containing an inexhaustible charge which,
when pointed at human being, keels
said human being over and holds him in
coma for an hour or so. The third is an
electrical tablet which appeases hun
ger.
The boy, to the paralysis of the fam
ily, and in their view. sails away, and
meets with all sorts Of adventures natu-
rally. He is exceedingly facile at cutting
down opponents and overcoming creature
and being out late at night without an
overcoat.
After a week Of exciting escapades he
strikes home again, and the Demon of
Electricity appears and upbraids him for
the trivial uses to which he has put his
marvellous contrivances. The boy apollo
gizes and accepts three additional gifts,
one a garment Of electrical repulsion,
which throws off any missile coming its
way; another an Event Recorder, a ma
chine which pictures, TO order. any event
that is passing or has transpired re-
Gently in any country; and still another,
a character maker, being electrical spec
tacIes, peering through which at the face
Of another, the wearer will see marked
on the forehead of the subject a character
revealing the subjects real nature; if
Evil marked with a big Z; if good, with
a big G; if Wise, with a big w.
The boy flies to England. An example
Of the gayety of his life at this stage
of his career may be gathered from the
following scene:
Rob. in looking at the Recorder. has
seen a desperate battle in progress in
South Africa between the British and
the Beers. He decides to let King Ed
ward see it.
The palace was surrounded by a Gordon
IF the kings own life guards.
He boldly advanced to the gate, where
he found himself stopped by crossed car
bines and cry of halt.
Excuse me-" said Rob. I'm in a
hurry"
He pushed the carbines aside and
marched on. The soldiers made thrusts
at him with their weapons. and an offi-
Ger jabbed at his breast with a glittering
sword, but the Garment of Repulsion pro-
tected him from these dangers, as well
as from a hail of bullets that followed
his advancing figure. He reached the
entrance of the palace only to face an
other group OF guardsmen and a second
order to halt, and as these soldiers were
over six feet tall and stood shoulder TO
shoulder, Rob saw that he could not hope
to pass them without using his electrical
tube.
Stand aside, you fellowsr' he ordered.
There was no response. He extended
the tube and as he pressed the button,
described a semi-circIe with the instru-
ment. Immediately the tall guardsmen
toppled over like so many ten-pins, and
Rob stepped across their bodies and pen
etrated to the reception room. where
brilliant assemblage awaited in hushed
and anxious groups, for opportunity to
obtain audience with the King.
Rob pushed his way through these and
into the presence Of the King, finding the
latter in earnest consultation with one of
his ministers. He showed them the ter
rible battle raging. OF course, the King
was fun of wonder as he watched the
battle, which turned out VIGOROUSLY for
the British. After considerable CONVEX
sation, the author continues:
You are an American, suppose.
said the minister. coming close to Rob
and staring him in the face.
Guessed right the first time" answer
ed the boy. and drawing his character
marking spectacles from his pocket, he
put them on and stared at the minister
in turn. Upon the mans forehead ap-
peared the letter f.
Your majesty" said Rob, II have here
another queer invention. VIII you please
wear these spectacles for a few mo-
ments?'
The King at once put them on.
They are called character markers"
continued the boy. because the lenses
catch ana concentrate the character vi
brations radiating from every human in
dividual and reflect the true character Of
the person upon his forehead. If a letter
the person upon his forehead II a letter
tion Is good; if his forehead is marked
with an +. his character is evil. and you
must beware of treaehery
The King saw the plainly marked IN
on his minister's forehead, but he said
nothing except Thank YOU and re-
turned the spectacles TO Rob.
But the minister, who from the first had
been i'll ct ease, now became positively
angry.
DO not believe him, your majesty" he
cried 1T is trick, ard meant TO de-
ceive YOU.
4 did not accuse you." answered the
King sternly. Then he added: II wish
70 he alone with this young gentle
man.
The minister left the room with an
anxious face and hanging head.
The King and Rob consulted the Event
Recorder and identified the minister as
a two-faced scoundrel.
At the close of the interview the King
said.
Il hope You VIII favor me with another
interview. for am much interested in
your electrical inventions. I VIII instruct
my guards 10 admit you az any time. so
you viii not be obliged 10 hght your way