The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-06-26


waited six days in the week.
So far as that goes, we still do so; for
it has come over me recently that any
attempt to dodge the demoniac inven-
tons of Hawkins is about as thankless
and hopeless a task as seeking to avoid
the setting of tie sun.
For two or three mornings, however,
/ lad been leaving the house some ten
or fifteen minutes earlier than usual.
There had lately appeared the old I'M
canny light in Hawkins eye; and if
trouble were impending, it was my fond,
foolish hope to be out of its way-until
such time, at least, as the police or the
coroner should call me up on the tele-
phone to identify all that was mortal of
Hawkins
Three days then, my strategy had
been crowned with success, | had elud-
ed Hawkins and ridden down alone, the
serene enjoyment of my paper unpunc-
tuated by dissertations upon the prac
ticability of condensing the clouds for
commercial purposes, or the utilization
of atmospheric nitrogen in the nanu-
facture of predigested breakfast food.
But upon the fourth morning fuse
blew out under the car before we left
the station: and as l sat there fussing
about the delay, in walked Hawkins.
He was beaming and cheerful, but the
glitter in his eye had grown more in
tense.
"Ah, Griggs," he exclaimed, 1--WE
missed you lately.
Il hope you haven't lost weight over
it?"
well, no. I've been busy-very
busy"
Rush of business?"
'Un-ah-yes. Griggsi"
1t was coming
Hawkins" / said hurriedly, "have
YOU followed this matter of the Panama
Canal?"
Hawkins stared hard at me for mo-
ment;: then | gave him another push,
and he toppled into the canal and wal
lowed about in its waters until the ride
was over.
Unhappily. my own place of business
is located farther down upon the same
street with the Blank Building, where
Hawkins has-or had-offices. There
to walk with him.
But the suppressed enthusiasm in
Hawkins didn't come out, and | left
rather more easy Whatever it was,
fancied that he had left the material
part of it at home, and home lay many
blocks uptown. l was safe.
"Good-by,' l smiled when we reached
his entrance.
Not much, Hawkins responded.
esCome in
you come commanded the inventor.
There's something in here l want you
to see"
He led me in and past the line of
elevators.
So we were not going up to his off
cesi We seemed to be heading for the
cigar booth, and for moment | fancied
that Hawkins had discovered a new
brand and was going TO treat me; but
he piloted me farther, to door, and
opened it and we passed through
Then I perceived where we were The
blank Building people had been con-
structing an addition to their immense
stack OF Offices we stood in the freshly /
completed and wholly unoccupled an
@There. sirp' said Hawkins, extend
ING his forehnger What do you see, /
GTiggs?"
six empty barrels, about three wag-
on-loads of kindling wood, new tiled
floor, and six brand-new elevators,
replied
where I'm pointing!
"Ah! Somebody's left packlng-box
in one of the elevator-shafts, EN-: :"
Certainly. more than anything else, !
4I,,+ x,,ac what II reSembled
At the first glance it appeared to be /
nothing more than a crude wooden case
about the size of an elevator car, stand .
ing in one of the shafts and contrasting
unpleasantly with the other new, SHIN
ing. polished cars.
"Packing-ughl snapped the 1nven-
tor DO YOU know what that Is :"
You turned down my first guess, l
suggested humbly.
"Crigps. what appears to you as a
packinc-box is nothing more nor less
than the first and only Hawkins Hydro
Vapor Lift.
THE which,"
"The = Hawkins = Hydro-Vapor -
Lift"
whatever is that? Steam"
And lift. I presume, is English for
elevator
The words are synonymous" said
Hawkins coldly.
"Then why the dickens didn't you
call it steam elevator and be done
with it Wasn't that sufficiently COM
pncated Fl
"Oh. Griggs. you never seem able to
understand Now, a steam elevator
so called-is an old proposition. A Hy- /.
dro-Vapor Lift 5 entirely new and
sounds diStinctivei
Eyes, it sounds queer enough" 1 adj /.
nitted.
Just examine it." said the inventor
joyously, leading me to the box Il
There WIS 11nt much To be examined.