The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-24
AN UNAPPRECIATED INVENTION.
BY C. w. COMFORTH.


Really it was a great invention
u,bicb Hornsby proposed to the Minis
tors, Alliance at their regular monthly
,,eeting. 1t was right in their line,
.oo It surely wasn't in Hornsby's,
for he was only too glad to let each
man hug his favorite sin. And it was
!, No spirit of reformation that he per-
focted the invention which he exhibit
Cd but rather it was for the purpose
If nlacing his financial condition on the
solid rock.
Unlike the vendor of the famous
Sihvlline books, Hornsby did not leave
anv part of his invention, but when his
nroffer was declined he put the whole
thing to the bad and utterly refused to
have anything further to do with the
sins of his fellowman, so long as they
did not obtrude themselves upon his
snhere of action.
Like many other good men Hornsby
drifted into the newspaper business
and. fascinated by the work, he stay
ed long enough to become SO inocu-
lated with the virus that he had no in
clination to go into any more luCra-
tive calling.
It should be mentioned that one of
the fads of Hornsby's was the photo
graphic art. 1t was from this that his
invention grew until he himself be-
neved thoroughly in it, whether any
body else did or not
l., bYiaf invention consisted in the
production of plates so sensitive that
they recorded, like the x-ray, not the
features, but the thought of the sub
lect The impression was recorded on
the plate and by an ingenious scheme
somewhat similar to the photograph,
the thoughts were formulated into
word pictures.
Acting on the belief that those who
we're charged with keeping the forces
of evil in check would welcome an in
vention which make the evil thinker
afraid to face his fellow man for fear
that in an instant some "fiend" would
take a snap of his thoughts, he
brought his invention to them. If the
fear of publicity deferred men from
doing evil, then by the same token the
fear of being discovered in thinking
some evil scheme would in like manner
cause the wicked to bride their mental
concepts. And thus keeping company
only with high thoughts the erstwhile
sinner would be reformed without
knowing just how it all happened. This
was the way Hornsby looked at tia
most reasonable view, he thought
For some weeks after the perfection
Of the kodak Hornsby made a careful
test of its powers. The results were
dumbfounding to him, and had he not
hoI Of l. oF -
disclosures he would have been a
1oubter himself.
On one occasion he had caught the
expression of a bank cashier, and
when the plate was developed and in
terpreted it told that the man was
thinking of decamping with the funds
Of the bank. Within a few weeks of
The snap shot the papers told of the
departure of a cashier for Canada and
a big hole in the banks deposits. An
other plate showed the impure love of
man and sure enough it was not
ong before he ran away with a wom-
an, leaving his wife and children to
bear the disgrace. Some of the plates
failed to develop properly, while
others showed up clear.
An unusually hard financial crisis in
the affairs of Hornsby made him
anxious to realize on his invention
and in thinking over the best place to
place the proposition he figured that
the preachers would find the little ma
chime their best ally and would ac-
9ordingly be anxious to secure it.
Approaching one of the prominent
members of the Alliance, Hornsby in
tlmated that he had something good
TO bring before the next meeting,
without stating what it was So it
II -loo 10
hearing. For the ministers were
curious enough about the matter and
were at q. high state of expectancy by
'eason of the fact that only hints had
oeen thrown out that something very
unusual was to be shown.
Rev. John Joslin presided over the
meeting before which Hornsby was to
get a hearing, and the meeting itself
was the best attended in the history of
the alliance.
Brethren" said DR.. Joslin, after
the routine business was disposed of,
as you all know this morning we
nave with us Mr.. Hornsby, who is
known to most if not all of us in his
sapaeity as a member of the Daily
Whirl. He has an invention which he
GAINS will be of great benefit to the
ministry and which he desires to ex-
hlblt to us now"
All eyes were turned towards Horns
Dy' who had with him an apparatus
resembling in general appearance a
photographers outfit.
somewhat exhilerated by the mag
uiIude of the proposition which he was
ABOUT to bring to the attention of the
attentive gathering, the inventor rose
d his feet and began.
Gentlemen, l have with me an in
Nehtlon which I believe to be one of
ne greatest agents for good ever dis
covered were the Introductory words.
10 explain briefly and in a very few
words | would say that it is a meth
90 Of photographing the thoughts of
person, so that record may be taken
ana read of all men. 1t is a kodak
.Mnlch photograph thoughts into pic
lures Thus, a man with murder in
nls heart is betrayed by the use of this
uuie instrument. and the same way
with the other evils.