The Virginia enterprise., 1906-10-19
Hawkins is part inventor and part

mitigates idiocy; but in his case it
also allows free rein to his inventive
genius, and that is a bad thing
When l decided to build nice, quiet
summer home in the Berkshires,
| paid for the ground before discovering
| that the next villa belonged to Haw~
kins.
Had known then what know now,
my county seat would be located some
where in central Illinois or western
Oregon; but at that time my know
ledge of Hawkins extended no farther
than the facts that he resided a few
doors below me in New York, and that
We exchanged a kindly, smile every
morning on the l..
One day last August, having mas
tered the mechanism of our little
steam runabout, my wife ventured out
alone, to call upon Mrs. Hawkins.
am not a worrying man, but auto
mobile repairs are expensive, and when
she had been gone an hour or so l
strolled toward our neighbors.
The auto was relieved to find
standing before the door, apparently
in good health, and I had already
turned back when Hawkins came trot-
ting along the drive from the stable.
Just in time, Griggs, just in time!"
he cried, eXuberantly.
In time for what?"
The first trial Of"
Nov, see here, Hawkins" l be-
gan, preparing to fee, for I knew too
we'll the meaning of that light in his
eyes,
THE Hawkins Horse -brake!" he
finished, triumphantly
Hawkins" I said, solemnly, ''far be
it from me to disparage your work;
but recall most distinctly the Haw-
kins Aero-motor, which NOTED you to
the top of that maple tree and dropped
you on my devoted head. I also have
some recollection OF your gasoline
mixer, the one that exploded and
burned every hair off the starboard
side of my best Alderney COW. If you
are bent on trying something new, hold
it off until can get my poor wife out
of harms way
Hawkins favored me with a stare
that would have withered row of
hardy sunf1owers and turned his eyes
to the stable.
from that direction.
The foundation of the something l
recognized as Hawkins aged work
Earse facetiOusly christened Maud S.
The superstructure was the most re-
markable collection of mechanism
ever saw
Four steel rods stuck into the air at
the four corners of the animal They
seemed to be connected in some way
to machine strapped to the back OF
the saddle.
l presume the machine was logical
enough if you understood it, but be-
yond noting that it bore striking re-
semblance to the vital organs of a
clock, I cannot attempt a description.
THAT will do, Patrick" said Haw-
kins, taking the bride and regarding
his handiwork with an enraptured
smile. We'll, Griggs, frankly, what
do you think of it?'
Frankly" l said, when L look at
that thing, feel somehow incapable of
thought"
Il rather imagined that it would
take your eye,' replied Hawkins, COM
placently. "Now, just see the simple
ity of the thing, Griggs Drop your
childish prejudices for a minute and
examine it.
LET us suppose that this brake is
fitted to a fiery saddle-horse. The
rider has lost all control. In another
minute, unless he can stop the beast,
he will be dashed to the ground and
kicked into pulp. What does he do?
Simply pulls this lever-thus! The ami
NAL can't budget"
An uncanny clankety -clankety- -clank
accompanied his words, and the rods
dropped suddenly. In their descent
they somehow managed to gather two
steel cuffs apiece.
When they ceased dropping, Maud S.
had steel bar down the back of each
ACS, WILL q NuA oOONC duu Cuu IT.
low the knee. Hawkins was quite
right-so far as could see; Maud was
anchored until some well-disposed per-
son brought hack-saw and cut off her
shackles.
You see how it acts when she is
standing still?" chuckled the inventor,
replacing the rods. "Just keep your
eyes open and note the suddenness
with which she stops running
Hawkins" I cried, despairingly, as
he led the animal up the road, don't
&C to all that trouble on my account.
I can see perfectly that the thing is a
success Don't try it again.
my dear Griggs," said Hawkins,
coldly, this trial trip is for my own
personal satisfaction, not yours. To
tell the truth, had no idea that you
or anyone else would be here to wit
ness my triumph
He went perhaps three or four hun
dred feet up the road; then he turned
! Maud's nose homeward and clambered
to her back.
AS I waited behind the hedge.