The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-01-04

Must be two months?" - H.. -,
"Ah:" Hawkins had smiled. J
What is it.? Life insurance cora-
panies on to you?" -:
':Um-ah," Hawkins had replied.
"Or Rave you really given it UP for
good? 1t4.can't be-, can it,"
"Oh-ho," Hawkins had yawned, and
there stopped questioning him.
Satan himself must have concocted
the business which sent me-or started
| me-toward Philadelphia next morn
Ing. Perhaps, though, the railroad con-
Sany was as much to blame; they
should have known better. t.>&~,. .
The man in the moon was no fur
Their from my thoughts than Hawkins
as stepped ashore on the Jersey side
OF the ferry to take the train. Yet
there stood Hawkins in the station.
Surely something was working him
up wondered what it was
AS !. watched, an apoplectic- looking
youth appeared in the door of the Of
flee and handed Hawkins an Official
appearing slip of paper
The inventor snatched it impolitely
and turned his back, while the youth
gazed after him for moment and
then returned to the Office.
"Set of COMPOUNDED idiots!" Hawk
ms remarked, wrathfully.
Then ere could disappear he spled
me.
| AHA, Griggs, you here?"
mo, I'm not" I said, fatty IF
there's any trouble brewing, Hawkins,
consider me back in New York. What
has excited your"
Excited me? Those fool railroad
officials are enough to drive man to
the asylum. Did you see how they
kept me standing outside that door?'
We'll, did you want to stand inside
the door, Hawkins?'
Il didn't want to stand anywhere in
the neighborhood Of their Internal door!
The idea of making me get permit to
ride on an engine! Mel"
Il don't know how else you'd man
age 1t, Hawkins, unless you applied for
a JOB as fireman. Why on earth do
you want TO ride on a locomotive 2"
"Oh, it's not a locomotive, Griggs.
You don't understand. Where are you
bound for?"
philadelphia
Then, by George, you'll be with
us! You'll see the whole show!"
Hawkins caught my coat sleeve and
dragged me toward the train-gates.
'See, here" l said, OBTAINING him.
what whole shown"
But why don't you come and see
for yourself?" the inventor cried, i'm
patiently. "1t's-it's-'
He paused for a moment.
why, it's the Hawkins Alcomo-
tive!" he added. .,z.,y..,..
And what under heavens is the
Hawkins
well, you. don't suppose I'm carry
ing scale dra wings Of the thing on me,
do you? You don't suppose that I'm
prepared to give a,demonstration with
magic lantern pictures on the spot :?
If you want to see it, come and see it.
If not, you'd better go into your train.
It's 1903 now"
l knew no way of better utilizing the
remaining seven minute l walked or
rather trotte d-after Hawkins, through
the gates, down the platform, and
along by the train until we reached
the locomotive-or the place where a
decent, God-fearing locomotive should
have been standing
The customary huge iron horse was
not il sight.
| n hot
small tlat-car. On the car observed
an affair which resembled something
an enthusiastic automobilist might
have conceived in a lobster salad
nightmare. -.
1t Was, presume, merely an abnor-
mally large automobile engine: and
along each side of it ran a big cylin-
'drical tank.
There, Griggs!" said Hawkins.
That doesn't look much like the old
fashioned, clumsy locomotive, does it,"
Il should say dt didn't"
"Of course it's little rough in finish
just trial Alcomotive, you know
but it's going to do one thing to-day
| "And that is?@ 5 r. y
Its going to sound the solemn
death-knell of the old steam locomo-
tive" said Hawkins, evidently feel
ing some compassion for the time-hon-~
ored engine. 80, a, f..::ss. !,
"Bu1 will that thing pull train? Is
that the not1on?''. . .@.: @.5 )
Motion! It's NO notion-it's a sim
pie, mathematical certainty, my dear: