Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-05
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
A BOOM RANG.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Ing map. The campaign had gone
against him. and the alternative of dis
tlnction or surrender stared him in tho
face. Slowly the prusslan armies were
closing about him. a few days more
and his whole force would be ut their
mercy. An orderly handed him a note
from gentleman waiting without. 1t
read:
Marshall am the inventor OF nyIugi
machine which can lie stcercd I'm any d.
rcction. 1t contains n mechanism which
by tho auxiliary means OF clock,york. Will
drop explosive cartridges at sta vi perlods
any one of which is sufficient TO destroy
the whole Prussian army. l am, marshal
your obedient servant
FREEMAN PETTIPLACE
"Show him in" said the marshal
Mr. Pettiplace was II meek appearing
little man, with hcsitating manner
who looked better fitted to superintend
Il Sunday school thnu invent means for
destroying armies. He was very much
overcome Mt entering the presence OF
the marshal, dropping his hat and step
ping Oh II, then upsetting II camp stool
and stumbling over It, Mt last sitting
down in confusion when he should
have stood till hidden to take seat.
where are you from?" asked the
marshal.
"Turtieneld. Conn, in the United
States'
"Ah, an Americana! You Americans
are very Ingenious. Where is your
machincg"
"On the cars Mt station between
this and Paris. presented my plan
To the minister of war, aud he gave
me transportation. left the apparatus
and came on here TO see YOU"
The marshal called an aid-de-camp
aud directed him TO telegraph immedI-
ately for Mr.. Pettiplaces machine.
Then he dismissed the inventor, direct
inB him to report upon Its arrival
The next afternoon the machine nr-
rived and on the following morning
was SGT upon n platform that had been
built for IL during the night The
weather was propltlous, and Marshal
Bazalne and his stufl' stood beside the
platform with folded arms while the
whole French army waited I'm anxious
expectation. The cartridges We're plac-
cd In position and the clockwors start
ed. Then Mr.. Pcttiplace turned his ut
tentlon to putting in motion the pro-
pelling and guiding machinery. This
he did with much agitation, and when
he set the steering fan his hands trem-
bled and his eyes were so blurred
with excitement that he could scarcely
see the scale which showed the dlrcc-
tion the apparatus WINS Sc. to go. Then
when the fans were qll whirllng the an.
eLor ropes We've cut and the machine
began to ascend upward and onward
1t had scarcely started when its orig
inator turned pale. lie noticed that 1t
was not going directly for the Prusslan
camp. but slightly to the right The
steering fan had been SO set as TO
cause the machine to move In circle.
"Where is the thing golng?" asked
the marshal.
"Ive set the steering apparatus
wrong" faltered the inventor.
The marshal glared at him. but said
nothing.
Its going all right" added Petit
place presently. THE curve I'm which
1t moves will carry 1t over the enemy.
Indeed. Its course is for the best, for 1t
WIN tiiN iilC illG VI tuluDS lnSLeuu
of passing over part"
The French soldiers stood staring up
into the heavens Mt the flying concern
that looked for all the world like u
huge fish moving In an ocean. Tho
mnrshal called for his field glass and
alternately examined the object of his
hopes and dropped his glass to ask Mr..
Pettlplace some question On the
queer fishlike machine hung the fate
of the French army and the empire.
Then the marshal noticed that the
inventor was continually taking out his
watch and replacing 1t cxcitedly.
"IIow much time have you given be-
fore the dropping Of the first car
tridge?" asked the marshal.
Twenty minutes"
"H'm. In twenty minutes. at the
rate the machine is moving, It Will
have passed their camps"
Mr.. Pettinlace looked again ct his
watch and cast an anxious glance at
tho machine. By this time the latter
had been discovered by the Prussians.
who began firing at 1t. A few cannon
shots wero sent after 1t and innumer-
able rifle balls. but 1t was out of range
OF both. Presently 1t stood over the
left of the enemy's camps and sailed
along toward the center.
"Time?' asked the marshal fever
!shly.
Twelve minutes"
The dropping of cartridges would not
begin for six minutes. and the "l!er'
was going very fast. Reaching point
above the Prussian center. the curve
of its course promised to leave out the
enemy's right entirely.
"Tlma nrain % asked tho ,na-chol