The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-05-20

useless Inventions. ludJ is all ludt eau
be said. He was a man full Of en-
thusiasm and mental activity, But his
inventions, though they were as num-
erous as the stars OF heaven, were,
unfortunately, as useless as the leaves
of autumn.
Tall and thin, with drawn, narrow
face and sunken, yet bright and pierre
ing eyes, though he was sixty years
old, he frequently had the appearance
of being much younger AS may be
guessed, his youth came back to him
when the fire of his enthusiasm was
burning brightly. He was, indeed,
one of those men whose hopes always
exceed their achievements.
His enthusiasm never dies" ex'
claimed Wharf, the keeper of the cafe
at the end Of the Rue Monique, where
Iemaire lived. But, then, 1t never
produces anything What's 1t worthY'
A shrug Of the shoulders was Vi
bart's comment.
Perhaps he would have been more
impressed If he had seen Lemaires
room 1.-THE window of which command
: ed an extensive view Of the roofs and
strangely shaped chimney pots OF
Paris), with all the inventors models.
Had he seen the old man busting the
things he had created he might have
been sorry for him, for this sharp
tongued Wharf had good heart But
all the same, his gibe would have re-
NAMED perfectly well founded
30
was the title with which the Rue MOI
ique dubbed Lemaitre.
Jules Lemaitre, Inventor OF Use
less Inventions!"
II was when success came at last
after forty years Of failure, that Le-
maitre threw back the taunt.
"A hundred francs a night" he
cried. his face lit up. II suppose there
is something after all, In useless In
yention."
go ss$ sS%
One spring day, soft, warm day OF
May, Rue Monique suddenly became
aware Of a new Lemaitre.
He had changed miraculously. The
miracle was made up Of many aston
fishing details That which the neigh
bors noticed first was that the inYen-
tors hat was a new one, He wore his
best frockcoat buttoned up and caretul-
ly brushed; his tie was spotlessly
white; there was flower IN MS put
tonhole. and his mustache and imperial
were carefully trimmed and pointed.
But that which made Lemaitre new
Lemaitre was the glossiness and sleek
perfection of his hat 1t MADE the
carefully brushed frockcoat look DID,
Upon all and sundry, that May morn
ing, Lemaitre smiled.
Mon Dieu!" was Vibarts mental
comment. "He has invented another
useless invention!"
But though 1t was the hour before
deieuner, Lemaitre did not stop at the
cafe for an aperitif. He passed VI
bart with a CHEEKY nod and tqrneu
round the corner past his cafe IN tue
direction of the Boulevard Hauss-
mann.
Some little distance further south'
in a narrow street off the great Doule-
ward. he reached a small shop far from
pretentious and having an odd. ap-
.pearance Of being crushed among lls
more ambitious neighbors.
On the window, white china letters
fixed on the glass made this announce
ment to the world, "Modes-Mlle'
Marcelle," and in the window there
were always to be seen rows OF mars
on tall stands, all marked with one
uniform price-4fr. SOC
There was no ostentauon about the
little, humble shop. At night no un'
due blaze Of light shone upon the
creations of Mile. Narcotics busy I'm
gers. at
That May morning she found It hard
not TO look up and welcome the spring !
sunlight. But she looked up when the
door was opened with the confident
assurances Of some one whose buoy
ancy reelected itself even in such a
trivialthing as the opening Of shop
door
Jules Lepnitre stood on the thresA'
old.
Good morn'pg, mon pere' SAID the
little modis's WITH 9 smile Of wei
come. e.
Lemaitre. closed % door and went
and stood beside la daughter
How hard you won litae meusel"
he said tenderly. fonlAlug curl that
had strayed upon her neck.
1T is Necessary TO work to live"
she said. bending down again over the