Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1909-07-22
a REMARKABLE INVENTION.
"stepometer" Gives Advance Infor-
nation and Is Always Winner.


de. one Of their brethren, who has
studio in the St. James building.
for his invention of stepometer,
they can only be set down as an un-
grateful lot.
This marvellous contrivance will
wonderfully tighten their life's bur
den In fact, It should help the
comic artists immeasureably in their
work.
They are a gloomy-looking lot as
rule when things are not breaking
we'll with them, but with their stu
dios equipped with stepometer, If
they don't perk up and MARBLE
blithely they can be declared past
hope.
The Runde stepometer will regis
ter the step of any approaching Wis
itor and flash a signal to indicate
what manner of man he is and the
nature of his mission. A delicate set
of wires is run out of the studio, un-
der the threshold and out under the
flooring of the hall as far as the top
step of the stairs.
BY series of tests these wires are
set for landlords, janitors, bill col
lectors, wives, mothers, friends,
kickers. knockers, subpoena servers,
policemen, men bearing checks for
money, book agents, the gas man,
editors with orders and as many 9TH,
er classlfications as 1t is possible to
take by experiment.
These sensitive hallway wires are
looped into an indicator fastened to
the wall above the easel at which the
artist works. The signals, or soma.
phore warnings, can be simple col
ored panels or elaborate figures, ac-
cording to the taste of the artist.
Mr., Runde's bill collectors signal
Is a simple red panel, which rings a
loud gong as 1t falls, at the same
time throwing out from wall a
complete disguise and hideous
mask. Downing the disguise and
horrifying mask, the artist steps
jauntily to the door, opens 1t and
utters a piercing shrek. If the bill
collector remains after the first
Shrek 1t is only necessary to utter
two more. and draw a long knife
from the folds of the disguise.
The wife wires are led down the
entire flight of stairs, in case a pref
ty model should be posing in the "al-
together" or mot quite" at the time
of approach.
Artist Rupde's wife signal is
small cuckoo bird, that steps softly
out of the indicator and clucks
twice Instantly there is let down
from the ceiling a fpii set of widows
weeds and strisSJ white wig, that
falls over the shoulders of the beau
tiful model, instantly giving her the
appearance of an ancient female. If
the artist is not married the wife sig
x.fnI J.<, - a..
or rich old aunt of prudish tenn
permanent
The subpoena server semaphore is
perhaps the most important and del
icately adjusted. This is necessary
because of the characteristic stealth
of such parties. The Runde patent,
however. should cover all exigencies
that relate to subpoena servers, for
1t is equipped with both a warning
to the artist and a scare producer for
the subpoena server.
The moment the subpoena servers
foot alights on the top step, dust
ball is shot out of the indicator over
the transom, and eXplodes against
the wall with terrific report. The
undesirable intruder will Immediate
ly conclude that the building has
blown up. or that he is the victim of
cuiotas that tb po' nrooa a i naar N'ii,
nm 81 1a n tbra pior n7iIls n%i All WV
stonnino therebu, enohiine nv artist
~ ar 1,,e NH, III, ,,,a.,, n,,a ~. .n'.
~ IJs iais,,,a w u "i'u g. N""'
The arr;vai 90 rarson haor,n
money or presents will be heralded
in the Indicator by the dropping of
golden panel, the playing of soft
ehtlclns music ana tne automatic
vniYM, ,n ppen ~ ale dooI, |uiuoIs
NJ W. t aeo ue eeesp VIII sohe lnusic
anu me burning VI puuSehl lncenses.