Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-22

In this instance however, the army officers present
objected the mans running such unnecessary risk
they insisted that at least few trial shots should prove
the safety of the gun before exposing human life to it's
possibilities of disaster Much against his inclination
the inventor compelled to take shelter behind
bombproof the experiment allowed to proceed
Then, at last, the lanyard pulled for the first
shot Instantly there came terrific explosion When
the startled party emerged from cover they found
trace whatever of the gum
The Price of Pride
A MOTHER inventor, choke full of sublime enthusi-
asm without adequate ballast of sound sense, in
vented dynamite gun for which he fondly anticipated
magnificent achievements, since the weapon ex-
pected to hurl through the air of dynamite with
great velocity in very cheap bombs, while the con-
structon of the itself made its cost a mere
trife. The gun, in fact consisted of nothing
elaborate expensive than piece of ournch wrought
iron, and the bomb simply piece of lead gaspipe
filled with dynamite and capped at each end
The inventor, complacent over the wonders to be
wrought by this triumph of his ingenuity, hied him
forthwith to his Congressman, with whom his relations
were sufficiently close to make efficient pull, with
the result that presently orders issued for trial
of the piece at Sandy Hook The inventor felt that at
last his hour of glory at hand. In the preliminary
testing of the gun at his home in Staten Island the
results had been eminenty satisfactory and he dis
tressed by no fear of failure in the official examinations
but at the very last moment there most un-
fortunate hitch in the affair.
When the piece had been duly placed in position at
Sandy Hook, with everything carefully prepared in
readiness for the firing the officers, following their Gus
tom IN such the gun had been
the bombproof This the inventor refused to do and
he refused with considerable emphasis 1t seemed to
him that such must bear witness to the world
that he himself was lacking complete confidence in his
cannon, Which was not the case He vowed that the
gun absolutely safe, and that he would not by his
conduct at such vital moment cast any aspersion
its trustWorthiness The officers insisted; he remained
firm. They declared that they would not 60 on, with
the test unless he complied with their requirements;
he grew obstinate, adhered to his determination to
stand by the piece literally and metaphorically.
aS he off UO1116
not retreat from their prudent position, he from his
of absurd pride he told them with much bitterness that
he would deprive Uncle Sam of this marvel spite the
Government for its folly, and that he would instead
sell 1t to some more fortunate foreign Power Having
made this unpatriotc announcement, he speedily
moved the gun Staten Island The official test was
abandoned for all time by of his astonishing pig
headedness.
Thereafter this singular individual made arrange
mens tor private demonstration of the excellence of
his invention to which he invited large number of his
personal friends. On the appointed day the company
duly assembled and it is noteworthy that the members
thereof were at immediate pains to conceal themselves
hther and yon the landscape, at cautious dis
lance from the gun, behind rocks and hilocks and
trees When the guests had thus safely disposed their
the inventor loaded his piece, sighted it, and them
standing by it in exultant pride, fired it.
One of the curious things about explosives is that
there remains always element of uncertainty as to
Their behavior under gven conditions. That is why
some men can boast of burning dynamite in their hands,
while others who have done the thing cannot
boast OF -for they dead. In this instance every
thing arranged with exceeding care, and the result
of the test should have been complete vndicaton of
the inventors claims. Unfortunately. the unknown ele
ment asserted itself and asserted itself dsastrousy
The charge of dynamite, which should have been
projected quescent to explode arrival at its destna
ton, detonated in the gun when the powder set off
And this gun piece of four-inch wrought iron
The intrepid inventor so fortunate to escape with
his life. Three ribs broken, side of his face
was blown off, and host of minor injuries scat
tered his carcass; but the worst hurt of ALL doubt
less, to his pride that fantastic pride betrayed by