Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-12-20
MRS. TOPHAM'S
INVENTION
A New Years
Resolution
Rv MILDRED .IFRNFCAN
BY MILDRED JERNEGAN

ssssssssssssssssssssssssss
The Tophams grew poorer every
year. On the list day OF January
Samuel 1opham registered solemn
vow that on the very next day he
would set forth IN qnest Of work for
the ensuing year-work that would
bring him in q steady income with
which to support his growing family
On the ID day OF January MIR. Top
ham usually had brilliant idea n
brain splitting conception Of q patent
dishwashlng machine or a baby tender
that might take the place Of paid
nursemuid. or an automatic fiapiack
griddle which not only would grease
itself. but would also tip suspentle,
pitcher Of batter 10 that one might
have a continuous succession OF well
Drowned tapjacks RS fast as one could
remove them from the self grrasing
nonburning. self adjusting griddle
Anything in the way OF ii work saver
or labor elimlnator appealed to the In
ventive faculty OF Samuel Tophan
As these ideas attacked samuel on
the second day Of the new year. OF
course he then abandoned the Idea OF
seeking manual labor and devoted
himself exclusively to the perferting Of
this latest patent. Under these cir
cumstances 1t became necessary foI
Mrs. Topham to find some means OF
supplying her husband and seven iit
tie daughters with food and clothing
This she did by home baking She did
1t cheerfully aud without complaint
for the Tophams. great and small. had
infinite faith In pas inventions and
contentedly scrimped and saved so that
one day all Of them might live sumptu-
ously on the proceeds OF his success
when 1t should really come to pass.
On this particular New Years morn
ing Samuel bad registered his custom
ary vow with more than his accustom
ed vigor.
There's no use talking Sarah he
said. sinking heavily into a kitchen
chair and looking appealingly at his
plump little wife from his prominent
light blue eyes. II haven't got the
heart to see you go through another
year like the last. Tomorrow morning
shall set ont and find a job. some
thing that will at least bring us in
bread and cheese"
you've said that before. SAM" re
turned Sarah placidly "You haven't
got to worry about thnt I'm making
enough from my baking to pay the gro
Ger and butcher. and we can wear ON
old clothes for little while longer. /
am SURE the automatic griddle will be
money maker Why. whenever feel
extra tired | Just think how easy We
will have 1t when that automatic grid
die Is on the market and you
Samuel lifted fat hand and SHOOK
his head sadly I'm afraid that the
automatic griddle Is not success" be
announced in hollow voice.
'sNot-a-successY Sarah Topham's
voice showed more genuine dsmay
than II had done 10 the case OF the
failure Of the dishwasher and the baby
tender, which had been the last two
inventions Of her husbands restless
brain. Now she removed her hands
from a bowl OF four and surveyed
Samuel's gloomy countenance with a
severe look on her usually good na
tured face. you have heard some
thing newg she asked
Yes had letter-a most pecul
iarly worded letter from Mr. Bow
man." admitted Samuel. taking an en-
velope from his pocket and surveying
the superscrintion resentfully.
"Well. what did he say. Samuel;
You know you asked him for a candid
opinion OF Its merits He's your sec
ond cousin and ought not to be afraid
to speak right out"
"He spoke right out" muttered Sam
uel bitterly.
"What did he sayf'
.'He said" returned Samuel reluc
family. 'that no one except an nnmiti
gated idiot and q cOnstltutionally lazy
and shiftless loafer would ever have
spent a year OF Gods good time in
perfecting such a FOOLS Idea as my
automatic griddIe. believe you might
call that candid opinion"
"why-the- idear gasped Sarah Top
ham angrily.
Il shall seek job tomorrow" weni
on Samuel weakly.
He was surprised at his wife-
prompt reply. Its good Idea. Sam
uel." she said energetically. I'm
afraid that we haven't capital enouei
to wait until the grildle is a success
"0f course, Sarah, when you lost
faith In me ! must go to the wall
said Samuel ropham with dignity, ane
so. folding the frankly written letter
Of bis second cousin. the inventor lefi
the kitchen and strolled into the par
lor Of the cottage. where his morris
rhair was drawn before a glowing III
lie air tight stove
From the window he could see hi
seven dimInuuve daughters coastins
down the hill that sloped from theii
cottage to the highroad He sighed
deeply. II his wonderful schemes haa
only carried out successfully these sev
en- daughters would each be an heireSs
wearing rich fnr coats and ermim
hoods instead of bright little red caps
and cloaks fashioned by Sarab's bns,
hands
~Ha-hnm" sighed Samuel. filling hi,
pipe aud reaching for the mornlhe
namenonar n tvas naeasSarv for Sof.