The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-12-26
. THE MYSTERY
OF JOHN BOUNCE
A Genius Who Was Inventive
In Several Ways.

mates and fast friends. Johnny was
Younger than |, but stronger. Every
how who could lick me availed himself
of the opportunity just for the run OF
it. Johnny could lick most or them
and, noticing that needed a friend, De-
gan to lick every boy that licked me.
This had a wholesome effect. and
was soon let alone.
When we left school to go out into
the world 1--WE we're pretty big boys
them | said to John Bounce: Johnny,
| want you to understand that l owe
you a whole lot. If ever get chance
to make a standoff for what you've
done for me I'll do II"
ooh, you don't owe me anything.
Tom he said Besides. l guess We'll
both get along pretty WELL"
| didn't see John after our parting
for years. Then one day man came
into my office of very forlorn appear
ance. l put my fingers in my pocket
to get out 10 cents when | noticed the
fellow looking at me with quizzical
expression.
you don't know me. Tom%
'No, don't"
I'm Johnny Bounce"
NV heart sank. for I knew that the
world had been too much for John.
However. | gave his hand a warm
grasp, asked him to sit down and tell
me what he had been doing. He said
he hadn't had much success thus far.
but he had "irons in the fire." some of
which he thought would pan out very
big. l had heard of these irons" be-
fore in connection with men who had
lost their grip on the world and knew
that instead of irons they were gases.
But l saw that John was sincere. so
did not discourage him.
"You can't run a thing like that.
john" | said, referring to one Of his
schemes. without being grubstaked.
l haven't any capital to put In. but
wish you would let me lend you what
you need from time to time. I've got
$40 here in my No? Don't need It?
Well, whenever you do come right In
here and get it.
I knew perfectly we'll that he needed
money. but could not bring himself to
take it from me, whose equal he had
been in everything except an ability to
punch boys heads, and in this he had
been my superior. l was obliged to let
him go without affording him relief.
but took his address, resolving to find
some indirect way of giving him mon
ey. But l was very busy at the time
and put the matter off. Besides. am
not an inventive genius and failed to
think of any method Of lending John
Bounce money without appearing to
give it.
One morning woman came into my
office and said she had heard John
Bounce, who boarded with her. speak
of me- She said that Bounce owed her
$S7.45 for board. and she would like
me to tell her if he had any property
on which she could levy. | told her
that Mr.. Bounce was a perfectly hon.
orable man. but was trying to carry
through certain schemes without sufi-
cient capital. She left with a check
for the amount of her bill. A week
later I received a note from John re-
GREETING that the woman had thought
it necessary to adopt such strenuous
measures and assuring me that one of
his irons was at white heat and he
would soon call and return the amount.
l admired his plan of enabling me to
help him Indirectly.
Tnhn 70 T1fc
pride, his sensitiveness, whatever Ii
was, wouldn't let him. One day a long
while after the board bill episode
received a note from an undertaken
telling me that a man named John
Bounce had died in a boarding house
A letter from me had been found In
his room, and since there was no mon
ey to bury him it was deemed advisa-
BILE to notify me. The amount required
was about 500.
l was sorry now since poor John
was gone that l had not been able to
do more for him. inclosed a check
for the amount and authorized a call
for more. | did the latter as an ex-
cuse to my conscience for not attend
ing to the matter personally. l couldn't
bring myself to such a melancholy
duty.
A few months later / received a note
from one who wrote that he had been
an intimate friend Of the late Mr. John
Bounce, the inventor. 1t was proposed
by several of Mr. Bounce's friends to
place a headstone at his grave. There
were four men ready to contribute $50
each. The cost of the stone would be
S25O. Knowing that l had been a
schoolmate of Mr.. Bounce he had ven
tured to write to know if l would
make one Of five. I at once sent my
check for $50
A year passed One morning l re-
celVe a note from a lawyer stating
tnat John Bounce had died a few days
Defore 'my hair stood on end with as
ronlshment). that Mr. Bounce had left
me MS sole heir q wondered), that Mr..
bounce had patented a mechanical toy.
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