The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-12-31
MRS. TOPHAM'S
INVENTION
A New Years
Resolution
BY MILDRED JERNEGAN

The ensuing year-W0rk that would
bring him in a steady income with
which to support his growing family.
On the I'd day of January Mr.. Top
ham usually had a brilliant idea-a
brain splitting conception of a patent
dishwashing machine or a baby tender
that might take the place Of a paid
nursemaid. or an automatic fiapjack
griddle which not only would grease
itself, but would also dip a suspended
pitcher of batter so that one might
have a continuous succession of well
Drowned 6apjacks as fast as one could
remove them from the self greasIng,
nonburning, self adjusting griddle
Anything In the way Of a work saver
or labor eliminator appealed to the In
ventive faculty of Samuel Topham.
As these ideas attacked Samuel on
the second day Of the new year, OF
course be then abandoned the idea OF
seeking manual labor and devoted
himself exclusively to the perfecting OF
this latest patent Under these cir.
cumstances it became necessary for
Mrs. Topham to find some means OF
supplying her husband and seven lit
| tie daughters with food and clothing
This she did by home baking. She die
it :heerfully and 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 had registered his custom
airy vow with more than his ~accustom
| ed vigor.
There's no use talking. Sarah," BIZ
said. sinking heavily into a kitchen
chair and looking appealingly al hi
plump little wife from his prominen
light blue eyes, II haven't got thu
heart to see you go through anotheI
year like the last. Tomorrow morninI
l shall set out and find a job, some
thing that viii ut least bring us il
bread and cheese
you've said that before. SAM" re
tutACO 0dAdu lbuNluiy LOU utNcu
got to worry about that. I'm maxim,
enough from my baking to pay the gro
Ger and butcher, and we can wear ou
old clothes for a little while longer.
am sure the automatic griddle will b.
a money maker. Why, whenever | fee
extra tired ! just think how easy WI
will have it when that automatic grid
die Is on the market and you
Samuel lifted a IA hand and shool
his head sadly. I'm afraid that th
automatic griddle is not a success b
announced in a hollow voice.
"Not-a-success" Saeah Topham'
voice showed more genuine disma,
than 1t had done In the case of tn
failure of the dishwasher and the bah,
tender. which had been the last tw
inventions Of her husbands restles
brain Now she removed her hand
from a bowl of -four and surveye,
Samuel's gloomy ~countenance with
severe look on her usually good ma
tured face. You have heard some
thing newY' she asked
Yes. | had a ~letter-a most pecul
fairly worded letter-from Mr.. Bow
man. admitted Samuel. taking an en-
veloDe from his pocket and surveying
the s~uperscription %resentfully.
We'll, what did be say. Samuel
You know you asked him for a candle
opinion Of Its merits He's your sec
ond cousin and ought not to be afrait
to speak right out"
"He spoke right out" muttered Sam
uel bitterly.
what did be sayY'
HE said" returned Samuel reluc
family. that nc n except an unmiti
gated idiot and a constitutionally laz,
and shiftless loafer would ever hav,
spent a year Of Gods good time Ii
perfecting such a fools idea as m,
automatic griddle. | believe you nigh
call that a candid opinion"
"Why-the ideal" gasped Sarah Top
ham angrily.
II shall seek a job tomorrow" wen
on Samuel weakly.
He was surprised at his wife.
prompt reply. Its a good idea. Sam
uel," she said theoretically. I'm
afraid that we haven't capital enough
to wait until the griddle is a success.
"Of course, Sarah. when you los,
faith In me ! must go to the wall.
said Samuel Topham with dignity. ant
SO, folding the frankly written Iettel
Of bis second cousin. the inventor lief
the kitchen and strolled into the par
or Of the cottage. where his morri:
THAR was drawn before a glowing lit
tie air tight stove.
From the window he could see his
seven diminuuve daughters coastint
down the hill that sloped from theii
cottage to the highroad. He sighed
deeply. II his wonderful schemes hac
only carried out successfully these sew
en- daughters would each be an heiress
wearing rich fur coats and erminC
hoods instead Of bright little red cap:
and cloaks fashioned by Sarah's busy
hands.
@Ha-humw sighed Samuel. 6lling hi,
pipe and reaching for the morning
newspaper. 1t was necessary for Sam
uel to subscribe to a New York daily
paper in order to keep track OF the
latest inventions Of other creative
brains. Il must go out and look for
Job Of some kind tomorrow. II my
eyes didn't trouble me so much I'd try
bookkeeping, but what's the use?
believe Sarah has a boiled dinner to
day. Well. I'm glad.of that. If there:
D thing / enjoy it Is an old fashion
ed boiled dinner"
| Evidences or the dinner of corneC
beef and cabbage permeated the little
house from front to back Mr.. Top
ham leaned back In his chair ant
smoked easily and read the paper FROM
beginning to end. not ever emitting
the want" columns, which were pain
fully suggestive of work.
In the kitchen Sarah Topham few
around from table to stove, to sink an(
pantry and back to table again. There
was a high color In her cheeks, and
her blue e flashed strangely as she
went to and fro. preparing the good
dinner. filing In gaps Of time with the
making of a cake or a batch of biscuit
for the customers who were only toe
glad to buy her toothsome wares.
A knock came at the back door, fol
lowed by the anxious face of her near
est neighbor, Mrs. Morris.
Pm in a heap Of trouble. Mrs. Top
ham," began the visitor, sinking into
chair. "and when | smelled your boiled
dinner l wondered II you wouldn't hell
me out"
what is it2" asked Sarah prac
tically.
You know we never have dinner a
noon on Saturday; ! always wait anC
have it when William comes home at