Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-01-31
MRS. TOPHAM'S
INVENTION
A New Years
Resolution
By MILDRED JERNEGAN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Tophams grew poorer every
year. On the LIST day of January
Samuel Topham registered a solemn
vow that on the very next day he
would set forth In quest of work for
the ensuing year-work 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 brilliant idea--a
brain splitting conception of a patent
dlshwashlng machiue or baby tender
that might take the place of paid
nursemaid, or an automatic fiapjack
grlddle which not only would grease
itself, but would also tip suspended
pitcher of batter so that one might
have u continuous succession Of well
Drowned flapjacks as fast as one could
remove them from the self greasing.
nonburning self adjusting griddle.
Anything In the way Of n work saver
or labor ellmlnator appealed to the In
ventive faculty OF Samuel Topham.
Az 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 perfecting of
this latest patent Under these cir
cumstances It became necessary for
Mrs. Topham to find some means of
supplying her husband aud seven lit
tie daughters with food and clothing.
This she did by home baking She did
1t cheerfully and without complaint,
for the Tophams, great and small, had
infinite faith in pas" inventions and
contentedly scrlmped and saved 80 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. Sarnh," he
said. sinking heavily into n kitchen
chair and looking appealingly ut his
plump little wife from his prominent
light blue eyes. Il haven't got the
heart to see you go through another
year like the last. Tomorrow morning
shall set out and find n job, some
thing TINT will Mt least bring us IL
bread and cheese"
You've said that before. SAM" re
turned Sarah placidly. "You haven
got to worry about that. I'm making
enough from my baking to pny the gro
Ger and butcher. and we can wear on
old clothes for a little while longer.
am sure the automatic gridde will b.
a money maker Why, whenever fee
extra tired | just think how easy w
will have II when that automatic grid
die Is on the market and you"
Samuel lifted q fat hand and SHOOT
his head sadly I'm afraid that tn
automatic griddle Is not success" b.
announced in hollow voice
"Not-a--success2 Sarah rOpham'
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 lust tw
inventions Of her husbands restles
brain. Now she removed her hand
from a bowl Of aour and surveye
Samuel's gloomy countenance with
severe look on her usually good M
tured face. You have heard some
thing newT she asked
Yes. ! had Ietter-a most pecul
iarly worded letter from Mr.. Bow
man." admitted Samuel. taking nn en-
velope from his pocket and surveying
the superscripti0n resentfully.
well, whnt 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 sayT
He sald." returned Samuel reluc
family, that no one except an unmiu
gated idiot and a constitutionally lazy
and shiftless loafer would ever have
spent year Of Gods good time In
perfecting such FOOLS idea as my
automatic griddle. | believe you might
call that a candid opinion"
"Why-the-ideaw gasped Sarah Top
ham angrily.
II shall seek Job tomorrow" went
on Samuel weakly.
He was surprised at his wife'i
prompt reply. Its a good idea, Sam
uel." she said energetically. 'T'n
afraid that we haven't capital enough
to wait until the gridde is a success"
"Of course. Sarah. when you LOSE
faith In me must go TO the wall,
said Samuel Topham with dignity, ant
so, folding the frankly written letter
OF his second cousin, the inventor lef
the kitchen and strolled into the par
bor of the cottage. where his morri,
chair was drawn before a glowing lit
tie air tight stove.
From the window he could see his
seven dimlnuuve daughters coastint
down the bill that sloped from theil
cottage to the bighroad. He sighed
deeply. II his wonderful schemes had
only carried out successfully these sew
en- daughters would each he an beiress
wearing rich fur coats and erminC
hoods instead OF bright little red caps
| and clOaks fashioned by Sarah's busy
hands
"Ha-huml' sighed Samuel 6lling his
pipe and reaching for the morning
newspaper. II was necessary for Sam
nei to subscribe to New York daily
paper 10 order to keep track Of the