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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1906)
THE INVENTIONS OE HAWKINS gya EDGAR. .FRAN KLIN THE HYDRO-VAPOR LIFT. 1 may have mentioned that it was %mitomary for Hawkins and myself to travel down town together on the ele vated six days in the week. So far as tbet goes, we still do so; for it has come over me recently that any attempt to dodge the demoniac Inventions of Hawkins is about as thankless and hopeless a task as seek ing to avoid the setting of the sun. For two or three mornings, how ever, 1 had been leaving the house ■ome 10 or 15 minutes earlier than usual. Thete had lately appeared the old,un canny light in Hawklna’ eye; and if trouble were lmpending.it was my fond, foolish hope vc he out of Its way—until such a time, at least, as the police or the coroner should call me up on the telephone to identify all that was mor tal of Hawkins. Three days, then, my strategy had been crowned with success. I had eludsd Hawkins and ridden down alone, the serene enjoyment of my pa per unpunctuated by dissertations upon the practicability of condensing the clouds for commercial purposes, or the utilization of atmospheric nitro gen in the manufacture of predigested breakfast food. But upon the fourth morning a fuse blew out under the car before we left the station; and as I sat there fussing about the delay, in walked Hawkins. i He was beaming and cheerful, but the glitter in his eye had grown more intense. “Ah, Griggs,” he exclaimed, “I’ve missed you lately!” “I hope you haven’t lost weight over It?” wen, no. rve Deen Dusy—very busy.” "Rush of business?” "Um—ah—yes. Griggs!” It was coming. Hawkins stared hard at me for a mo- i ment; then i gave him another push, j “Hawkins," I said, hurriedly, “have you followed this matter of the Pan ama canal?” and ho toppled into the canal and wallowed about in its waters until the ride was over. Unhappily, my own place of business j is located farther down upon the same ; street with the Blank building, where Hawkins has—or had—offices. There ! ■was no way of avoiding it—I was forced to walk with him. But the suppressed enthusiasm in Hawkins didn’t come out, and I felt ! rather more easy. Whatever it was, I fanci.i.i that he had left the material | part of it at home, and home lay many blocks up town. I was safe. "Good-by." I smiled when we reached his entrance. “Not much,” Hawkins responded, j “Come in." "But, my dear fellow—” "You come,” commanded the in-! ventor. “There’s something in here I want you to see.” He led me in and past the line of 5 elevators. So v e were not going up to his of fices! We seemed to be heading for ! the cigar booth, and for a moment I j fancied that Hawkins had discovered ' a new brand and was going to treat ! we; but he piloted me farther, to a ! door, and opened it and we passed ! through. Then I perceived where we were. The It lank building people had been constructing an addition to their im- j mense stock of offices; we stood in the freshly completed and wholly unoccu- ! pied annex. “There, sir!” said Hawkins, extend-j ing his forefinger. “What do you see, Gt iggs?’ "Six empty barrels, about three wag on-loads of kindling wood, a new tiled floor, and six brand-new elevators,” I j replisd. "Oh, hang those things! Look— * where Im pointing!” “Ah! somebody’s left a packing-box in one of the elevator-shafts, eh?” Certainly, more than anything else, that was what it resembled. “At the first glance it appeared to be nothing more than a crude wooden case about the size of an elevator car, standing in cne of the shafts and con trasting unpleasantly with the other new, shining polished cars. “Packing—ugh!” snapped the invent or. “Do you know what that is?” “You turned down my first guess,” I suggested, humbly. “Griggs, what appears to you as a packing-case is nothing more nor less than the first and only Hawkins Hy Jdro-Vapor Lift!” “The which?” “The — Hawkins — Hydro — Vapor —Lift!” “Hydro-Vapor?” I murmured. “What ever is that? Steam?” “Certainly.” “And lift, I presume, is English for elevator?” "The words are synonymous," said Hawkins, coldly. “Then why the dickens didn’t you call it a steam elevator and be done with it? Wasn't that sufficiently com plicated ?” “Oh, Griggs, you never seem able to understand! Now, a steam elevator— so ca:!cd—is an old proposition. A Hydro-Vapor Lift is entirely new and sounds distinctive!” “Yes, it sounds queer enough,” I ad mitted. “Just examine it,” said the inventor, joyous'y, leading me to the box. _aA-ja_11a .. a*-- , There was not much to be examined. Four walls, a ceiling and a floor—all of undressed wood—that was about the ex tent of the affair; but In the center of the floor lay a circular iron plate, some two feet across and festooned near the edge with a circle of highly unornamental iron bolt heads. Beside the plate, a lever rising per pendicularly from the floor constituted the nde furnishing of the car. "Now, you’ve seen a hydraulic ele vator?” Hawkins began. “You know how they work—a big steel shaft pushed up the car from underneath, so that when it is in operation the car is simp!y a fox standing on the end •of-e tele, which rises-or sinks, as the operator wills.” "I believe so.” I assented. “I think it’s time now for me to go—” “That principle is fallacious!” the inventor exclaimed. “Consider what it would mean here—a steel shaft 16 Btorles high, weighing tons and tons!” "Well?” “Well, sir, 1 have reversed that idi otic idea!” Hawkins announced, tri umphantly. “I have had a hole dug 16 stories deep, and put the steel shaft down into it.” It was about what one might have expected from Hawkins; but despite my ung acquaintance with his bizarre mental machinery. I stood and gasped in sheer amazement. "Now, then,” pursued the inventor. “I have had a steel tube made, a. little longer than the shaft, you under stand.' “What! Even longer than 16 sto ries?” "Of course. The tube fits the shaft exactly, just as an engine cylinder fits the plunger. The elevator stands upon the upper end of the tube. We let steam into the tube by operating this I I lever, which controls my patent, re-' versible steam-release. What happens? j why, the tube Is forced upward and the elevator rises. I let out some of i the steam—and the tube sinks down into the ground! That iron plate which you see is the manhole cover of the tube, as it were—it corresponds,} of course, to -Jie cylinder-head of an i engine.” "And the people who own this place—did they allow you to do it, or have you been chloroforming the watchman anci working at night?” I inquired. “Don’t be absurd, Griggs,” said Hawkins. "1 pay a big rent here. The owners were very nice about it” They must have been—exceedingly so, I thought; nice to the point of im becility. Had they known Hawkins as I know him, they would joyfully have handed him hick his lease, given him a substitute cash bonus to boot, and even have thrown in a non-t:*ansfer able Cook’s tour ticket to Tiinbuctoo before they allowed him to emaark on the project. "Weli,” Hawkins said, sharply, breaking in upon my reverie. “Don’t stand there mooning. Did you ever see anything like it before?” “Once, when 1 was a child, ’ I con fessed, “I fell while climbing a flag pole. and that night I dreamed—” “Bah! Come along and watch her work.” “No!” I protested. “Oh, no!” “Good Lord, why not?” crle< Hawk- ] ins. * “My wife,” 1 murmured. “She can- i not spare me, Hawkins, you know— I .not yet.” - m ■ . ■ “Hug the Wall'" ' superbly gentle motion with which she 1 rises,” he instructed me. I prepared for that familiar head ! going - up - and - the - rest - of - you staying - below sensation and gritted my teeth. Hawkins pulled at the lever. The Hydro-Vapor Lift quivered for an in stant. Then it ascended the shaft— and very gently and pieasantly. “There! I suppose you’ve trembled until your collar-buttons have worked loose?” Hawkins said, 'contemptuous ly, turning on me. “Not quite that,” I murmured. “Well, you may as well stop. In a moment or two we shall have reached the top floor; and there, if you like, you can get out and climb down 16 flights of stairs.” “Thank you,” I said, sincerely. “This, of course, is only the slow speed,” Hawkins continued. “We can increase it with the merest touch. Watch.” “Wait! I like it better slow!” I pro tested. “Oh, I’ll slacken down again in a moment.” Hawkins gave a mighty push to the controlling apparatus. A charge of dynamite seemed to have been ex ploded beneath the Hydro-Vapor Lift! “Were going too fast!” I cried. Up we shot! I watched the freshly painted numbers between floors as they ! whizzed by us with shuddering appre hension: 9—10—11—12— Hawkins, I think, was about to ' laugh derisively. His head had turned | to me, and his lips had curled slightly I —when the Hydro-Vapor Lift stopped j with such tremendous suddenness that •** ** •• ** dent smile. The Hydro-Vapor Lift did not budge the fraction of an inch. Then he pushed it back—and for ward again. And still the inexorable 13 stood before us. "Confound that — er — engineer!” growled tne Inventor. Just then the Hydro-Vapor Lift in dulged in a series of convulsive shud ders. It was too much for my nerves. I felt certain that in another sec ond we were to drop, and I shouted lustily: “Help! Help! Help!” “Shut up!” cried Hawkins. “Do you want to get the workmen here and have them see that something’s wrong?” I affirmed that intention with un printable force. "Well, I don’t!” said the inventor. Why, Griggs, I’m figuring on equip ping this building with my lift in a couple of months!” “Are—are they going to allow that?” I gas pea. "Why, nothing’s settled as yet; but it is understood that If this experi mental model proves a success—” But my cry had summoned aid. Above us, and hidden by the roof of the car, some one shouted: "Hallo! Phat is it?” “Hallo!” I returned. “Air ye in the box?” said the voice, its owner evidently astonished. "Yes! Get an ax!” “Phat?” "An ax!” I repeated. “Get an ax and chop out the roof of this beastly thing, so that we can climb out, and—” Hawkins clapped a hand over my mouth, and his scowl was sinister. -« -■-m-■ “Why, there isn't the slightest ele ment ol danger,” the inventor argued. “Surely, Griggs, even you must be able to grasp that. Gan’t you see that that is the chief beauty of the Hydro-Vapor Lift? There are no cables to break! Thai’s the great feature. This car may be loaded with ton after ton; but If she’s overloaded, she simply stops. There are no risky wire ropes to snap and let down the whole affair.” "I know that, but there are no wire ropes to hold her up, either, and—” Hawkins snorted angrily. Then he grabbed me bodily and forced me along toward the door of his Hydro-Vapor Lift. “Actually, you do make me tired,” he said. "You seem to think that every body is conspiring to take your wretch ed little life!” “But what have you against me?” I asked, mournfully. “Why not let me out and do your experimenting alone?” “Because—Lord knows why I'm doing it, you're not important enough to warrant it—I’m bound to convince you that thi£ contrivance is all that I claim!” Oh, had I tut spent the days of my youth ir a strenuous gymnasium! Had I but been endowed with muscles be yond the dreams of Eugene Sandow, and been expert in boxing and wrest ling, and in the breaking of bones, as the Japanese! Then 1 could have fallen upon Hawkins from the rear and tied him into knots and even dismembered him if necessary—and escaped. But things are what they are, and Hawkins is more than a match for me; so ne banged the door angrily and grasped the lever. "Now, observe with gi-eat care the we almost flew up against the root of the car. Tbat was the law of inertia at work. Then we descended to the floor with a crash that seemed calculated to loosei it. That was the law of gravi tation. I presume that Hawkins figured with out them. 1 was the first to sit up. For a time my heed revolved too rapidly for any thing like coherent perception. Then, as the stars began to fade away, I saw that we were stuck fast between floors; and before my eyes—large and pr' -n inent in the newness of Its paint— loomed up the number 13. It looked ominous. "We—we seem to have stopped,” I said. “Yes,” snapped Hawkins. “What was it? Do you suppose any thing was sticking out into the shaft? Has—can it be possible that there is anything like a mechanical error in your Hydro-Vapor Lift?” “No! It’s that blamed-fool of an en gineer!” “What!” i exclaimed. “Do you blame him?” "Certainly." "But bow was it his fault?” "Oh—you see—bah!” said the in ventor, turning rather red. “You wouldn’t understand if I were to ex plain the whole thing, Griggs.” "But I should like to know, Hawk ins.” "Why?” "I want to write a little account of the why and the wherefore, so that they can find it in ease—anything hap pens to us.” Hawkins turned away loftily. “We’ll have to get out of this,” he said. He pulled at his lever with a confl THEY MAKE SILK FROM GUNCOTTON Science threatens to put the silk worm out of business, says the Tech nical World. French chemists have discovered at least three distinct methods of competing with the old ( reliable but extremely deliberate silk ' worm. Perhaps the most interesting of these Is the manufacture of silk from guncotton, which also serves as a base for the most powerful of modern explosives The viscous fluid from wtiicn tne silkworm spins his thread is chemic ally duplicated by a new process. The fabric thus produced ia inflamma ble, and in order to remedy this de fect it is treated with an alkali so lution. The founders of the new industry have kept in view not so much the exact reproduction of natural silk as the production of a substance which embraces its valuable properties. natural siik possesses to a large de gree qualities of brilliancy, elasticity, strength, affinity for coloring and bleaching materials, and when han dled a peculiar rustling sound, known as scroop. Perhaps the brilliancy and scroop of silk are the best known of Its qualities, and it is in these two respects that artificial silk most close ly resembles natural, its brilliancy being groatqr and its scroop slightly less. w -—■■■■■ —■ ww ■■ ww ■■ vr •• w HE HAD DISPOSED OF THE SPECIMEN The following amusing little story, comes from a home missionary who is laboring in North Carolina: In her school, she says, the little children have a nature study class. One day the teacher sent the class out to gather specimens for examina tion. When they were called in some had blossoms, colored leaves, twigs, etc., but one little Are-year-old carried a lire minnow which he had caught in the stream that runs by the house. This was noticed by the teacher, and, as she thought it the most in teresting subject for discussion, she left it for the last. The leaves, flow ers, etc., were talked about, and final ly she said: “Well, Cnrtis, what have yon got for our lesson to-day?” “Nothing.” “Did you not bring in something?” iiy^g tv “What is itr “A fish.” “Well, let me see it.” "I ain’t got it” “Where is it, Curtis?” To which he answered, very slowly: “1 ate it, ma’am!” Her Manners. “Miss Stronghead insists that she thinks like a man.” “But that isn’t the worst of it; she acts like one.”—Detroit Free Press. FOR THE BREAKFAST TABLE. J “Fopovers" Had Origin in Brain oti Chinese Cook. This recipe for popovers came from California, from Sam, a “China boy" cook, who always called this delicious breakfast bread “Jim Pops.” He used to bake them in stoneware cups, but bot. buttered gem pans will answer, tor one dozen “Jim Pops” allow four eggs, one cup pastry flour, half a tea spoonful salt and a pint rich mllk. Beat whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with a wire cake whip, and set aside. Beat the yolks with a Dover beatei and add to them the milk. Sift to gether a liberal pint of flour and a half teaspoonful salt and beat the milk gradually into it, still using the Dover beater. When the flour, milk and egg from a stiff batter without lumps, take out the beater and grad ually fold in the stiffly beaten whites Do not stir once with a circular mo tion after adding the whites, but in corporate them in the mixture by folding so as not to break down the air cells in the beaten eggs. Have the cups well greased, pour in the batter and bake three-quarters of an hour, in a moderately hot oven, until the puffs are well popped and delicate ly browned. TO CLEAN LACE CURTAINS. Proper Drying the Most Difficult Part of the Operation. First shake the curtains free from dust and then wash them in warm suds, squeeze gently so as not to break the meshes in the lace and wave up and down. Do not rub them either with the hands or on a board Boil, rinse, blue or yellow with coffe if they are ecru, starch lightly before the net begins to dry, then put in the air (sunshine if convenient) and dry as quickly as is possible. Drying is the most difficult part of the cleans ing, for each scallop in the curtain should be pulled into shape and pinned either to a regular curtain frame or on a sheet, put on the floor; for unless the corners and edges are all stretched taut, the curtains may dry in creases and wrinkles that are undesirable. Dry cleaning is done with some cleansing fluid, such as benzine or gasoline, that can be bought in any paint shop or drug store. CHICKEN A LA KING. Favorite Dish Among the Epicures of New York. A favorite tfish served in one of the popular hotels of New York is chick en a la king. The recipe is as fol lows: Cut into small pieces the* white meat of a cold roast chicken. Make a sauce with two tablespoon fuls of butter in a saucepan over the fire. When the butter melts stir in two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, which has been well sifted. When the flour and butter are mixed to a cream pour in slowly a pint of hot milk, stirring constantly to keep from lumping. Allow the same to boil up once; then add a tablespoonful of grated onion, a saltspoonful of salt, and the yolks of two eggs. Stir them briskly through the sauce; add twoi truffles and two mushrooms cut in small pieces and fried in butter, one sweet green pepper cut in shreds aft er seeds have been removed, and a generous tablespoonful of capers chopped, and just a suggestion of grated nutmeg. Last of all, add the chicken; stir all together, and allow it to cook a minute. Chicken a la king is usually served in a chafing dish. A Little Clothespin Lore. Clothespins that have been boiled for ten or fifteen minutes will out last those that have not been sub jected to this process. After using, clothespins should not be left exposed to the air and dust, but put away clean and dry. Many careless maids have a senseless practice of tossing them on the ground when taking down the clothes. To avoid this, make her a clothespin bed-ticking apron, with a large pocket across the bottom. Be fore going out to hang or take in the clothes, tie this about the waist, hav ing the pocket filled with pins when going out, and instruct her to put the pins directly in when taking down the clothes. In cold weather aching fingers can be prevented by heating the pins in the oven just before going out to hang the clothes. Danger in Old Medicines. It is a wise thing to throw out old medicine. Keeping it is rash econ omy, as many drugs lose their strength while others deteriorate and become dangerous to take. Then the same physical conditions do not often occur, and it is always safer to get a new prescription, or at least have the old one freshly put up. Besides, if old bottles accumulate, one is apt to for get what they contain, and in an emer gency seize on the wrong one, with serious results. German Sandwiches. These are made from a combination of rye bread and pumpernickel well buttered, and between them chopped beef, cheese or chicken, covered with chopped pickle. A layer of bologna sausage is sometimes substituted for the other meats. Here’s a Dish in Season. Panned oysters on toasted crackers are tasty. Cook the oysters until they plump in a tablespoonful of but ter, two saltspoonfuls of salt, a dash of paprika and a little common pep per. Then turn them over the crack* ers. Evil of Too Much Reading. A bookish man, says Dr. William Osier, may never succeed. Defep versed in books, he may not be able to use his knowledge to practical ef fect; or, more likely, his failure is not because he has read too much, but observed too little. Amateur Milkmaid. “O, James!” exclaimed Mrs. Slttie. “do let’s move to Che country and keep cows, so we can have nice fresh beet tea every morning!” — Cleveland leader. "Haven't you a grain of sense left?” be hissed. "Yes, of course I have. That’s why I want an ax to—” “Te!l that crazy engineer I want more steam!” bawled Hawkins, drown ing my voice. "More steam?” said the person above. "More steam an’ an ax, is it?” “No—no ax. Tell him I want more steam, and I want it quick! He’s got so little pressure that we're stuck!” We heard the echo of departing foot steps. “Now, you’d have made a nice mud dle, wouldn’t your’ snarled the invent or. “We’d have made a nice sight clambering out through a hole in the top of this car!” “There are times,” 1 said, “when ap pearances don’t count for much.” “Well, this isn’t one of them,” re joined the inventor, sourly. I did not reply. There was nothing that occurred to me that wouldn’t have offended Hawkins, so l kept silence. We stood there for a period of min utes, hut the Hydro-Vapor Lift seemed disinclined to move either up or down. Once or twice Hawkins gave a push at his lever; but that part of the appa ratus seemed permanently to have re tired from active business. “Shall we move Boon?” I inquired, when the stillness became oppressive. “Presently," growled Hawkins. Another long pause, and I hazard ed again: “Isn’t it growing warm?” I non t reel It . "Weli, It is! Ah! The heat is com ing from that plate!” I exclaimed, as it dawned upon me that the big iron thing was radiating warm wares through the stufTy little car. “Your Hydro-Vapor Lift will be pleasant to ride in when the thermometer runs up in August, won’t It?” Hawkins did not deign to reply, and I fell to examining the plate. “Look,’’ I said, “isn't that steam?” “Isn’t what steam?” “Down there,” I replied, pointing to the plate. _ A fine jet of vapor was curling from one point at its edge—a thin spout of hot steam! “That’s rothing, said Hawkins. “Little leak—nothing more.” "But there's another now!” “Positively, Griggs, I think you have the most active imagination I ever knew in an otherwise—” “Use your eyes,” I said, uneasily. “There s another—and still another!’ Hawkins bent over the plate — as much to hide the concern which ap peared upon his face as for any other reason, I think. “Weli,’’ he said, “she's leaking a trifle.” "But why?” “The plate isn’t steam-tight, of course; and the engineer’s sending us more pressure.” His composure had returned by thft time, and ne regarded me with such contemptible eyes that I could find no ■ answer. But Hawkins’ contempt couldn't shut off the steam. It blew out harder and harder trom the leaky spots. The little car began to fill, and the temperature rose steadily. from a comfortable warmth it in creased to an uncomfortable warmth; then to a positively intolerable, reek ing wet heat. I removed my coat, and a little later my vest. Hawkins did likewise. We both found some difficulty in breath ing. The steam grew thicker, the car hot- j ter and hotter. Perspiration was ooz- f ing from every pore in my body. Spark ling little rivulets coursed down Hawk- : ins’ countenance. “Hawkins,” I said, “if you’d "ailed this thing the Hydro-Vapor Bath, in- ! stead of Lift—” “Don't be witty,” Hawkins said, coldly. "Never mind. It may be a bit un reliable as an elevator, but you can let it out for steam-baths—50 cents a ticket, you know, until you’ve made up t whatever the thing cost.” Bzzzzzzzzzz! said the steam. ''I’m going to shout for that ax again,” I said, determinedly. “Ten minutes more of this and we’ll be cooked alive!” “Now—” began the inventor. “Hawkins,” I decline to be convert ed into stew simply to save your van ity. He—” “Hey!” shouted Hawkins, dancing away from his lever into a corner of the car and regarding the iron plate | with round eyes. “What is it, now?” I asked breath- | lessly. A queer roaring noise was coming from somewhere. The Hydro-Vapor ' affair executed a series of blood-curd ling shakes. From the edges of the plate the steam hissed spitefully and with a new vigor. “That—that jackass of an engineer!” Frenchman Took No Chances MH! JmmiSim 1 ife 13.11 neSSm The Frenchman's proverbial fore sight in time of emergency was well illustrated in Paris when the impend ing May day strike made many timid souls fear the return of the commune and the fall of the republic. The bakeries, groceries, fish and butcher shops were all sold out by the evening of April 30, and many a Paris ian household could have stood a siege of weeks before capitulating to the enemy. One citizen in particular was desir ous of having what army men would call a self-contained apartment. Hence he not only laid in a great stock of provisions, but for fear lest the city waterworks should be dynamited, filled his bathtub with drinking water. Even that did not satisfy him. Gaz laaai «I|jsi M afksn M s ing at the bathtub, it occurred to him that the water could be made to do a double service. So off he dashed to the fish market, whence he returned in triumph with a dozen live fish to inhabit the tub. History does not relate how many hours he amused himself by fishing in the bathtub on the fateless May 1; but, plainly, the French army lost a good commissary general when this man chose to remain a civilian.—N. Y. Evening Po3t. Not Inviting. Vegetarian—You want to go back to nature. Prodigal—Yes; but the trouble it that she doesn’t kill the fatted calf. —N. Y. Sun. si — sllawsesl Hawkins sputtered. “He’s sending too much steam!” For a moment I didn’t quite catch the significance; then I faltered vim sudden weakness; “Hawkins, you said that this plate corresponded to the cylinder-head of an engine? Then the tube beneath ua is full of steam?” "Yes, yes.” "And if we get too much steam—aa we seem to be getting it—will the plate blow off?" “Yes—no—yes—no, of course not,” answered Hawkins, faintly. “It’s bolt ed down with—” “But if it should,’’ I said, dashing the steaming perspiration from my eyes for another look at the accursed plate. "If it should,” the Inventor admit ted, "we'd either go up to Heaven on it, or we’d stay here and drop!” “Help!” I screamed. “Look out! Look out! Hug the wall!” Hawkins shrieked. A mighty spasm shook the Hydro Vapor Lift. I fell flat and rolled in stinctively to one side. Then, ere my bewildered senses could grasp what was occurring my ears were split by a terrific roar. The roof of the ear disappeared as If by magic, and through the opening shot that huge, round plate of Iron, seemingly wafted upon a cloud of dense white vapor. Then the steam obscured all else, and I felt that we were falling. Yes, for an instant the car seemed to shudder uncertainly — then she drop ped! I can hardly say more of our de scent from the fatal thirteenth story. In one second—not more, I am cer tain—12 spots of light, representing 12 floors, whizzed past us. I recall a very definite impression that the Blank building was making an outrageous trip straight upward from New York; and I wondered how the occupants were going to return and whether they would sue the build ing oeople for detention from business. But. just as I was debating this in teresting point, earthly concerns seemed to cease. In the cellar of the Blank building annex a pile of excelsior and bagging and ether refuse packing materials protruded into the shaft where once had been the Hawkins Hydro-Vapor Lift. That fact, I suppose, saved us from eternal smash. At any rate, 1 realized after a time that my life had been spared, and sat up on the cement flooring of the cellar. Hawkins waa standing by a steel pillar smiling blankly. Steam, by the cubic mile, I think, was pouring from the flooring of the Hydro-Vapor Lift and whirling up the shaft. I struggled to my feet and tried to walk—and succeeded, very much to my own astonishment. Shaken and bruised and half dead from the shock I cer tainly was, hut I could still travel. I picked up my coat and turned to Hawkins. "I—I think I’ll go home,” he said, weakly. “I’m not well, Griggs.” We ascended the winding stair and passed through a door at the top, and instead of reaching the annex we stepped into the lower hall of the Blank building itself. The place was full of steam. Peo ple were tearing around and yelling “Fire!” at the top of their lungs. Women were screaming. Clerks were racing back and forth with big books. Older men appeared here and there, hurriedly making their exit with cash boxes and bundles of documents. There was sd exodus to jig-time going on in the Blank building. Above it all. a certain man. his face convulsed with anger, shouted at the crowd that there was no danger—no fire. Hawkins shrank as his eyes fell upon this personage. “Lord: That’s one of the owners!” he said. “I'm going!” We. too, made fof the door, and had almost attained it when a heavy hand fell upon the shoulder of Haw kins. “You're the man I’m looking for!” said the hard, angry tones of the pro prietor. “You come back with me! D’ye know what you’ve done? Hey? D’ye know that you’ve ruined that ele vator shaft? D’ye know that a thou sand-pound casting dropped on our roof and smashed it and wrecked two offices? Oh. you won’t slip out lika that.” He tightened his grip on Hawk ins’ shoulder. “You’ve got a little set tling to do with me, Mr. Hawkins. And I want that man who was with you, too, for—” That meant me! A sudden swirl of steam enveloped my person. When it had lilted, I was invisible. For my only course had seemed to fold my tents like the Arabs, and as silently steal away; only I am cer tain that no Arab ever did it with greater expedition and less ostenta tion than I used on that particular oc casion. (Copyright. 1906, by W. G. Chapman.) iOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOO*