Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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tion and he said, “Oh! I see working on some new model flashlight.” “Wrong again.” John said. Then he explained to Tom what the invention was and explained the reason for making it At first Tom thought the idea ridiculous but as his friend began explaining how it worked he became enthusiastic. “It may not work” he said. “It must work, and if it does not at first, I am determined to spend a life time on it,” the inventor said. “By the way, what if some secret agent of a foreign government should get hold of it before you can put it into operation.” Paid the encouraging friend. “No one but you and my servant know of this secret [dace, all of my other inventions have been safe here and there is no possibility of anyone finding out the secret until the time is set for it to be known. Do you see this slide the inventor said shoving the slide open and disclosing a small button. If the machine should get stolen the thief would naturally look for something by which to run it. He would see this slide, open it, and the button would then catch his eye. Thinking that pressing the button would make it work he would press it and by doing sc this innocent flashlight as you called it would fall apart. The mechanism would fall into a thousand parts which would be impossible to put together without plans and these I have hid in a place that no one but myself knows.” The inventor then pressed a button, a secret door in the wall opened and having put his invention in this he closed the door again. They sat down and chatted and smoked for a while. “Is that a newspaper you have in your pocket Tom? Let me see it, T have been so busy the past few months that I haven’t had time to read much.” It was perhaps 15 minutes later when Tom was startled by his friend’s unexpected remark. “I’m going to Washington this afternoon. Do you want to go along?” “To Washington!” Tom exclaimed in surprise, “what for?” “To try to secure a patent on my new invention.” With that the inventor went over to his telegraph instrument and telegraphed instructions to his servant. He then took a small suit-case with a false bottom in it and in this he put his invention. It was a little after midnight when they alighted at the Union Depot at Washington. Taking a cab they went to a hotel for the night. The next day John and Tom left for the office of the Secretary of the Navy where they were admitted into the presence of Secretary Daniels. As the secretary was a close friend of the inventor he cordially received the young men. “Are you going to have target practise this afternoon?” John asked the secretary. “Yes, why?” “Oh! I thought I would like to se it as long as I am in the city,” said the inventor not wishing to tell the real reason of his errand. “You’re welcome and I think I can find some room for both of you in my party. We leave here at 1:15 sharp for we must be at the place of the practice about 2:30 and it’s quite a distance.” “All right we will be here” said John as they took leave. At 2 o’clock they were spinning along the paved roads to the Bay. “By the way,” said John carelessly, “how far out will the target be?” “0! somewhere around 35 miles, that electric gun makes it easy to shoot at long range.” At 2:45 the Secretary and his party were in their place of lookout. They were watching a battleship which was quickly growing smaller on the horizon. “That must be about the right distance,” said the secretary taking out his watch. “We’ll wait ten minutes longer so 18

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he began, “a quaint little New England town within thirty miles of the Catskill M aintains. Upon the death of my father I ran away and joined a ship on its way to the East Indies. “For a time, all went well upon the ‘Leopard Spots' and 1 was beginning to enjoy the tiip immensely, until a raid oc- lined which change tlie course of my life. T’was the fourth day at sea and I was becoming sea sick. All morning 1 sulked up and down the deck and when noon came, was about to go below when an old ‘tar’ at the farther end of the deck called out hastily, ‘Come here my lad and help hoist up this mast, there’s a storm cornin’ up in the east.’ ” ‘‘With a curt reply I was again about to descend when 1 received a sharp lioxing upon the ears. Enraged by this I struck him over the head with a pole. Frightened almost beyond measure by what 1 had done I ran rapidly down the stairs and locked myself into my cabin. The next I knew some men were pounding wildly on the door outside. Oh! that I might jump into the sea and end this I THE INVENT By Stephei John Longstreet was an inventor of no mein ability. lie was the inventor of the electric firing gun and a few other such weapons used in warfare. Not long after he had invented the electric driven gun. lie was sitting in his under-ground workshop in New York, an idea came to him. “I have invented things used in warfare, for the destruction of life and property and why can’t I invent something that will put an end to warfare altogether.” The more he thought of the idea the more enthusiastic he became. About a month later as lie was working on his invention which was near completion he heard his telegraph instrument clicking a message in the Morse Code. He thought but at that moment the door was burst open and I was dragged forth. I must have become unconscious then, for the next I knew 1 was in a small town on the shores of the Atlantic. There, I was sentenced to twenty-five years in a penitentiary. What a beginning for a lad of fifteen! I shall not tell you what 1 have gone through these twenty years of imprisonment. With the one thought that at the end of my sentence I should start afresh, I have endured trials. When a week ago Gray came to me with a plan of escape I was only too willing to follow it out. I did as he wished and this is my end.” The convict paused, pressed his icy hands to his feverish temples and then resumed : “Mv name is Oldsbury and I am a de-scendent of the late Sir Edmond Oldsbury of England. Think of what wonders I might have achieved with such a fore father.” Again silence filled the room and feeling of his pulse Mac knew the convict had spoken his last. OR OF PEACE, n Blum ’16. had his underground workshop and the main part of his house connected by a telegraph instrument so that he could communicate with his servant. The message which was coming off of the keys was as follows: “Tom Strong is here, should I send him in?” As Tom had been his life long friend the inventor had little fear of his secret being told, so he telegraphed back: “Send him in.” John was working on his invention when his friend was admitted. “Hello John! what are you doing here now, working on some new fangled idea again?” Then his eye caught the inven- 17

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fZj Le JyTJtJB Js2 Q as to give the crew a chance to leave the ship, then I will give the signal.” Vo one had seen the inventor leave the loom nor saw the bulky package in his inner pocket. .John took his instrument and entered a small room next to the Secretary’s. He then t ok out his instrument and his watch. “I will wait just two minutes before the secretary signals.” The time was flying fast and the inventor was nervous not knowing but what his hopes would be shattered. Eight minutes was up. lie took a small brass button from his pocket and inserted it in the proper place. A noise like the tick of a clock was heard. John took his field glass and kept a close watch on the ship. Suddenly he grew excited and pale. The machine had done its work. Meanwhile in the other room the secretary kept a close watch n the ship. Suddenly he grew excited, dropped his glass and jumped to his feet. “What is the matter,” asked an aid? “Something’s wrong. The ship is on fire and is sinking.” “Fire! Sinking! Impossible unless you gave the signal.” “Vo it was two minutes before the signal was to have been given that an explosion took place and it l egan sinking. There is some trouble and 1 must go and see what it is.” “What is the matter?” said a voice in the doorway back of them. Turning they saw the inventor. “Matter enough, the ship is on fire and is sinking,” said Secretary being somewhat startled by the question of John Longstreet. “I know it because it was I who sunk it.” “You—what! say that again.” The inventor repeated his statement. At this time Tom interrupted. He had become alarmed at his friend’s attitude. “You had better go back to the hotel and rest John,” lie said soothingly. “Oh, I'm not crazy Tom, and anyway why did we come up here?” A sudden light dawned on Tom and he fairly yelled, “Did it work?” “Yes,” said John quietly. The secretary who had been looking on at the two friends in their discussion, grew angry and said: “What’s the matter with you two and what do you mean by such remarks as ‘crazy,’ ‘did it work, etc.’ Did that ride affect you so much or what?” John then told the secretary of his new invention and the reason for coming to see the target practice. He brought the instrument in and showed it to the secretary. As a result another ship was sent out with the same result. “You’re a wonder,” said the secretary, “I might have guessed that you did not come here for nothing. Let’s go back at once to the city and we will make arrangements for the purchase of it.” ‘Tin not going to sell it until it has achieved its purpose,” the inventor said. He then told the secretary his idea. “It may work, but I don’t see how that instrument will put an end to warfare.” “Wait and see,” John said. “Well if you fail don’t forget to look me up.” The next day Tom came rushing into John’s room with a newspaper in his hand. “Look here John, some fool reporter got hold of our trip yesterday and had it put into the paper.” John took the paper and sure enough in blazing headlines he saw. “Extra: John Longstreet, inventor, who just recently gained fame by his invention of the electric driven gun has invented a new machine which can destroy any fortification, battleship for a distance of 50 miles. As the inventor is an American this government will have the first 19