Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

Page 21 text:

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

Page 20 text:

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

Page 22 text:

offer in the purchasing of the machine. At present Mr. Longstreet is staying at the Palace Hotel in this city. “Yes,” said John, putting the paper down, “I went to the newspaper office after we came home and told them of my invention. Although they adder! to the story.” “Why in the world did you do that? You will have this plaee filled with ambassadors and secret agents from foreign governments who will try and get the invention by fair or foul means.” “That’s just what I want.” “What for?” Tom asked. “Wait and see,” said the inventor. Tom left the room in disgust. “Of all the foolishness 1 have seen this is the limit,” he said. Tom had barely reached the reading room when a well dressed man came up to him and asked him if he was John Longstreet. “No” said Tom, “but I’m his friend.” “It is true that he has invented the new machine that is mentioned in the papers ?” “Yes, sir.” The man drew a card from his pocket and Tom read. VOX GLUCK German Military Attache. “Will you lead me to him?” the man su'd “Yes. come alomr.” Then to himself: “Ifere is the first result of all that fool- is1, icss.” After Trm had introduced the strang- er, he immediately went into negotiations trying to buy the invention. John listened politely until the man was done. He said that he would be ready in half an hour to give his answer. He then ushered the man into the next room. A little later the English ambassador arrived. He was followed by the French. Austrian, Russian and Japanese. When the half of an hour was over he called them all together. “Now, gentlemen,” he said, “You all want to buy the new invention. You all can not have it or it would lie useless. And it would he out of the question to sell it to one country. I’m going to keep the invention myself. What am I going to do with it? I invented this instrument for peace and not for war. You can tell your respective countries that unless they disarm their navies and fortifications that I will take a trip over to Europe and blow every navy, fortification off of the map. Then I will give it to the United States as they can preserve peace.” The ambassadors looked at one another in mute astonishment, as if their ears deceived them. A consultation was held and at last they said, “You talk all right young man, but we want proof that the invention can accomplish what you claim.” “All right, come out to the Bay tomorrow afternoon about 3 o’clock.” A few weeks later there was a great deal of surprise in the country, for news had come that all of the European countries and also the United States were disarming. 20