The Argosy for May — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 to invest a dollar in a toy just because it will spin for two hours. Who wants to see a top spin for two hours? Your proposition is altogether too foolish for ‘my consideration, and, as I am very busy just now, I will bid you good morning.” Without a word Mr. Brooks snatched up his top from the desk and stalked an- grily from the office. In turn he visited the offices of the New Process Brass Company, the Briggs Fire Appliance Company, the Gauss Au- tomobile Brake Company, and half a dozen other concerns, in a fruitless en- deavor to raise funds to finance his top. At all of these places he was received with due respect, for, indeed, it was to the products of his fertile brain that each of them owed its existence. However, none of them could see their way clear to invest five thousand dollars in Mr. Brooks’s top. ‘Then I’ll finance it myself,” he said angrily as he strode out of the last office. ‘““T know it’s a winner, and I’ll make a fortune out of it; you see if I don’t.” Now, Mr. Brooks, lacking the in- stinct that makes men successful in a business way, had never before attempted to finance one of his inventions, but had always been satisfied to sell his patents outright for cash. The products of his genius had made millions for other men, but the inventor himself was in compara- tively poor circumstances. ‘True, he owned a beautiful home, sur- rounded by spacious grounds, the value of which was estimated at not less than thirty thousand dollars. He also owned a large store-building on the main street of the town, but as this had stood empty for several years it brought him no in- come. Outside of these he was practi- cally penniless. « Nevertheless, with absolute confidence in the success of his enterprise, Mr. Brooks mortgaged his home for five thou- sand dollars, installed the necessary ma- chinery in his empty store-building, em- ployed several helpers, and set about manufacturing tops. At the end of two months the inventor had ten thousand tops. finished, boxed, and ready for shipment, and had used up the entire five thousand dollars. Then he suddenly discovered that he had made THE ARGOSY. no provisions for advertising and mar- keting his stock. Reluctant to further mortgage his home, he again made a round of his friends in a fruitless endeavor to raise funds. As before, they received him kindly, but they were all of the private opinion that the old gentleman had be- come weak-minded in his old age, and: they declined to risk a dollar in his enter- prise, whereat the irate inventor vowed dire vengeance on all of them, and pre- . pared to plaster another mortgage on his home. Before he could do this, however, Mr. Brooks was taken suddenly and serious- ly ill. *When Dr. Harmon arrived and éxam- ined the old gentleman he looked very grave, and sent a messenger for Drs. Evans and Grant. After a thorough examination, and a long private consultation in the next room, the physician returned and informed the patient that he was afflicted with an incurable disease, and had less than a month to live. | Mr. Brooks was at first stunned by this intelligence, but the philosophy of the genius was his, and he quickly became reconciled to his fate and set about pre- paring for the end, with the same cool deliberation that had marked all his ac- tions throughout his career. He expressed but one regret—that-he could not live long enough to get even with the men > who had grown rich through his inven- tions, and had refused him aid in his hour of need. For a week he did little except lie quietly, apparently buried in deep thought and contemplation. Then, one day his housekeeper heard him calling excitedly. When she reached -his side she found the old gentleman sitting up in bed, his face filled with elation. ~ T’ve got ’em!” he cried exultantly. “ I’ve- got ’em!” “ For the land’s sake!” gasped the good woman. “ You’ve got what?” “Them,” answered the inventor enig- matically. “ I want you to send for Law- yer Patterson right off. make my will.” ‘Humph!’”’ sniffed the housekeeper. ‘“T can’t see why you should make such a I’m going to CORNICLO© S (©