Part 35 (1/2)

He fairly caressed the mechanism with his hand, and went off into a most careful analysis of its qualities

”I could build that engine,” he exclaimed at last, enthusiastically, ”if I were down in the Baldwin Company's place I could htest doubt in the world,” I answered

This engine was a source of great expense to him, as well as the chief point in a fine scheme He had made brass rails for it--sufficient to extend about the four sides of the studio--so like seventy feet

He had er-cars with full equipas, and so on, and had painted on their sides ”The Great Pullht froave an exhibition of his engine's speed, attaching the cars and getting up sufficient steaine to race about the rooement by which it would pick up water and stop automatically It was on this occasion that he confided what he called his great biograph sche pictures It was all so new then, al machine before it was invented

”I propose to let the people see the photographic representation of an actual wreck--engine, cars, people, all tuether after a collision, and no i”

”How do you propose to do it?” I asked

”Well, that's the thing,” he said, banteringly ”No do you suppose I'd do it?”

”Hire a railroad to have a wreck and kill a few people,” I suggested

”Well, I've got a better thing than that A railroad couldn't plan anything more real than mine will be”

I was intensely curious because of the novelty of the thing at that tiraph” was in its infancy

”This is it,” he exclaiine is, don't you?”

I acknowledged that I did

”Well,” he confided, ”I' er-cars will cost asto fix up soe, a line of woods, a river, and a bridge I' rocks just above the bridge and run underneath it Then I'h the woods, across the bridge and off into the woods again

”I' to put on the two trains and tie Just when they come into viehere they can see each other, a post on the side of the track will strike the cabs in such a way as to throw the fire to jue they'll explode caps that will set fire to oil and powder under the cars and burn theot it planned auto out of the cars and tu to the cars, and all that Don't you believe it?” he added, as I smiled at the idea ”Look here,” and he produced a model of one of the occupants of the cars He labored for an hour to show all the intricate details, until I was compelled to admit the practicability and novelty of the idea Then he explained that instantaneous photography, as it was then called, was to be applied at such close range that the picture would appear life size The actuality of the occurrence would do the rest

Skepticisered with , the figures and apparatus gradually beingon between the artist and several coain control of the result, I was perfectly sure that his idea would some day be realized

As I have said, when I first met S---- he had not realized any of his dreams It was just at that moment that the tide was about to turn He surprised me by the assurance, born of his wonderful virility, hich he went about all things

”I've got an order from the _Ladies' Home Journal_,” he said to me one day ”They came to me”

”Good,” I said ”What is it?”

”So up the terminal facilities of New York”

He had before hiht express striking out across the Jersey hts burning in the sleepers It was a vivid thing, strong with all the strength of an engine, and rich in the go and enthusiasood thing of this,” he said ”It ood”