The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

1901.] THE LOCOMOTIVE. 143
of nature, and yet we must admit, at the same time, that with all our searching we
have not torn the veil of mystery from the world around us. It may be granted that we
have not yet framed a consistent image, either of the nature of the atoms or of the ether
in which they exist; but I have tried to show that in spite of the tentative nature of
some of our theories, and in spite of many outstanding difficulties, the atomic theory
unifies so many facts and simplifies so much that is complicated that we have a right to
insist— at all events till an equally intelligible rival hypothesis is produced — that the
main structure of our theory is true; that atoms are not merely helps to puzzled math-
ematicians, but physical realities.
Needed a Plumber.
From the middle-west a story has just blown in, concerning a well-known paper
manufacturer, who is so genial and jolly that he tells it on himself. Some time ao-o he
began to feel badly. Then he felt worse, and finally he reached that stage where in
reading patent medicine "ads," he imagined he had all the symptoms described in all
of them. The next step was to go to a doctor, who advised him to go to Hot Springs
for a month.
The patient followed the advice. When he arrived at the Springs, one evening, the
hotels were so crowded that as a mere temporary arrangement he was given an eight by
ten room, being promised better accommodations next day. He went to bed, but the
heat was so intense that he could not sleep. The air was stifling, and perspiration
rolled from all his pores, until, by the aid of a lively imagination, he worked himself
into such a state of mind that he believed that he was nearing the point where it would
be uecessary to indicate what disposition his heirs should make of his belongings. At
this point he sent for a physician, to whom he told his long tale of woe, laying particu-
lar stress on the fact that he was in a very desperate condition, one of the symptons be-
ing that he was drenched in perspiration.
The doctor listened and then said :
"You don't need a doctor; you need a plumber,
— to turn off the steam to that radiator at the head of your bed." It is recorded that
"Larry" recovered.— Paper Trade Journal.
Telephoning to the Hospice.— Mr. John W. Gates, of the U. S. Steel Corporation,
tells a story about a friend of his who went into the Alps last summer. He began the
ascent to the hospice of St. Bernard, and when about an hour's climb from the pass he
was stopped by a dense fog. He waited gleefully, expecting to be rescued by the dogs,
and so be able to come back to us with a thrilling story. The dogs did not come, how-
ever, and presently the fog partly lifted, so that he could resume his climb. When he
arrived at the hospice, where he was warmly welcomed by the brothers, his first question
was, "Why did you not send out the dogs in so dangerous a fog ? " He nearly dropped
from his chair when one of the brothers replied that he had not telephoned them.
" Telephoned you ! " he ejaculated. " Yes," was the answer; "you see, shelters have
been built all along the climb, and each shelter has been provided with a telephone. If
a fog comes up, all one has to do is to go to the nearest shelter and telephone. We immediately
send a man and dog to that shelter. The dog carries bread, cheese, and
wine. As we know at just what shelter the climber is, no time is lost in looking for
him." Mr. Gates says his friend was so disgusted at having his romantic notions
knocked in the head that he left Switzerland at once. Electrical World.
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