Famous Days in the Century of InventionStone, Gertrude L. (Gertrude Lincoln)
History
Famous Days in the Century of Invention
Stone, Gertrude L. (Gertrude Lincoln)
Inventions
Then with delicate irony the great lawyer attacked the argument of Mr.
Choate. "Those observations are all very eloquent and very pathetic,
but they have one drawback. Nothing is beautiful that is not true. The
invention exists. Everybody knows and understands it, and everybody
connected in former times with the manufacture of India rubber has
been astonished and surprised at it.
[Illustration: DANIEL WEBSTER]
"If Charles Goodyear did not make this discovery, who did make it? They
do not meet Goodyear's claim by setting up a distinct claim of anybody
else. They attempt to prove that he was not the inventor by little
shreds and patches of testimony. We want to know the name and the
habitation and the location of this man upon the face of the globe who
invented vulcanized rubber, if it be not he who now sits before us."
* * * * *
"Well," queried Grandmother on the drive home, "will Goodyear win, I
wonder?"
"It's a peculiar case," returned her husband. "Day's in the wrong, I
know. But I wish Goodyear had had the vision of the sulphur himself
instead of paying Hayward for it."
"But he paid for Hayward's patent," objected Grandmother.
"Yes, luckily. And Webster never pleaded better. It will come out
right, I think."
"Of course Goodyear will win," decided Lucy to herself without knowing
she was prejudiced. But aloud she asked, "When will the judge decide,
Grandfather?"
"Oh, no one can say," was the reply. "Probably not for some weeks,
anyway."
It proved to be six whole months, however, before the decision was
rendered. Lucy's visit was almost at an end when one day in September
Grandfather came in with the newspaper. "Well, here's good news for
Goodyear," he exclaimed. "Hear this." And he read aloud the article
which concluded with these words:
"It is due to Mr. Goodyear to say that I am entirely satisfied that he
is the original inventor of the process of vulcanizing rubber as stated
in his bill; and that he is entitled not only to the relief which he
asks, but to all the merits and benefits of that discovery."
"I wonder how much money Goodyear had to pay for his victory,"
commented Grandmother.
"Oh, Webster will make money. Of course Goodyear won't have to pay it
all, for several rubber firms united with him against Day to protect
their own interests. The talk among the lawyers when I came away was
that Webster would get somewhere in the vicinity of twenty-five
thousand dollars. I don't believe Goodyear even in these last years has
made so much as that above his expenses. But he's generosity itself
when he has anything to give. What do you suppose he's sent to Mr.
Webster for a present?"
"Oh, I don't know. He's so unpractical that he'd give his house away
if some one wanted it," answered Grandmother, whose own good judgment
could not be denied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account