Harris-Ingram Experiment

by Charles E. Bolton

  CHAPTER XIV

  COLONEL HARRIS FOLLOWS HIS FAMILY ABROAD

  Gertrude's receipt for growing oranges in a northern climate was asfollows: Let a child hold a large and a small orange in her hands, andgive away the large orange, and the smaller will begin to grow until,when eaten, it will look bigger and taste sweeter than the large fruitgiven away. "Try it!" Gertrude often said.

  That was the principle by which Gertrude Harris was always acting. If shehad flowers, fruit, books, pretty gifts, or money, her first thoughtalways was, "How can I make somebody happy?" With such a generous soul,part nature's gift and part acquired by self-sacrifice, the life ofGertrude was as buoyant and happy as the birds in a flower garden.

  The decision of Gertrude's father to take her and meet his family inEurope was not known in Harrisville except to a few. Most of thecolonel's friends supposed that he was busy planning some new businessadventure, in which he might employ his surplus capital and his undoubtedbusiness abilities. Because of the recent calamity, and the hardships ofthe employees in connection with their strike, he thought it unwise tomake public mention of his future projects.

  The more Gertrude meditated upon her father's plan, the more dissatisfiedwith herself she became. The idea of going to Europe and leaving Georgebehind was unendurable. He needed rest more than she. True, he was tofollow later, but she wanted him to cross the ocean on the same steamer,and she earnestly desired that the one she loved best should share all ofher enjoyments. It was, perhaps, a test of her love that she constantlylonged to lose herself in him, or better, possibly, to find herself inhim.

  Two days before the date fixed for their sailing, as George left theHarris home, Gertrude was urging him to accompany her and her father,when he ventured to say, "Gertrude, this is what would please meimmensely, take my sister May with you. I will gladly pay her expenses.And when your summer's travel is over, I want May to study music abroad."

  "Capital!" said Gertrude. "Both you and your sister May shall join ourparty. Please don't say another word on the subject, nor tell father,till we meet tomorrow evening," and she kissed him an affectionategood-night.

  The next evening before the stars shone; Gertrude sat on the piazzaanxiously awaiting him, for she had good news for her lover. Gertrude'swhite handkerchief told him that she recognized his coming, though he wasstill two blocks away. How light and swift the steps of a lover; thoughmiles intervene, they seem but a step. An evening in Gertrude's presencewas for George but a moment. The touch of her hand, the rustle of herdress, and the music of her voice, all, like invisible silken cords, heldhim a willing prisoner. The love he gave and the love he received waslike the mating of birds; like the meeting of long separated and finallyunited souls.

  "George, this is your birthday and the silver crescent moon is filled tothe brim with happiness for you and May. Yesterday I had a long talk withfather, and I asked him to let me stay at home and to take your sisterMay to Europe. What do you think he said, George? Never did my father socorrectly read my heart. He drew me closely to him, and while I sat uponhis knee, said: 'Daughter, I have decided that it is wise, even in theinterests of my business, to take George with us.' He also said that Imight invite your sister May to go, and that he would pay all theexpenses. Oh, how I kissed him! I never loved my father so much before.Here, George, is a kiss for you. Aren't you glad now, that you, and yoursister May are going with us? No excuses, for you are both going surely."

  "If it is settled, Gertrude, then it is settled, I suppose, but how doyou think May and I can get ready in so short a time to go to Europe?"

  "Well, George, you can wear your new business suit, and in the morning, Iwill go with May and buy for her a suitable travelling dress and hat. InEurope we can procure more clothes as they are needed."

  Gertrude was now very happy. The dream of her life was to be realized.She wanted George near her as she traveled, so each could say tothe other, "Isn't it beautiful?" That is half of the pleasure ofsight-seeing. The small orange kept by Gertrude had doubled in size,and she never before retired with so sweet a joy in her soul. That nightshe slept, and her dreams were of smooth seas, her mother, Lucille, andGeorge.

  It is needless to say that May Ingram was overjoyed. She had been fond ofmusic from her childhood, and had given promise of rare talents. She hadtaken lessons for two years in vocal and instrumental music in the bestconservatories in Boston, George paying most of her expenses. For sixyears May had been the soprano singer in the highest paid quartette inHarrisville. Though she occasionally hoped for a musical educationabroad, yet these hopes had all flown away. Her parents could not aidher, and she had resolved not to accept further assistance from hergenerous brother. At first she could not believe what George told her,but when the reality of her good fortune dawned upon her, taking George'shand in both of hers, she pressed it to her lips and fell upon hisshoulder, her eyes flooding with tears.

  "Well, May," said George, as he kissed her, "can you get ready by noontomorrow?"

  "Ready by noon? Ready by daylight, George, if necessary."

  That night was a busy, happy time for the Ingrams. So much of ill-luckhad come to the father, and so much of household drudging to the faithfulmother, that work and sacrifice for the children had ploughed deepfurrows across the faces of both Mr. and Mrs. Ingram. Opportunities foradvancement now opening for their children, both parents found the heavyburdens growing lighter.

  Before sunrise George and May had packed two small trunks, by ten o'clockGertrude and May had made necessary purchases, and the two o'clockexpress quickly bore the second contingent of the Harris family towardsNew York, which was reached the night before their steamer's date ofsailing.

  For some reason, perhaps because the elements of superstition stilllurked in the mind of Colonel Harris, he decided not to stop any more atthe Hotel Waldorf. It had brought him ill-luck, so his party was drivento the tall Hotel Plazza which overlooks the Central Park.

  Fortunately George had inherited a talent for untiring investigationand the power of close observation. His reasoning faculties also wereexcellent. Besides his education, gained in a practical school at Troy,George, with, his father, James Ingram, had made many experiments,mostly after business hours; each experiment was numbered and the variousresults had been carefully noted. Before leaving Harrisville hisinvestigations were all drifting towards great possible changes in theproduction of iron and steel. He was glad to take this trip to Europe,as it might afford him opportunity to verify or change some of hisconclusions. He resolved to use every moment for the enlargement of hispowers.

  After bidding May and Gertrude good-night, he told the colonel that heshould now take the Elevated Railway for the steamer "Campania," as hewished to observe at midnight the firing of the great battery of boilersof the steamer; and that he would return in time for breakfast with theparty. "Let eight o'clock then be the hour, George," and the capitalistand his trusted superintendent separated for the night.

  The elevated railway was not swift enough to carry George Ingram to PierNo. 40, so anxious was he to see the midnight fires started in thehundred furnaces of one of the two largest steamers afloat. It wasfifteen minutes to twelve o'clock when he reached the dock, and providedwith a letter of introduction to the chief engineer, he hurried as fastas possible to the officer's cabin.

  The young engineer's night ashore had been spent at the opera, and,advised of George Ingram's visit, he had promptly returned to thesteamer. Mr. Carl Siemens, engineer, was a relative of Siemens Brothers& Co., Limited, the great electrical and telegraph engineers of London.His education had been thorough, and he was very proud of his steamer the"Campania," especially of the motive power, which he helped to design. Hegave young Ingram a cordial greeting.

  For two hours they examined and talked of mechanism for ships and mills,and they even ventured to guess what the earth's motive power might be.It was now five minutes of midnight. The chief furnished Ingram anoversuit and the young engineers dropped through manholes and downvertic
al and spiral ladders into the cellar of the steamer, the bottom ofwhich was thirty feet below the water level.

  "The 'Campania,'" said Siemens, "has a strong double bottom thatforms a series of water-tight compartments which, filled with water,furnish ballast when necessary. On the second steel or false bottomof the steamer, fore and aft, are located the boilers, furnaces,and coal-bunkers. We have fourteen double-ended boilers, fittedlongitudinally in two groups, in two water-tight compartments, andseparated by huge coal-bunkers. Each boiler is eighteen feet in diameterand seventeen feet long. The thickness of the steel boilerplate is1-17/32 inches. Above each group of boilers rises 130 feet in height afunnel nineteen feet in diameter, which, if a tunnel, would easily admitthe passage of two railway trains abreast."

  George saw the fires lighted, and when the furnaces required more coal,suddenly a whistle brought fifty stokers or firemen, the automaticfurnace doors flew open, and a gleam of light flooded everything. Longlances made draft-holes in the banks of burning coal, through which theair was sucked with increasing roar. The round, red mouths of the hundredcraters snapped their jaws for coal, which was fed them by brawny menwhose faces were streaked with grimy perspiration, and their bodiesalmost overcome by heat. The hundred furnaces are kept at almost whiteheat from New York to Liverpool.

  "Four hours on, and four hours off, and the best quality of food are someof the recent improvements," said Siemens.

  George Ingram shook his head, and his heart ached as he witnessed thestokers, and resolved to do his utmost to mitigate the hardships oflabor. "What are the duties of the stokers?" inquired George.

  "Our stokers," replied Siemens, "must be men of strength and skill, forthey both feed and rake the fires. The ashes and slag must be hoisted anddumped into the ocean, and twice an hour, as the gauges indicate, freshwater is let into the boilers. Daily the boilers convert into steam overa hundred tons of water, which, condensed, is used over and over again."

  "What quantity of coal do you use?"

  "About three hundred tons per day, or an average of nearly two thousandtons per voyage. The coal carrying capacity of the "Campania," however,when needed as an armed cruiser, can be greatly increased."

  Siemens led Ingram to see the gigantic cranks, and propeller shafts. Eachof the several cranks is twenty-six inches in diameter and weighs 110tons; the shafts made of toughest steel are each twenty-four inches indiameter, and each weighs over 150 tons. The propellers are made of steeland bronze, and each of the six blades of the two screws weighs eighttons. It was now past two o'clock and George thanked Mr. Siemens and saidhe should be pleased to examine further his department when at sea. Itwas past three o'clock when George turned off his gas at the hotel.

  At eight o'clock the next morning the Harrises met promptly at breakfast.Promptness was one of Reuben Harris's virtues, and fortunately all hisparty were agreed as to its absolute necessity, especially when severaljourney together, if the happiness of all is considered.

  "George's eyes look like burnt holes," whispered May to Gertrude.

  Overhearing his sister's remark, George added: "Yes, May, and they feelworse after my two hours last night in the stokehole of the 'Campania.'"

  "We thought after our long railway ride and the concert yesterday, thatyou would gladly welcome a little sleep," said Gertrude.

  "I did sleep four hours, Gertrude, but my owl-visit to the steamer washighly instructive, and when we get to sea, you all will be delighted tohelp me complete the study of the marine engines on the 'Campania.'"