Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1890 — YOUR HAND IN METAL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

YOUR HAND IN METAL.

Vml Scheme to Prevent One Pereon frem Stenting Another's Umbrettn.

A tall, spare old gentleman has bees seen during the last few stormy days in the gallery of the house and strolling up and down the corridors always carrying aa umbrella no matter whether Gen. flreely’s weather was fair or fouL Save that his hair and side-whiskers were snowy white he looks very much like the Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage. His umbrella is, however, more noticeable and "noteworthy than himself. As he swings it idly in his long, bony hand or leans apon it while sitting in the gallery looking down ou the frenzied scene below, it attracts attention. It is of silver, bat its shape is its peculiarity. That is, it is neither- round nor square, convex nor concave—hot like pear, prism, pillar, or pot-hooks. "All there is of it is ihis: If any man wishes to try my umbrella handle I take an impression in any kind of plaster or wax—the latter is better. That impression is electroplated and the electroplate shell of copper or silver is filled with lead or some lighter composition and fastened on your umbrella. The whole thing can be done in copper for #l. Gold or silver costs more, according to the amount of metal it takes. I can also take the head in wax of your favorite dog or cat, or your wife’s canary entire, and then reproduce the impression in metal. They make novel umbrella handles, This handle can be ornamented as much as you please." Here the old gentleman took from a capacious overcoat pocket a package rolled up in many folds of soft tissue paper. Unrolling it as gently and awfully as if it were the Eohinoor he displayed a superb silver handle surmounted by a lion couch&nt. “This,” said he, holding *it up admiringly, "is sne I made for Mr. Blaine. That rx ‘>:a prehensile autoform, so to apeak. You can look at this and imagine how the helm of state feels when he has his grip ou it. Now, here is another I have made for the president. See the eagle. That is a beautiful piece of work. These conchordal shaped imprints of palm and figures are not so large or decided as those made by Mr. Blaine. Do you think so? I will vouch for their accuracy. There can be no mistake about them. Hero is Jean Jacques Ingalls’ fine Italian hand, as one of his critics might say. I put a greyhound’s herd on it. The greyhound is our most intellectual dog. "I have used the handle on other things. Here are photographs of a hammer, the superb gaval I have made for Speaker Reed, and a cleaver I am going to give Assistant Postmaster-General Clarkson, who iB the champion headsman of this administration. You see I am mixing a little fan in with my business. That’s all right, isn’t it? Eh?” With this the old man wrapped up his darling "auto-manes," stowed them softly in his pocket, gave the umbrella an admiring glance, and trndged up out of the gallery as fast and as gracefully as hitrheumatism would allow.

You have to get acquainted with the old man himself to get any idea of it. That is not a hard matter, for he has got a patent on that queer-shaped handle, and inventors usually talk at a dog-trot. Col. Sellers' investments are trifles compared with what our old friend of the umbrella expocts to result from his (discovery. Asking him to explain it, he said: “This is what we might call an autograph handle. You see, it fitß my hand perfectly. Thumb, palm, joiuts—all are precisely anticipated in its form. Now, if you take hold of it you will see that it will not fit your hand at all.” Tne experiment was tried with just the result the old gentleman predicted. It felt liko wearing a coat two sizes too big or putting a No. 9 hat on a No. 6 head.

“It i 9 a prime fact,” resumed the enthusiastic old inventor, "that no two people iu ail the hundreds of millions on the foot-stool have hands alike. The police oT Paris many years ago seized on the great fact, and made use of it in describing criminals. Every man who falls into their clutches is compelled to make an impression of liis right thumb in plaster, and this imprint is preserved, with a description of his hair, eyes, person. and various pecut inritics. “Now, I have discovered an application of this difference iu hands to a great practical need. There are 500,000 umbrellas stolen rvery year. Tho United Slates imports 8,000.01'0 every year, and ns many more are made in this country. Anything that will save your umbrella from thieves certainly ought to be wcleome. —Philoddphia Pruts,