"What is it?" I said, with a blank
smile. "Junk?"
"No, it's not ju uk. That mass of
ribs and white silk which loks like
junk to your unacsastomed eye consti
tutes a set of aeroplanes or wings."
"But the other thing is merely the
common or domestic variety of wash
basket, is it not?"
"Well-er-yes," admitted Hawkins,
with cold dignity. "That happened to
be the most suitable thing for my pur
pose in this experimental model. Now,
you see, when the wings are spread the
?'asket is suspended beneath just as
the car of a balloon is suspended from
* gas-bag, and--
"Aba! I see it all now!" I cried.
"You fill the basket, point it in the
righi direction, and it flaps its wings
and dlies sway tto the washlady!"
"'That, Grigga," sneered Hawkins, "is
about the view a poor little brain like
yours, permeated with chea; humor,
would take. Really, I don't suppose
you could guess the purpose or the
name of that thing if you tried a
week."
"Catdidly. I don't think I could.
IWhat is it?"
"It's the Hawkins' Anti-Fire-Fly!"
said the invent er.
"The Hawkins-what?" I ejacu
lated.
"The Anti-Fire-Fly!" repated Hawk
ins, enthusiastically. "Say, Griggs,
how that will sound in an advertise
ment: 'Fly Away from Fire with the
Anti-Fire-Fly!' Great, isn't it?"
"So it's a fire escape?"
"Certainly," chuckled Hawkins, dig
ging around among the ribs and bring
ing into tangible shape what locked
like several sets of huge bird-wings.
MANY FOLLIES OF THE NEW YORK RICH.
