INVENTOR'S SACRIFICE

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 231, 8 September 1939, Page 3

INVENTOR'S SACRIFICE

life romance 1)1 101 > MY Oil?!r'S PHOTO r When Benjamin .Kuos, a GernianJewish scientist, dreaming of millions he imped to make by means of a process for turning cow’s milk into silk, died penniless and alone in his "bed-sitting-room in Cornwall gardens, S. « \X Louden, lie left behind a picture of tiie girl he loved. Mourners who returned to Ids lodging from Hie funeral saw on the mant- - els.bell the photograph of a smiling, dark-haired young woman. ft was a portrait of Theresa Bretz, op veins old. who six years ago had •pursued the scientist to London and Pegged him to marry her. But linos demanded perfeeri >u m everything. -Just as he spent his i20.~ OOP fortune in a vain search lor the perfect- synthetic > silly, so lie: turned linn the happiness Theresa of to rod him because she admitted an infidelity. Would Not Marry. Loos told her lie would not many her until she had proved her constancy to him. Next morn ng she wa- found dead from ail overdose of sleeping draught. The scientist had fallen in love with the German girl when, lie lived in Berlin. When he visited her in a sanatorium in 1933 she confessed ,slie had lx eu unfaithful to him. Boos came to London. Theresa discovered his address in Queen Anne’s Mansions. Westminster. within three uvrks of their parting. >he followed him over and begged fiugiveiiess. Boos relented—but only tor a fortnight. They went- to a play which suggested sonic parallel with their own lives, and he told the girl ho would not marry her until she had proved herself to his satisfaction. lloos told this - .story himself as principal witness atib inquest cn Theresa. He moved from place to place after that, always carrying with him the - photograph of Theresa Jiretz. He irival to find consolation in his experiments ; on them lie staked every penny ho had'. Put Cows on Diet He sought to combine in his synthetic product every quality of the finest silk. He aimed at five main points —beauty of colour, strength, softness, elasticity, and non-Hu inkabletie.-vs. 'Time and again he succeeded in combining in one piece of his silk lour ofthese qualities—but m ver all five together. Then lie embarked on an c.\|>< riineut he hoped would biing liim jilefe success. He tit ( iciccl ii o-ed the cows whose milk he o<-'d exehi-i cly on mulberry leaves, the met < t the silkworm. He wa- still not sati-lit I "with tin* product. All his money was gone. He pawlied. and he borrowed. He wa.- harassed with unpaid hills. tie used to sit for hours in his room, gazing at the photograph of Theresa Brer/.. -1. was in front of her picture that i was found '.lead. with eleven > unds on his wri.-i. r