The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-12-13


My DEAR Enron: Mr.. Phnnix's enter.
/ tanning description of his "feline attach
mentt' rs applied to sewing machine,
reminds me of u similar application Of cat
| power in an ingenious musical instrument
that wot Of And as every successful
attempt to utilize the incalculablc feline
energy which is constantly expended on
our fences and roofs and in our back yards,
must be a public benefit, hesitate the less
to communicate what l know. | would
simply suggest to Mcssrs. Mason Hamin
that my friend intends to patent his invcn-
ton, and | hope, therefore, that this (per.
haps) premature announcement will not
tempt them to apply it to their parlor or
gans, without paying him handsomely for
the privilege. In perfccting his instrument,
he has encountered much opposition, by
reason of the refractory nature Of the mate
rial. and has numerous scars to witness.
But, not TO waste time, the contrivancc to
which | refer, is Cat-scraphinc, or Har-
monica. and is constructed as follows:
Thirteen cats Of various ages and sizes are
selected and tuned. The latter process is
of peculiar delicacy and difficulty. A box
is constructed with thirteen holes and a
a keyboard in front. The cats arc intro
duced into the box. and their respective
tails drawn through the holes to the
full length, and secured by slide
drawn down upon them by lever ut one
end. \ sliding lid, with respiration, is also
let down ON the back side of the box. The
extremities Of the tails are then secured to
the respective keys by simple but efficient
contrivance. the immediate effect of which
is TO keep up an undcrtonc Of feline remon-
STRANGE exceedingly suggestive and appetite
ing. The keys have longer leverage than
the ordinary piano keys--the popularity of
the Cat Seraphine being .torte--and are SO
constructed is to bear an indefinite pressure,
only limited by the resisting or tensble
power of the tails. The instrument is now
ready for use, and practiced performer
can produce surprising results. l ought
not to omit mentioning. however, Of the
grand forte pedal. BY means of which all the
tails are pulled at once. This is used to
produce the storzdndo, and the effect is truly
terrific. II is proposed to introduce it into
certain passages of Wagner's "Tanphau-
SER" and there can be no doubt that when
il is done. the great composer will turn in
his grave, or would, if he was dead.
II is necessary to say that when the per-
formance is over, the cats should be lber-
ated only to the extent of half their tails
Otherwise they Immediately decamp for
parts unknown, and manage to convey such
a terror TO the other cats in the neighbor-
hood, that not an individual Of the tribe is
to be found within five miles. My friend
having carelessly dismissed his orchestra at
one time, giving them the range of large
room, hal the modification to see the whole
tribe, headed by the double G in basso,
down to the kitten, F in alto, dart instantly
through pane of glass, and disappear. He
was obliged to go to a neighboring town to
collect another instrument, and had vast
trouble. at that.
1t is clear that CATS like human beings,
do not appreciate their capabilities, but
that is no reason why their living organs as
well as their resined intestnes should not
subserve the muse.
Yours, faithfully, ORpHEus.