Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-12-07
srRnHAapr At MEHlb PARK.
Edison Meet t. the Most Iaquisisivs
OF HIS Iasss viewers.
N,r York SIN, Dec. 20,

ing for o belated train IN the dimly light
ed depot at M.nlo Park late las. evening
was a slight young woman wrapped In q
p~rofusion Of velvet and furs. who, half
reclining upon n Of the benches. ut
tered q variety OF strange sounds in an
unnatural tono. The other Ave mem
bsrs Of the party took the deepest inter-
est in the performance, which was occa-
sionally iaterspersed with . chatteripg Of
French and o merry laugh. The young
woman was Sarah Bernhardt. and tbs
strange sounds she was making were In
imitation Of those OF the p~honoaraph
which tho Wizard Of Menlo Park had
Just been operating for her benefit.
Having accepted an invitation to visit
Meplo Park last night. she did not allow
the bad weather to prevent her going.
She was promptly on time for the train.
which left the Pennsylvania depot in
Jersey City ct 6:35 P. N. During the
hours ride she asked iaaumerable ques-
tons about the young electrician, his
home, aud his works. Her curiosity wal
abundantly grstiHed by the ingenuity Of
her companion. When their accounts
Of marvellous things became too extrsvs-
CANT, she would cast glances Of inquiry
at her fatherly manager. Mr.. Henry @.
Jarrett, whose significant head-shskes
prevented her credulity from being i'm
posed upon. At Menlo Park the party
| climbed q long flight OF 10y steps, at tho
top of which . small conveyance awaited
the ladies. The gentlemen tramped
across the vacant lots In the snow and
mud to the library. After they were re-
united on the library steps they were ss-
corted up stairs. Mile. Bsrnhardt. eager
as a child. followed closely after Mr.. Jar.
rett. Through q small labyrinth OF
bookcases they came ct last upon Mr..
Edison, seated at his desk. porting over
books and papers. he had ceased to ex.
psct his guests. he rose. looking en-.
barrsssed. Bernhardt stepped forward
to meet him, her face . picture OF de.
light. They shook hands cordially. and
then the actress turned imploringly to
the friend nearest her. She had been
told that Mr.. Edison could not speak
French. As she looked she ratified of q
long sentence in French. Her friend,
acting as interpreter. told Mr.. Edison
that Mile. Bernhardt was delighted to
meet him. and admired his wonderful
genius. Mr.. Edison bowed. Then be
excused himself In order to get some Of
bis engines In. motion. 30 that be could
display some OF the results Of his labors.
Meanwhile Mile. Bernhsrdt studied In.
tsntly everything about her.
In q few moments the electrician re-
turned and led his visitors down stairs
and out into the rain and mud to his
laboratory. II has the appearance OF .
workshop. and was dimly lighted BY .
few flaming. smoking gas jets. Edison
brought his guests before Q large cup.
board and opened it's doors. The actress
clspped her hands aud delivered Q volley
OF ordinations. Upon the shelves Of
the closet were ten or q dozen electric
lamps. Each gave . light OF about the
brilliancy Of . gas jet. Not n Of them
hickersd or changed Ito intensity. The
aggregate light was - mild. pleasant,
and devoid OF color a. the sunlight. The
Bernhard lsvishsd words on the
surprise. Edison stood aghast at her
volatility. With his smoothly. shaven
face giving him o boyish appearance. his
lips parted in . half.embarrasssd smile.
his brow was knit evidently in . vain
endeavor to get an inkling OF her mean.
ing, aud with . small black tuibsn cap
cooked up on his head hs looked every
bit the curiosity that the actress svi.
IDENTIFY considered him. She looked o.
the lights and clustered like . maybe.
except that her tones were musical, and
then she would pause and look ct the
inventor. After Edison became Q little
accustomed to her volubility. be st.
tempted, through an interpreter. to ex.
plain the construction and operation Of
the lamps. But before the bali wss told
she knew II all. Then she Aired Q volley
Of questions. She wanted to know
when she could have the light In q the
atsr, when in her homo. when II would
be introduced In Paris, whether she
could operate the machinery herself. etc
She revelsd in the light because II did
not mako her look green; she eulogized
It's purity and merits inuumerabls that
she discovered in 1t. She held up por.
tons OF her dress to sec how the various
colors looked in the light. From the
lamp Edison went TO some OF the electric
machines he has invented. One for
measuring the intensity OF . light par
~ticularly interested the actress. In q.
aiming them and everything else she
discovered the mechanism and action
before the explanations could be COM
plsted. She tripped over lumber and
went through more mud and rain to the
machine shop. Every object interested
her. She took pieces Of machinery In
her light gloves, and soilsd them still
more BY touching greasy lsthes and
dirty tools. When abe reached the room
containing the machines that generated
electricity she seemed to realize that the
time had come to settle down to the
business OF investigating. The monoto.
nous whir seemed to inspire her. She
threw aside her wraps. that she might
more easily follow the inventor through
all the narrow. Intricate passages be-
tween the machines. Her costly dress
dragged against oily journals and caught
the drippings from swiftly revolving
shafts. Her one thought was to see. An
assistant attached some iron wire to one
Of the machines. It burned TO Q white
heat and then fell In pieces to tho floor.
Mile. Bsrntardt picked them up and
wound them into Q little coil for Q sou.
venir. When she rassed out OF doors
again several miles OF lamps along the
railroad track had been lighted. She
wal taken into another building and
shown that the turning OF Q small disc .
few inches 10 circumference ex~,inguishsd
all those lights, as we'll - many In the
buildings. A reverse movement relit
them. She was Allied with admiration.
Having exhausted the lights, she asked
for the telephone. and was taken 10 one,
where she heard all the inevitable
"Hsllo! hello!" business prior to the
singing and whistling Of young man
in Mr.. Edison's house . quarter Of q
mile away.
The performance decided her to have
telephones % we'll 40 electric lights Just