Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-04-22
4 STRANGE DISCOVERY.
By which We Way Vet Hear the
Sounds OF the Fires Raging In the
SIM
Youths Companion.

nuth companion.
Prof. Tyndall of London has lust
invented new scientific apparatus
that, when properly used, gives most
singular results, and shows that the
wonders of the photophonc have only
just begun.
III the new apparatus, beam Of
light from lime light. or even can
die, Is thrown upon common glass
flask having Il long neck. To this is
fastened rubber speaking tube that
may be placed to the ear, SO that any
sounds in the flask may he heard
through the tube.
Between the flask and the light is
placed circular disk of metal, having
narrow slots, or openings, placed like
the spokes Of wheel round the edge
When the disk is ut rest. the beam Of
light may pass through one of the slots
and fall on the flask
If, now, the disk is made to turn
rapidly on its axis, the light will reach
the flask i'll II series Of flashes, rs il
shines through the slots one after the
other. Here the curious discovery
comes in. When the flask is filled
with gas, OF Il vapor, say the yapor Of
sulphurlc ether, common-strect gas,
oxygen, perfumes like patehouli or
cassia, or even smoke, ana the beam of
light is made to fall on the flask ina
series of alternate flashes, the operator,
listening with the speaking tube mt his
ear, will hear strange musical sounds
inside the flask
The pitch Of these tones will cores
pond exactly with the speed with which
the disk is made to turn, and each kind
of gas, or vapor, in the flask will give
kind of note, some soft, some loud. and
some very sweet and musical
This is certainly the most remark
able discovery since the photophone
and it shows that light may be made
the means Of making sounds audible
ut Il distance, even when the eve can
see no difference in the light II even
suggests the idea that we may yet be
able TO hear the sounds of the fires
raging in the sun. 1t may, indeed, be
only Il hint to yet more wonderful and
unthought-of relationships between
light and sound, which may be utilized
Is il medium Of communication.
In the Senate.
\ letter from Washington bya femin-
Inc correspondent of the Cincinna'i
Commercial, describing the scenes in
the senate on the occasion of Senator
Mahone's speech, says:
The crowd trying to get into the gal
leries grew jostiing, impatient. Quit
pushing me. You are no gentleman.
BEG pardon, miss; the crowd is press
ing against me-" Dark glances from the
forward chit; deepening flush of anger
on the masculine cheek
Two women struggling for the place
nearest the door, got into Il fight. One
was a senator's wife. Not being able
to crowd into the gallery set apart for
senator's wives, she pushed through
the throng at the door Of the ladies
gallery. 'Let me in," she demanded
of the doorkeeper, and handed him her
card. No response. Senators here
have passed as many as sixteen ladies
apiece into the senatorial gallery, con-
sequently people who belong there are
pushed out" She was very angry. 81
wonder how many senators here own
to having sixteen wives 2" MADAM,
take your arms away You knock me
IN the chest. l expected to find ladies
here. / never was in SO uncouth set.
Keep your elbows out of my chest,
madam ! ! won't stand such treat
ment l will stick pin in you %
To the surprise and amusement of
the bystanders, the senator's wife pro
dueed pin, and threatened to bury it
to the head in the first one who touch
ed her. Presently surge in the
crowd threw lady against the defiant
senator's wife. She turned with her
pin ready TO put her threat into execu-
ton. but was met by a long bonnet-pin
in the hand of the intruder. "Only
self-defense," laughed the lady. The
senator's wife continued her abuse and
vulgar harangue until the sergeant-at-
arms had to be called. In the excite
ment she slipped through the unguard-
ed door into the gallery, and was lost
in the inner throng, and got by fraud
what we who were abiding By rules
had to wait for, some of us, for over
two hours.
Tired of waiting for a vacant place
in the ladies' gallery, where / usually
sit, / went to the reporters gallery,
position so conspicuous that it is sci:
dom sought by ladies, except on occas
ions which crowd them out elsewhere.