The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-12-06
A TRANSMITTING MACHINE.
In Moses Day "Dey Schwear 1T Vas one
nIirragle."

In Moses Day ''Dey Schwear 1T Vas one
NIirragIe."
1t was some years ago, when typewriters
were just being introduced, and one Of them
had been placed on trial in the Office Of a
leading life insurance company, OF which 1
was an employe. Having reached the office
at an early hour, anxious to finish some work
which had annoyed me for some time, fairly
seated at my desk, l was suddenly inter
rupted by the janitor, who informed ne that
there were parties DESTROYS Of taking a look at
the Office.
Sure enough, and there they came, four in
number-tEo ladies and two gentlemen
sailing down the Office toward my desk.
Who were theyf Well, the names Of the
men might readily have been Moses, Levi,
Abraham OF Isaac. Tney must have been in
the clothing business, and their appearance
reminded one forcibly that it must have been
a second hand clothing business at that. The
ladies-ah, the ladies. they were adorned with
diamonds, rings and gold chains; wore dresses
OF expensive material, poorly made and ill
fitting.
The spokesman-a little bit of a man, all
noSe-in voice which was as shrill as it was
thin, addressed me: - am intschured here,
and dees is my brodher-in-law from New York
und his wife und dauder. l dell dem does
building Is schost 50 gOOt rs dose wat IS III
New York, und / want you TO have de kindi-
ness TO show dem aloud"
There was nothing 70 be done but 70 show
them about. At first, rather annoyed, may
have betrayed my displeasure, but soon
warmed 10 my task, followed from desk TO desk
and room to room by the quartet, answering, as
cheerfully as the circumstances would permit,
the various conundrlms they propounded.
Very soon my visitors began chatting among
themselves they probably had run dry their
stock Of inquiriesj and now, to my great
amusement, cOnversed in German German
tinged by an accent which had its origin in
Palestine.
Finally we reached the room in which was
placed the typewriter, and then it was that
casually observed: "Have you ever seen a
translating machineFr The answer being quite
unanimous in the negative, l explained that
if only some one present were conversant with
a foreign tongue, n sentence might be dictated
in English, and translated by the machine in
20 any desired language. Encouraged by
firm ayOwal that there was nothing in the
way of testing the instrument inasmuch as
all of them understood German, matters be
gan to shape themselves as / had foreseen.
Having spent half of my life in Germany,
! fully conveTsant with the language, had no
odds TO ask Each visitor then began in the
most polite manner and deferential way to
! tence to be translated. After lively debate
+ it was decided that the spO1esman-my little
friend with the preponderance of nose-shOuld
tpropound something nice. He cleared his
Throat, placed the back of his Tight-hand in
dex finger on such portion of the left side of
This nose as it was abi5 to cover, wrinkled his
noble brow, looked wise and said: MAKE him
say does in Fisherman: Dees is my brOdher
in-law Won New York; he like dees Office very
much, und his wife und dauder also find it
fine"
The translating Of this sentence into Ger
man, while the group of strangers, following
my every movement in breathIeSs suspense,
jumping at every ring of the bell, was
cOmplished in less time than it takes to tell it.
Before submitting the document explained
that was not in the habit of running the
translator, and probably the blame for any
mistakes, If there were such, would attach to
ME rather than to the instrument; that my
visitors would be able to tell me whether or
not the machine was capable of performing
what was claimed for it. A chorus of voices
shouted, "Let us see; We will dell you" Fear
ing tn in facing my guests l might be I'M
able u control my features, and so betray the
joke I handed the sheet over my shoulder
without turning