Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-17

TELEPHONE BELLS house is on Scott circle, in
the most fashionable part of the fashionable
northwest section of Washington. To the
left of it stands the Louise Home for Old
Ladies, and to the right is the big palace
where Don Cameron so long lived, and just
beyond this is Senator WINDOWS house. in
which Blaine wrote the most of his second
volume. The Bell house is an immense one
and its material is pressed brick OLA Pom
peian red The front door opens ont into the
porte cochere, and as you stand, in the even
ing in front of its stained glass panels, an
electric light is burning over your head
The interior of the house is elegant
and rich, and its furnishings have been
brought from the four quarters of the earth
As the door opens, just in front of you and
across a roomy hall appears the entrance to
the music room. The portieres of rich hang
ings are parted, and a marble Psyche, with a
bird perched upon her shoulder and singing
in her ear, looks out from in front of the
grand piano. Telephone Bell is an accom-
plished musician, and he plays the finest of
the classical music at sight. He is passion
ately fond of music, and his musicales are
noted in Washington society.
Mr.. Bell is fond of good society, and his
wife is one of the most accomplished ladies of
Washington. She is very pretty, and though
stone deaf she can understand perfectly by
noticing the movement of the lips of the per-
sons addressing her. She was the daughter
of the rich Gardiner Hubbard, of Boston.
She lost her hearing when she was wears
old, and her father feared she would become
deaf mute He sent her to school in Ger
many, to the deaf and dumb professors there,
and after she returned to America, at the age
l.. u
Bell fell in love with her. and they were
finally married. Mr.. Bell once told me there
was romance connected with his invention
of the telephone, and though he would not say
what that romance was | imagine he stumbled
upon its idea when he was trying TO teach his
sweetheart TO talk
When he completed his invention his father
in-law was taken into partnership with him,
and the two organized the gigantic telephone
monopoly which now covers the world with
its wires and brings its inhabitants mouth to
mouth if not face to face. The Bell mansion,
however, belongs to Mrs. Bell, and it is a
present TO her from her father 1t cost more
than 100000, and it has stable in its rear
which looks as fine as many well-to man IS
house.
Telephone Bells library is in the top of the
house, and he works away here might after
night when all the world is asleep His work
ing hours are from O'Clock p. m. until in
the morning, and he spends these hours in
study almost as regularly as the days go
round. He is great student, and his scien-
titic researches take a wide range He is
finely educated, speaks French and knows
German.
The library is made up of two large rooms,
the walls of which are lined with books.
Crate fires burn in each room, and pictures
hang here and there ulon the walls Mr..
Bells study is the innermost of these rooms,
and the door by which it is entered is so mar
row that a Falstaff could hardly squeeze
through it. Books are everywhere. An easy
lounge lies in front of the fire, and globe
stands in one corner. At common flat
walnut desk, sitting on an ofN,e chair
cushioned with green leather, Mr.. Bell
works The desk is covered with books and
papers, and note that some of the latter are
filed with figures. A porcelain hand with
letters pasted upon it lies at one side. and this
am told, is an invention for teaching deaf
children to converse with each other by
touching certain spots on the hand. which
represent letters. The deaf person associates
these spots with the letters, and Mr.. Beu's