Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-08-28


ed as 1t had done in the first instance. By
this means the mica was once more set in
vibration, and as it communicated its vibra-
tions to the air, the original sounds were
once more produced.
Tom tried to persuade Dora to sing a
song, but the presence of that silent record
er made her nervous and she was content
with listening to the repetition of some
trite and rather disconnected remarks Of
his own. The next few days passed not
quite happily for Tom Douglas. He was in
, love, deeply in love, with Dora, but he did
not dare to tell her as yet the secret which
was nevertheless betrayed to her keen sight
by his every word and action. He spent
good deal of time alone in his study, and
amused himself after a rather silly fashion
with the phonograph.
One day he had gone off on visit to some
friends, and Dora was feeling lonely and a
trif1e ennuyce. Her cousin had begged her
to borrow any OF his books if at any time
she wanted something to read, and she went
down to his study to get one. As she went,
she was thinking of him, and wondering why
he still hesitated to ask her the simple ques-
ton which she would so gladly anSwer-the
question which he was so constantly asking
himself, and to which his love and his hu-
mility both gave different answers. She
NANSOAN
on the phonograph lying ready for
use on a table. Now that she was
alone she thought 1t would be rather
pleasant to try how her own voice sounded.
She had read lately in one of the newspa-
pers that people had no idea of what their
voices really sounded like; and she rather
wondered whether her singing, OF which
she was inclined to think highly, was really
so good as she imagined. Filled with dread
lest the unfiattering phonograph should
prove to her that her voice was harsh and
unpleasant, and not quite decided as to
what song she should try, she began to
move the treadle which set the cylinder in
motion. What sound was that which fell
upon her earsl Her Cousins voice was
speaking to her; and after a moment of
blank establishment, she listened with g
quiet smile, as though Tom were standing
before her in the flesh and saying what the
photograph now said for him. This is what
she heard: "Dora, darling, have loved you
ever since the day when first saw youl /
have longed to tell you every day since then,
but have always been afraid. viii you try
to love me just q littlel" The voice lapsed
into silence.
With sudden gladness, Dora saw what
had happened. Her cousin had also won
dered how his voice sounded 20 others-to
sound which he SO longed to ask. Well, the
voice struck her as awkward, constrained,
and quite unlike the cheerful tones to which
she had become accustomed; but the
words
At that moment she heard her Cousins
voice at the other end of the gar
den. He had returned homo unex-
pectedly, and was chatting with the
gardener. He would be here presently, no
Doubt In moment she had once more set
in motion the cylinder of the photograph,
and bending over it, spoke few words in
a low, clear voice. Then she shifted the cyl
inder back into its original position, and
stepped quickly into the next room-the
laboratory.
In a few minutes she heard the converse
tion between Tom and the gardener cease.
The young man came quickly down the
garden and entered his sanctum. He flung
his hat and walking stick upon a chair, and
then the phonograph struck his attention.
He moved towards it and stood looking
down on it, with his back towards the door
of the room whence Dora was eagerly
watching him. Then he began absent
mindedly to set the treadle in motion. Once
more the photograph spoke, and as it did
so, Dora moved silently forward and stood
in the open doorway of the laboratory
NOId, OdTlluR, nave iONeu YOU ever since
the day when first saw you'll have longed
to tell you every day since then, but have
always been afraid. Will you try to love
me just O littlef'
Tom heard these words; and then, before
he had moved his foot from the treadle,
the phonograph spoke in another voice:
"Why should you be afraid 10 come and
ask me, when you know 1t was Dora's
voice; and even while he wondered at
this marvel, he heard the same voice speak
ing again. ''Toml'' said the voice; and
turning, he saw his cousin, standing with
half-parted lips and laughing rosy face, only
yard or two away from him.
"Dorar' he cried, 'you have learned my
secretl"
Dora moved towards him and hid her face
in his shoulder; then, as he raised and
kissed it. she whispered: "Yes, Tom, long
agop-Chambers Journal.