The Irish standard., 1889-07-20

| out its vibrations on thin cylinder OF
| smooth wax, which, by screw arrange
| ment, was caused to move at once in
| the direction of its length and around
| it's axis. Then he shifted back the
! cylinder into its original position, so that
! the point Of the stylus rested at the begin
! ming of the little channel which it had al
ready marked out on the wax. Finally,
| turning the screw again, he set the cyl
| inder IN motion; and the stylus, travelling
| along the line it had traced thereon, vibratr
| ed as it had done in the first instance. By
| this means the mica was once more set in
vibration, and as it communicated it's vibra-
| tions to the air, the original sounds were
once more produced.
Tom tried TO persuade Dora to sing a
song, but the prese nee 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 a
good deal of time alone in his study, and
amused himself after rather silly fashion
with the photograph
One day he had gone off on a visit to some
friends, and Dora was feeling lonely and a
triie cunuyee. 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 HUI
| mility both gave different answers. She
had chosen a book, when her eye fell
IN the photograph lying ready for
use on 8 table. Now that she was
alone she thought it 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
50 good as she imagined. Filled with dread
est the un11aUterinr photograph 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
notion. " THAT sound was that which fell
Upon her ears2 Her Cousins voice was
speaking to her; and after g. moment Of
blank astonishinent, she listened with a
quiet smile, as though Tom were standing
before her in the flesh and saying what the
monograph now said for him. This is what
she heard: ''Dora, darling. have loved you
ever since the day when first l saw you! [
nave longed to tell you every day since then,
out have always been afraid. VIII you try
70 love me just Titles" The voice lapsed
into silence.
With sudden gladness, Dora saw what
aad happened. Her cousin had also won-
lered how his voice sounded % others-to
her-and especially how the question would
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
pectedly, and was chatting with the
gardener. He would be here presently, no
loubtl In moment she had once more set
in motion the cylinder Of the photograph,
and bending over it, spoke a few words in
q low, clear voice. Then she shifted the CYL
inder back into its original position, and
AIN~>o oAA~
laboratory.
In few minutes she heard the convelrsa-
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 chair, and
then the photograph 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
50, Dora moved silently forward and stood
in the open doorway Of the laboratory.
"Dora, darling, I have loved you ever since
the day when first saw you! have ]onged
to tell you every day since then, but have
always been afraid. Will you try to love
me lust little?''
Tom heard these words; and then, before
he had moved his foot from the treadle,
the monograph spoke in another voice:
s:Whv should you be afraid TO 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. ''Tom!' said the voice; and
turning, he saw his cousin, standing with
half-parted lips and laughing rosy face, only
a yard or two away from him.
sDoran he cried, "you have learned my
secret"
Dora moved towards him and hid her face
in his shoulder; then, as he raised and
kissed it, she whispered: Eyes, Tom, long
ago?n-Chambers Journal.
Life at Sandringham.
Nothing can he happier and more peace