Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-20
BY PHONOGRAPH.


Tom Douglas vas young, good looking and
would some day b well TO do; but above al
things be vas scientific. His passion for
science first became noticeable when he began
10 learn chemistry in the fourth form Al Hal
stone school Tom and all bis class tello ws
were deeply tAAen by the weird and unearth-
ly doors, the terrifying explosions and the
miraculous bursts Of subaqueous fire which
appeared at the will Of Mr.. Stubs, the
science master. Indeed they endesvored per-
sistently TO emulate their tutors exploits;
but even the tutors performances were pres
emily eclipsed by those Of his proInisin: pupil
Tom The boy bad perfect genius for ex-
ploeions, 30 that it soon became customary
among the others, during the two or three
hours which they spent each week IN the
laboratory, to give up any little enterprises
Of their o~n, and simply keep an eye on
Toms movements. IL was usually worth
their while, for he rarely failed to do some
thing marvellous.
When the end Of the term came and the
youth arrived at bis home 10 burberry, he
set of at once on tour Of inspection round
the horne premises A small building. which
belonged To the gardener, and was used by
him as storehouse for seed, flower pots and
other things appertaining TO his craft, struck
his fancy. He found no difficulty in persuad-
ing his too compiaisant parents TO make this
room over to him; and notwithstanding the
murmurs OF Sandy, the gardener it was emp
tied Of its Horticultural contents, fitted with
benches, shelves and fireplace and generally
rendered habitable.
Chemicals also, and ali kinds of apparatus
were ordered from London. Had his friends
not been altogether ignorant Of chemicals,
they would have noticed that the chemicals
which Tom ordered, and for which they
blindly paid, were chiefly Of the kind which
60 to MAKE up explosions. Almost as soon
as the laboratory had been fitted up the goods
arrived from London On the first day moth
ing Of note was seen or heard, Tom being too
busily engaged in arranging and admiring
his treasures To begin experimenting with
them. Soon, however, the household began
to listen in mild liberation TO the loud explo-
sons which, at intervals Of about an hour,
were constantly heard from the direction Of
Toms laboratory. They were not quite 50
tractable, however when the embryo chem
list grew tired for the momeat of noises, and
turned his attention to the production Of I'M
pleasant odors. Dut even then the boy was
quite safe from interruption. They were not
likely to attempt to approach the source OF
odors by which they were already almost
stide4i whereas Tom reveled in the malo-
dorous products of his experiments, and be
haved, III ali atmosphere reeking with the
most Accountable gases, as if he was once
more breathing ills native air after a long
and painful period Of exile.
HIS love OF science grew stronger, if good
deal more rational, as years passed by. At
last, when lie went up to Oxford, another
room added to his den. This WAS fur
nisned after the manner Of the average un-
dersraduate's rooms, and here be kept his
personal property and did most of his read
ing. Like most science men, he was fond Of
novels, and of these this room soon contained
an extensive and catholic collection But the
course OF true love never did run smooth,
and at last Tom Douglas discovered that
there was one thing which, struggle as he
might to ignore it, was beginning to interest
him far more than any Of the sciences to which
he had hitherto devoted himself. His fathers
brother had many years ago emigrated to
California. Almost Immediately he had mar
ried, but after few years Of hard struggle
against poverty, his wife had died, leaving
to him a little daughter, Dora Tom Douglas
was in his fourth year when he heard from
home that his unknown uncle was dead. His
father had received letter some months be-
fore, saying that Dora would soon be alone
i'll the world.
She would be quite rich-for success had
come to her father when it was too late to
save his wife-and now the dying man begged
his brother TO become her guardian, and offer
her a home. Mr.. Doug las had at once con-
scented, and Dora arrived in England shortly
before the commencement of Toms last long
vacation, 50 that when he arrived in Dull
berry she had already been there for a week
or two. The cousins became very good
friends, and it was the image OF sweet girl
ish face, blue eyed and little sad, which &C
cupied Toms mind, and caused him to neg
lect his science work almost entirely
At the end of the long he went up to
Oxford once more, i'll order to take leave Of
his friends and formally to take his degree,
for at the end Of the previous term he had
gained u first" in honors chemistry This
brief absence from Dora was so utterly pain
full to him that he became aware of the fact
that he really was very much in love with
her. or course he ought to have known it |
before; perhaps he had done so, but at least
lie had never acknowledged it to himself At
any rate, be made haste to get back to his |
home
When he returned to burberry he carried |
with anxious solicitude a box, which ap- |
peared to contain something at once very
fragile and inestimably valuable Dora had |
taken a great interest in his scientific studies
or rather he had revived for her benefit his |
boyish interest in explosions, After lunch, |
therefore, he told her that during his absence |
he had spent few days in town, and there
had secured a scientific wonder which she
must examine
He took the box under his arm, and they |
went together to his sanctum in the garden
Arrived there, he opened the box and took
out piece Of mechanism which he said, was
a photograph. He showed Dora how . thin
plate of mica, moving with the air vibrations
caused by the voice, set in motion . small
ylus OF steel, and how this stylus marked
out its vibrations on thin cy Under OF smooth
wax. which by a screw arrangement vas
caused to move at once in the direction Of its
length and around its axis Then he shifted
back the cylinder into its or ginal position, 30
that the point Of the lus rested at the be-
ginning of the little channel which it had al
ready marked out on the wax
Finally. turning the screw again, he set
the cylinder in motion, and the stylus, trav-
eling along the line it had traced thereon.
vibrnted as it had done in the first instance.
By this means the mica was once more set In
and. as it had communicated il
vibrations to the air the original sounds werv
'nce more reproduced
Tom tried to persuade Dora to sing Q sonR.
but the presence Of that silent recorder made
Ter nervous. and she was content with listen.
ng to the repetition Of some trite and rather
disconnected sounds of his own
The next few days passed not quite happily
or Tom Douglas He was in love, deeply In
owe with Dora, but he did not DIRE to tall
Ter as yet the secret which was, neverthe-
ess, betrayed to her keen sight by his every
word and action. He spent a good deal Of
lime alone iii his study, and amused himself
Ifter rather silly fashion with the phono-
;raph.
One day he had gone on on visit to some
riends, and Dora was feeling lonely and q
rifle weary. Her cousin had begged her 10
'orrow any Of his books If at any time she
vanted something to read, and she went
own to his study to get one As she went.
he was thinking of him, and wondering Why
u still hesitated to ask her the simple qua
lion, which she would so gladly answer-ths
uestion which ne was constantly asking him.
slf, and to which his love and humility both
ave different answers. She had chosen q
COX. when her eye fell on the phonograph
ying ready for use on the table Now that
be was alone. she thought it would be rather
leasant to try how her own voice sounded
She had read lately in one of the ne wspa-
ers that people had no idea OF what their
oices really sounded like; and she rather
rendered whether her singing. OF which she
ras inclined In think hirhlr -rss Hs~ux