Wichita eagle., 1890-01-18
By PHONOGRAPH.

would some day be well to do; but above al
things be was scientific. His passion fol
science first became noticeable when he began
to learn chemistry in the fourth form at Hal
stone school. Tom and all his class fellows
were deeply taken by the weird and unearth-
ly odors. the terrifying explosions and the
miraculous bursts Of suoaqueous fire which
appeared at the viii Of DIR. Stubs, the
science master. Indeed they endeavored per-
sistently to emulate their tutors exploits
but even the tutors performances were pres
emily echpsed by those of his promising pupil
Tom. The boy had a perfect genius for ex-
plosions, SO 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 own, and simply keep an eye on
Toms movements. 1t 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 his home III D1loerry, he
set off at once on tour of inspection round
the home premises. a small building, which
belonged to the gardener, and was used by
him as a storehouse for seed, flower pots and
other things appertaining to his craft. struck
his fancy. He found no difficulty in persuad-
ing his too complaisant parents TO make this
room over to him; and Notwithstanding the
murnurs 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 all 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 psid, were chiefly of the kind which
go 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 federation TO the loud explo-
sions which, at intervals OF about an hour,
were constantly heard from the direction of
Toms laboratory. They were not quite SO
tractabk, however, when the embryo chem
ist grew tired for the nioment of noises, and
turned bis attention to the production Of IN
pleasant odors. But 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
stified; whereas Tom reveled in the malo-
dorous products of his experiments, and be-
haved, IN an atmosphere reekirg with the
most abominable gases, as If he was once
more breathing his native air after long
and painful period of exile.
His love of science grew stronger, if a good
deal more rational, as years passed by. at
last, when he went up to Oxford, another
room was added TO his den. This was fur
nished after the manner OF the average un-
dergraduate's rooms, and here he 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
be 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 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 saving that Dora would Sooa be- alone
iii 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 brSther to become her guardian and offer
h,Aftn NJ Inc l,,A
sented, and Dora arrived in England shortly
before the commencement of Toms last long
vacation; so that when be 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 q sweet girl
lsh face, blue eyed and little sad, which oc-
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, in order to take leave OF
his friends and formally 10 take his degree,
for at the end OF the previous term he had
gained a first" III h0nors chemistry This
brief absence from Dora was so utterly pain
ful TO him that he became aware OF the fact
that lie really was very much in love with
her. OF course he ought II have known it
before; perhaps he had done SC, but at least
he had never acknowledged IL TO himself At
any rate, he made haste to get back to his
home
" cen be returned 10 Dulberry he carried
with anxious sohcitudo . box, which ap-
peared 10 contain something at once very
fragile and inestinsbly valuable Dora had
taken a great interest IN nis scientific studies
or rather he had revived for her benefit his
,oyish interest In explosions After lunch,
he told her that during his absence
lie had spent a few days in town, and there
lad secured a scientific wonder which sue
must examine.
lie took the box under his arm. and tiev
vent together TO his sanctum in toe garden
Arrived there, he opened The box s.4i TOOK
'ut piece of MECHANISM which, he said, was
phonogTaph. He showed Dora how a thin
bate of mica, moving with tn. air vibrations
sused by the voice set in motion q small
tylus OF steel, and how this stylus marked
'ut Its vibrations on a thin cylinder of smooth
wax, which by a screw arrangement Yves
aUsed 70 move ~ once III the direction OF its
ensta anG around It's axis. Then he shifted
Sack the cylinder into its original position, 50
hat the point OF the stylus rested at the be-
aiming OF the ii0t;e channel whIca it had al
eacy marked OUT or tie wax
Finally, turning the screw again. he set
Se cyh.aer in motion. ar,s; the STYLUS. rrar-
ling along the line II had traced thereon.
lbrated it had done ii the first Instance
y this means the mica was once more set in
lbration, and, as it had communicated its /
ibrauons TO the air, the original sounds were
nee more reproduced.
Tom tried 10 persuade Dora to sing song,
Ut the presence of that silent recorder made |
er nervous, and She w&S content with listen |
~ to the repetition Of some trite and rather I,
disconnected SQUADS OF his own
The next few days passed not quite happily
or Tom Douglas BE was in love, deeply IN
owe with ncra hnr lie did nnt isre 20 tai !