The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-16

would sliio uAf N' MNA To "'f '"' "'''N 90
fh.nr, be- was scientific. Ills passion for
science lir.t became noticeable when he began
q. learn chemistry in the fourth form at Hal.
stone school Tom and all bis class fellows
,,ora d..oiv faloa Ly Che weird and moarth-
w. oloIs. The terrifying explosions ana INC
miraculous bursts of slhoqucous fire which
Appeared 90 tho win ol Mr. Stubs, the
,,irnco master Indeed they ondcavorcd per
fi..cntiV o. cmul1to their tutors EXPLOITS
Iut oven The tutors performances wore pres
entity cclipsod hg those Of bis promising pupil
lon. The boy had perfect genius for ex'
pioions, so that 30 soon became customary
among tho others. during the two or three
hours which they spent. each week m the
laboratory. 90 give mp any little enterprises
81 their own. and simply keep an eye on
Toms movements II was usually worth
their while. for be rarely failed 70 do some
thiny marvellous
When the end ~ tao term came, and the
youth arrived ot his home in Dulberry, he
set on 40 once ol q tour Of inspection round
tho home premises A small building. which
belonged 90 the gardener, and was used by
lIn as storoholso for seed. flower pots and
otter things appcrtaining % his craft, struck
l.. fancy lie found no difficulty in pcrsuad-
Ing his TOO complaisant parents TO make this
room over 20 him. and notwithstanding the
murmurs Of Sandy. the gardener, DO was emp
tied Of its horticultural contents. fitted with
benches. shelves and a fireplace and generally
rendered habiable.
Chemicals also, and all kinds of apparatus
were ordered from London Had his friends
MOI. been altogether ignorant Of chemicals,
they would have noticed that the chemicals
which Tom ordered. and for which they
biindly paid. were chiefly Of tie kind which
20 10 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
husily engaged in arranging and admiring
his treasures Oh begin experimenting with
them. Soon. however. The household began
o. listen in uIl liberation % the loud explo-
sions which, at Intervals of about an hour.
were constantly heard from the direction Of
Tom. laboratory. They were not quite SO
frlciablp however. when the embryo chem
III crew sired for the momeat Of noises, and
turned bis attention 10 the production of un-
pleasant Cdors But even then the boy was
quite safe from interruption They were not
likely to attempt 90 approach the source of
siihcd: whereas Tom revelel in the malo
dorous products of his experiments and be.
havcd m am atmosphere reeSiug with the
most abominable gases, as II be was once
more breathing his native air after long
and painful period Of exile
Ills love of science grew stronger, - good
deal mere rational, as years passed by. Al
last when be went up 10 Oxford, another
room was added 20 his den. This was fur
nsned after The manner OF the average un.
drferaduate's rooms, and here be kept his
personal property and did most of his read
in1 Like most science men, be 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 be
might % ignore IL, was beginning 20 interest
him far more than any of the sciences 20 which
De bad hitherto devoted himself His fathers
brother had many years ago emigrated 20
California. Almost Immediately he had mar
ried. but after few years of hard struggle
against poverty, his wife had died, leaving
20 him little daughter, Dora Tom Douglas
was in bis fourth year when he heard from
home that his unknown uncle was dead. His
father had received q letter some months ba-
fore. saving that Dora would soon be alono
On the world.
Size would be- quite rich-f0r success had
como 10 her father when 10 was too late 90
save bis wifc-and now the dying man begged
his brother 10 become her guardian, and offer
her home. Mr.. Douglas had 40 once con.
scented, and Dora arrived in England shortly
before the commencement OF Toms last long
vacation: SD that when be arrived IN Dul.
berry she had already been there for a week
or two. Tic cousins became very good
friends, and 10 was the image of sweet girl
ish face. blue eyed and a little sad, which oc
cupicd Toms mind, and caused him 70 neg
lot his science work almost entirely.
40 the end of the "long" he went up 20
Oxford once more, in order TO take leave OF
bis friends and formally TO take bis degree
Tor at the end OF the previous term lac had
gained a first In hon0rs chemistry This
lrief absence from Dora was So utterly pain.
ful 10 him that he became aware OF the fact
that be really was very much in love with
Ter OF course he ought 10 have known II
before; perhaps he had done so, but at least
40 had never acknowledged it TO himself AT
any rate, he made haste 70 get back TO his
home
When he returned 70 Dulberry he carried
with anxious solicitude a box, which ap
peared 90 contain something at once very
FRAGILE and ucstimably valuable. Dora had
taken great interest in his scientific studies
or rather he had revived for her benefit his
loyish interest In explosions. After lunch,
therefore, he told her that during his absence
be had spent a few days in town, and there
lad secured a scientific wonder which she
must examine
He tool, tho box under his arm, and they
went together 10 his sanctum in the garden
Arrived there. he opened the box and took
out a piece Of mechanism which, he said, was
a photograph lie showed Dora how a thm
plate Of mica, moving with the air vibrations
caused by the voice, set In motion small
stylus OF steel and how this stylus marked
out It's vibrations on a thin cylinder Of smooth
wax. which by screw arrangement was
caused 10 move az once in the direction OF It's
length ana around It's axis. Then be shifted
back the cy Under into its original position, 50
that she point OF the stylus rested az 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
cling along tie Inc 70 had traced thereon
vibratcd a. 10 lad done in the first instance.
Dy this means the mica was once more set In
vibration. and. as il had communicated its
vibrations 90 the air, the original sounds were
once more reproduced
Tom tried % persuade Dora to sing song,
but tho presence Of that silent recorder made
her nervous. and she was content with listen
ing 20 the repetition Of some trito and rather
disconnected sounds Of his own.
The next few days passed. not quite happily
for Tom Douglas lie was Ia love, deeply in
love with Dora. but ho did not dare 10 tell
her as yet tho secret which was, neverthe-
less betrayed % her keen sight by his every
word and action lie spent a good deal Of
time alone in bis study, and amused himself
after "a rather silly fashion with the phono-
graph
Ono day be had gone on on a visit 70 some
friends and Dora was feeling lonely and |
tr.le weary Her cousin bad begged her 70 /
borrow any Of his books n al any time she /