Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-08-29
THE PHOHOGRAPR

This instrument, one Of the many
wonderful achievements OF Wizard
Edison, has been written about
and read about, and millions have
marveled at il, but comparatively few
comprehend its wonders. Indeed,
tits only those who have listened TO its
reproductions OF sound, and not all Of
them. The consideration of the in
strument recurs here because, within
the last few days, the establishment
OF Higginson & Hardy, the enterpris-
Ing druggists Of this city, have placed
one OF the reproducing machines In
their store, and hundreds have been
going in daily to listen it. Without
going into a description Of what spec
ialties this particular machine pro-
duces-foF this Is not an advertise
ment-the intent OF this article is
simply sentimental and not scientific.
or even business, in order to illustrate
the statement made above that the
wonders Of the photograph are not
comprehended by even all Of those
who have listened to it.
1t is fact that the phonograph is
what might be termed a photograph
Of sound. 1t will reproduce in the
most startling manner, to the unpre-
pared, the voice Of a friend long dead.
1t has been many years since this
writer talked, the last time, with
John McCulloch, the great tragedian'l
long since dead-or heard his familiar
tones, on the stage, in the powerful |
rendition OF powerful tragedy. Uav-
Ing heard the Photographic reproduc-
ton of songs, musical bands, the |
speeches Of Gladstone and other
famous men, but never having heard /
the voice OF dead and gone friend
thus reproduced, it was startling,
when, yesterday, with perhaps faint
suspicion that he was about to get
any sort OF anybody's ranting for the
nickel In the SLOT" placed there 10
hear what was advertised to be John
McCulloch's rawlings in the lunatic
asylum where he ended his DAYS. the
writer placing the audiphone to his
ear. heard the great tragedian, as II In
very life, say, In effect, "They say
that John McCulloch is mad: listen to
MIN as on the stage he rendered VIr-
glnius," then that same old familiar
voice, In extracts from the familiar
character OF the Roman Father and
IN the Gladiator" went on and. in /
places, gave the awful laugh that was
In its place In the play and In the mad
house. 1t was almost enough to make
one drop the audiphone and run away,
This fact illustrates how, with c
that machine, we are enabled To j
10 take the talk Of our living friends .
and keep II to be heard in all its pleas v
antness long after those friends have I
gone beyond, and until we Join them t
there. With it we can hand down To i
future generations the accents and
ntonations In great speech of our
famous ones of today, giving to pos
terity such delight from these gen. c
'rations as it would be TO us To hear o
he voices OF the great and good OF b
agone. Had there been a u
in the days Of the Saviour n
~ earth what Joy IT would be TO us y
low to hear Him speak "as never man -
pake,' pronouncing tn His gentle g
ones, the beatitudes of the Sermon b,
n the Mount. What a grand gratif- b,
alton to have had thus given to us W
he oratory of Demosthenes and CO
icero; what thrill 'twould bring TO al
ear George Washington's farewell to ~
Is army In his own voice-the con- ~
Iteration Of all that we might thus oa
ave is.illimitahle, and proportionately wi