The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-27

there was in it The person who can listen
to the noise produced by shooting a load of
coal through one of these torturing spouts
without being convinced OF the existence of
a place of future punishment is a doubter
beyond all hope of saving.
He boards an electric car TO go down
town, and directly under his feet there
arises roar and a grinding of wheels
which seem to connect with his brain, via
is constantly growing greater as he nears
the center OF the city. Each car he meets
goes by with rush and roar. the kissing
sound on the wires accelerating in one
great crescendo until the meeting is made.
and then diminishing like the wall OF a lost
soul.
railroad bridge is crossed. under which
a train Is rushing at top speed roaring and
gathering and sending up cloud OF steam.
And as the jam of vehicles is approached
there Is added to the other noises that of the
the Gathering of hoofS upon the pavements,
as some poor horse slips and tries to regain
his feet, and through II all there is the
continual dinging of the gongs on the cleo
trio cars, and perhaps those on a piece OF
fire apparatus which goes dashing by. This
clang or gongs sounds like an amending
death knell to the nerve health of the public
1t Is a signal of danger not only TO the
pedestrian at the crossing, but also to the
mental balance, the brain poise and the
patience of the populace. II Is a streak OF
changing discord which runs along the spine
OF the city, carrying terror and nerve ruin
into half q million pairs of ears every day.
He hardly arrives at his office when he
is called up by telephone, and ne has but
placed il 10 his ear when there is sounded
upon his tympanum the cxasperating brit
and buzz of the buzzer before conversation
can be had. Before the shock of this has
worn off ne seats himself at his desk. and
there commences in his immediate neigh
bCrhood the ''click- click-click'' of the type-
writer, which may be borne with forttude
for short time, but which is deadly in the
long run.
AS he sits at his desk the sounds from
the street come TO him In a confused but
continuous roar, punctuated now and then
by the slow passage of a cart loaded with
iron strips, which rattle above everything
else. And after the days work is done ne
leaves his Office for the quietude of home.
As he steps out OF the door the arc light
opposite Kisses and splits at him: a news
boys strident voice beats upon his ear; the
gongs ding at him again; drivers curse and
pull up their horses, while he slips around
I'M the slush, and the roar goes on.
After a dinner that may or may not be
peaceful according TO how much effect
these things have had upon him, and also
due somewhat 10 the effect some similar
things have been having on his better half.
he is entertained by the tones OF a German
band PLAYING Two Little Girls i'm Blue
in a whole bunch of keys, and he is Soothed
10 rest finally BY the shrek OF the siren
whistle, that shrek which has no parallel
in all the noises made by man in his varied
arts. or by nature in her widest moods.
1t is an ear-splitting. brain-boring. peace
destroying screech. n more maddening or
a more demonacal noise never disturbed
the repOse OF an honest man or startled
the souls of the wicked.
And this Is what comes or a man har-
Messing for his own use all the powers of
nature. But something must break some
where II the pace Is kept IN.