The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-13
SNAP SHOTS.

In q discussion between several learned
gentlemen concerning modern inventions
and the marvellous appliances of science,
James BeauiraHc. a great brown, boylsh
fellow. with a merrier cOuntenanee than Is
generally considered to be becoming to a
PROFESSOR of mathematics. was asked 10 tell
In his turn what he thought was the most
useful discovery OF the human mind.
What YOU dare to pretend that the
greatest wonders Of modern times are
steam, explosives, electricity ana L KNOW
NOT what As II il were pleasure to travel
fast that YOU cannot enjoy the scenery Oh
either hand; 10 speak through the tele-
nhonA 10 A person whose face you cannot
see. or to have your tooth pulled out even
without pain, By wad OF some mysterious
chemical. come from God knows where! IN
truth, You gentlemen, though you are re-
puted 10 be very wise, appear to me very
foolish"
The parad0xes Of the young professor
caused q general smile, but James Beau
franc continued impeTturbably
NV own idea IS that inventions are Yalu-
able only ia direct ratio 10 the happiness
which thew procure. That is why ! find
your railroads 0dlous, your cannon mon
strous. your dynamite absurd. And Tor
other reasons I iind but enc laudable mod
ern discovery, one which is universally ben
eficial. a science which Is also an art"
And " hat is it?'
"PhotOgrdphy
There was great shout Of laughter. De-
cidedy BeaufTanc had not his equal for
pleasantly
However. with astonishing GOODNESS the
young professor continued:
Yes, Photography, which does nc harm
20 any enc, but on the contrary much good;
which makes to live again at our Preside,
immortal as their memory, the cherished
features Of relatives long departed; which
consoles in the absence OF the dearly be-
loved, and to which, besides, owe my mar
rage.
There was a great silence at this point.
and intense curiosity was depicted upon
the counter ances Of BeaufraHcs hearers.
Il bought" be continued, "as soon as
they appeared one OF those instantaneous
cameras. Ii IS no larger than an alarm
clock, and perfectly light and portable
You can hide il under your 0VeTcoat. under
your aim, within your waistcOal-almost
anyN here. When you wish you touch a
button, and presto! everything before you
is found imprinted upon the film for all
eternity.
How many times have I opposed TO the
denial OF scholars, complaining OF the in
justice q punishment, photograph taken
al the moment their arms were raised to
hurl At my head the paper missiiei But l
must Gene TO the story Of NY marriage.
81 vas q professor IN Amberyiile College
and / lived il little apartment on the
ground floor Opposite my house was the
large ornamented sign OF Mr.. PTad0ux, tue
notary, today my fatbeT-iB-law. Close BE-
side his desk the window OF his library
opened opposite mlDe aud across the very
narrow street ] could see, as well as in my
own room, all that passed ID the house OF
my neighbor. Indeed. from the first day
could see bat one thiug-bis daughter Val
ehtine She came and went al day long,
for she attended to the housekeeping, Mr..
PTsdOux being widOwer. She animated
with her CHEEKY smile and her fresh gayety
that papeT-streWn interior IA a way that
was truly adorable.
Pardon this panegyric upon my wife
but she was then IN tie marvellous bril-
liRney Of IS years. Her first appearance
was to me a blow from which my heart
never recovered-a blow that only those
psychologists deny who have never expert
euced it.
"A'as! from the first day this insur-
mOuntable love seemed to me what it must
have seemed to any reasonable being, fool
isb, senseless, eiess, and doomed TO per-
petual disappointment.
'Mr. PradOux was rich. very rich, and
had, to Offset his mOney-bags, only thin di-
plomas, and appointments yet thinner.
There | was, shut up alone with my love,
silent as a sanctuary, satisfied only to look
with innocent and distant alteration upon
the beautiful Miss Nalentlne.
Zone day the audacious idea came TO me Of
instaDtaneously ph0tographing her, and al
least preserving her Image. l carried my
little machine 10 the wnd0w-sill, and care
lessly and in the most casual manner, |
photographed my pretty neighbor, at the
precise moment when she was EN- bTacing
her father. At another time / caught Ter
while she Watered her flowers at the win
dow.
In short within a month I possessed an
original gallery, a true museum of,my dearly
beloved. With her were pictures Of great
many PEOPLE who had spoken with her in
her fathers library at the moment Of my
operation, and very often l turned over my
precious collection. happy to possess it, but
filed at the same time with terrible sad
ness
Zone day I did not see Miss Valentine. l
. learned that she was i'll. In the week
which followed another p0rtent0us rumoF
reached me. Mr.. PradouX was,l or was
going to be. ruined by banker Of doubtful
reputation, who had risked and lost for
tune in a bad speculation. II was even
said that criminal proceedings were about
to be Instituted against Mr.. PradOuX. The
trial would take place at the civil tribunal.
| fastened To be of the audience. Mir. pra-
doux appeared to be very much cast down,
but his countenaDce to my mind expressed
Innocence and honesty.
Soon l had heard all the testimony on
both sldes The business could be summed
up in few words. The banker had de-
posted large quantity Of valuable papers
with Mr.. PradOux and he pretended the
latter would not return them to him.
Mr.. PradoOx affirmed. on the contrary,
that he had given them from his own hand
into the hand of the banker, who had called
for them in his library. But Mr.. Monquero
denied the visit and there were no wit
nesses. Miss Valentine was i'll, and, even
had she been well. her testimony, being
pIejudiced, would have been illegal.
"The trial was about 10 close probably to
the condemnation Of Mr. Pradoux, when
his adversary turned TO the public with a
tri umphant look. Immediately l recog-
nized that head. for bad not seen it often ?
But where? felt that it was aGuestion
OF capital importance. Suddenly light shot
through my mind. That figure was registered
upon one OF my numerous instantaneous
photographs of my neighbours library.
Therefore Mr.. MoDquero must have been
in the notary's library.
"Yes. this visit that he denied. be had
made, and the tribunal ought to know it.
81 leaped to the advocates desk and
briefly told him my story.
in few minutes / had reached nv home.
and returned to the tribunal, breathless.
but waving paper in my hand.
81 was not deceived, the resemblance was