The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-07
AMARTYRTOS A SCIENCE.


aunt.
think was attracted by Matilda at the
very first meal. She came down TO break
fast in a white wrapper, and, though she
ate literally of corned beef hash and corn
meal mullins, I seemed to see something
angelic about her. fancy should hnve
got along all right with Miss Tyitters If it
hadn't been for Gibson
Gibson humored my passion for science
L haven'ta q great deal Cf time for actual
study on the new innovations, but / al
ways read the newspa pers thoroughly.
Gibson was equally well eosted, and while
his fancy was somewhat playful, he was
well up in the technical terms and knew a
great deal more than most people gave
him credit for knowing.
One evening at the supper table we fell
TO discussing Tesla s assertion that tele-
phoning can be done without the use of
wire. Gibson agreed with Tesla. was
inclined to take Edison's view. Miss
Twitters, it seemed to me, rather sympa-
thized with my arguments, and, encour-
aged by her bright eyes, talked my pret-
tiest.
"Well," said Gibson, "let's put it to ths
test"
f'The test P' cried.
eyes he answered. "I'll show you.
Here. Tompkins, you and Bushwicx go
up on the top floor and listen. I'll shut
the door of the dining room and then throw
my voice at you. II you hear me and un-
derstand. come right down.
Would you believe it, those two young
fellows Ineekly obeyed Gibson, and we
heard them clim bing the stairs. Gibson
shut the door carefully after them and
waited minute or Then he put his
lips close to the panels and said:
''Beer!'
A second or two later we heard Ton,p
kins and Bushwick madly galloping down
the stairs. Then they rushed into the din
ing room.
"what did L sayP'' inquired Gibson.
"You said beer, they cried in chorus.
'Wonderful!'' said Miss Twitters.
It did seem wonderful, but I'm afraid
it was all a put up job:
"We'n experiment. with this again.
said Gibson to me.
And we did.
Bushwiok and Gibson got up a little
Saturday afternoon excursion. They
knew delightful spot, and all the board
ers were invited. The ladies furnished
the eatables, and the men provided the
punch. OF course we all went our
wheels 1t was a very pretty spot, sort
of sugar loaf of rocky hill, with assures
here and there and the greatest levels of
grass When we had climbed up, we found
that the view was really lovely. Matilda
told me SO, and I said it was, but of
course my eyes were on her. When the
lunch boxes wera piled up and the wheels
stacked securely, the party separated, scat
tered here and there. Bushwiok walked
away with Matilda, but Gibson staid with
me. When they were all quite gone, he
turned around suddenly and saw that he
was excited.
"Grindle,' he cried, edo you see those
rocks?''
'sWhy, yes" answered.
"Do you know what they are?"
I admitted that 1 didn't. Geology is a
study in which had taken no interest.
''By George he said, 81 think they are
magnesium !"
'fWhat of it?'' asked.
"What of it?'' he echoed. "Why, there
are the very rocks to test Tesla s theory.
There is no rock that will carry sound
waves so perfectly magnesium"
/ began to feel interested.
Glow do you know?' asked.
"Well," =" he said, ''Tesla hints a it, and,
then, have tried little experimenting on
my own account. See here
He led me to deep fssure in the rock,
and, carefully posting me against the wall,
told me to listen 1 put my ear against
the cold stone and eagerly awaited. Pretty
soon to my great surprise I heard nuf11ed
voices and occasional bursts of laughter.
I looked up at Gibson.
| "I thought you would he said smiling.
"Those sounds come from the other side
of the hill. Here" he suddenly added,
| "we'n make this a real experiment. You
| stay here and I'll go around on the other
side and get somebody to talk through to
| you. Look at your watch. In five min
| utes say 'Hellor"
1 waited impatiently for the time to
elapse. 1t did seem rather ridiculous, but
| if Tesla said it could be done, why should
| 1 doubt it?
When the five minutes were up, I called /:
"Hellol HelloP'
! Then heard a voice say, "Some cne is
| Calling
1t was a muf11etl voice, but it was un-
! mistakably Matilda's.
Miss Twitters s!'' called. "Miss Twit-
| ters!''
''Sone one is calling me!'' cried Matilda
"What is it?' she added.
| Dear Miss Twitters, % 1 ventured.
"Why, it sounds like MIR. Grindle's
| voice. said Matilda
| ''It is,'' called. sit is your Grindle's s
voice. Can you hear me, Miss Twitters,
| Matilda, Mattie-dear Alattie?''
| ''Sir!'' she cried in maiden modesty.
| "Listcn, Matilda ! passionately de-
| claimed 'My heart goes out to you
| through cubic yards of solid rock. No OBJ
| stacle cal check the vital current that links
two loving hearts. 1 love you, Matilda, /
| love-
1 got no further.
/ IHef0 was Il Wllu UurS6 VI QcLlOHldC
| laughter. 1 looked up and under the top
| of the curtain of rock at the back of the
| fissure were lot of grinning faces.
| looked around. There were half dozen
| more the outside. 1t was trap. That
| fssure opened into a cave, and in that
| cave Gibson had contrived to store tho rest
(; of the party, gathering them there through
| tho entrance only few yards away.
AS l looked upat them they roared with
| laughter, and l heard the idiotic medical
| student say to the landlady:
| Has he been this way long?"
OF course 1 tried to treat it as joke.
| but it was hard effort. Matilda wouldn'
look at me, and for a moment or two
! felt like Draining Gibson. l never knew a
l. Il. -.