The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-20
The ThreIkeld Ear.
"a story in Five Parts. By C. A. Raj
mond)

Threlkeld went on presently, =" that
deafness, so rare in the elder
worid-so almost unknown among
the uncivilized-is steadily on the increase.
| Among those. too, not in the least deaf
within certain range, for some can not
| hear a sound above the top A of the piano,
many more can not hear a single note of
the octave beyond. There are those who
can hear nothing below the bottom A, and
many more for whom the lower octave
| does not exist. There are people who have
never heard the cricket, and others who
| have never heard the dove. Yet all these
| limitations are as nothing to the growing
| inaccuracy of the worlds perception of
sound. The great problem in the casting
| of bells is the finding an ear true enough
| to detect the slight fairness or sharpness
| of the note Not one ear in a thousand
| can be trusted. Yet the true pitch must
be fundamentally demonstrable. You
know, of course, that every musical note
has its corresponding geometrical fg-
ure?"
She shook her head. How does any
one know that?"
You've heard of 'Chladnis fgures?'"
No"
Merely a little object-lesson on the
mathematical basis of music. Chladni
found by sprinkling fine sand on metal
| plate. and then rubbing ii with a violin
| bow that a musical sound was produced
which made the sand dance about and
| collect in a pattern on certain straight
| or curved lines. These lines indicated the
| nodes or places where the vibratory
movement did not exist. The designs are
not more intricate and beautifuI than they
are mathematically exact. They gave the
world the first ocular proof that to each
determinate note belongs determinate
| figure, and that the higher the note the
more complicated is the design which is
it's equivalent expression. A Threlkeld
perceives the harmony in these high whis-
thing notes. To him the quarter tone is
not of necessity discordant. But where
the sound pattern is smudged and rudely
broken up-wrenched violently out of
grace and order as in your Moorish dance
"a Threlkeld's nerves are torn and tor
tured. they suffer with the writhing muir
dered sound, his brain reels. night and
chaos seem fallen on the earth He
drew his hand across his eyes. But
these things are far from most mems
comprehension-happi happily"
You think I. for instance, could never
be taught to perceive these subtleties?'
The old man smiled indulgently, as
though condescending to the capacity of
a child.
Certain things you could perceive if
rod?" He pointed above the door that led
to the mushroom. That piece of metal
has an affinity for E. Strike any other
note, and it pays no attention. But
come here and give me E on the guitar
The lady joined him and twanged the
string.
"Ahr' she exclaimed, as the rod distinct
! ly echoed her.
Now, let US try the Others" She struck
them all in turn. The rod was mute.
Now E again. cried the old man.
Once more it caught up the sound it
seemed to care for, clinging to 1T, letting
it go with regret back to silence.
There is some special sound affinity in
each one of u.s." said Christopher Threl-
keld as he bade his daughter-in-law
goodnight; there's some one note that
we needs must answer if it call.
UNLESS the roar of life has deafened
us. l suppose" said the lady-wondering
how far the theory applied to her-"unless
we are cut off"
''Ay, the mother of a ThreIkeld does
we'll to remember that. Most men are
cut off, stone-deaf above and below the
narrowing range of the modern gamut.
But not the Threlkelds! They have never
let go that fine-spun gossamer, the one
| tie left between us an" he paused.
Between us and the undiscovered coun-
try?'
He seemed not to hear. He lit his own
candle, and said goodnight.
Christmas Eve at Threlkeld this year
was surely not poor in outward cheer.
For the childs sake" the young moth
er had said to herself and to others, and
again and again before this magic phrase
barriers and objections one by one went
down Why Mr.. Threlkeld at first, and
Mounsey to the bitter end, opposed her
plan of throwing open and decorating the
entire suite of music and reception rooms
she did not understand. She did not even
care to try. 1t was probably part of the
dullness and inertia of old age. But for
the child's sake (and partly because 1t
would make so fair a sight for older
eyes, the thing should be done. And it
was. From room to room all gay with
holly and pine and mistletoe, round the
great hall till they reached the music
room, mother and child followed Mounsey
on Christmas Eve, and watched him light
| the candles in the sconces and in the great
central chandeliers.
Now. this is as far as we can gor' Mrs.
Threlkeld cried. turning back from the
closed door of the mushroom. Run to
the hall and tell your grandfather we're
ready
communicating with the hall, away ran
the excited child. unheeding his mothers
call retracing his steps through the
whole brilliant suite, flying on and on,
dazzled, bewildered. till he reached the
forbidden mushroom, from the other
side.
AS he opened the door, a great blazing
Christmas tree confronted him-a tree so
tall and grand and shining, that the child
gave a shrin cry and stood transfxed.
His mother, waiting at the other door,
called MI Threlkeld in from the hall.
The baby lost his way" she explain
ed, but I think he couldn't be more en-
raptured if he had come in with you as
we planned from the dim hail.
The ecstatic moments from five till sew
en-, the child's bedtime, were cruelty
short. His mother suggested half-hours
grace. but Mr.. Threlkeld opposed the idea
so vehemently. it was given UP. In a pas
sion Of tears and still trembling with
excitement, the little boy was borne of
to bed.
AT the lady's urgent request, they sat in
the mushroom that night; but Mrs.
Threlkeid declined to play.
why not? The child is too far away
to be kept awake"
Il feel tired tonight" she said. To
morrow I Will play"
They sat there talking After some
time Mr.. Threlkeld looked at his watch.
Il won't go to bed just yet" said the lady
as the old man rose.
YOU said you were tired" he reuon-
strated-
Yes; but not sleepy
You won't sit up Ioug?" he half in
quired. half commanded.