Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-01

-6ALLULAH FALLsI Sheer walls Of
granite a thousand feet in height,
dimly white in the moonlight,
III myriad Of flashes where the va
pors condensing and the seeping
moisture creeping from the cracks hang
for an instant in expectation and vanish
with the silent swiftness Of life fading
out into eternity.
Above. fantastic silhouettes Of pine and
cedar; below, a whirling, churning, tu-
multuous river rushing down, down, down
from silvery light TO lghtened shadow,
from lightened shadow into impenetrable
gloom. over all thrilling every fibre Of
nature. animate and inanimate, the SOL
emn voice OF the waters!
The summer wanderers from Georgia
were grouped upon the point Of rocks
which commands the best view Of the
gorge, even Toms levity suppressed, his
Inevitable cigar sparkless.
1T is grand. immense. wildly overpow-
eringr' he said at length. But / think
I should not like TO live within hearing
OF IL all. The sadness. the monotony would
drive me to suicide. Already I seem to
have been reduced to a minor key. BY the
way, perhaps this sad monotony explains
the unehanging face of the native here
about"
His comment drew no immediate answer.
The professor said at length:
That depends on how you hear the
river. For me IL carries the triumph Of
strong soul that has burst asunder it's
chains, the legends and romances Of per-
ished races. and the melody Of a full.
grand chorus Of music, varying as the
breeze quickens or lags and as the mists
gather or lift Indeed, even the breaking
OF the moon from its covert Of clouds
changes the voice Of this river. What do
you hear. Tom?"
"One full. strong. booming. vibrant
bass note, Octaves below any 1 have ever
heard Compared with my lowest violin
note, 1 should say not less than a dozen
octaves"
The professor shook his head.
Taking F as the bass, do you not hear
A above 1t also in the chord? Listen!'
Yes. now"
''And next C?'
Il believe do"
Now try for f above"
so then. you hear now, instead Of
note. the full chord. Well. let me tell you
that unless some great change has taken
place here within the last % years, the
dominant OF these falls is really +, and
blended with II are the notes Of the full
chord for the waters below support a gi-
gantic column OF air, and that column
vibrates just as the column in your violin
or flute. and is controlled by precisely the
same law. When we remember how many
falls there are below us. how the height
and breadth 81 the afr column over each
varies we may well believe that some
where exists the chromatic scale: that be-
fore us but invisible, are all the pipes of
a gigantic organ. But you have not heard
all. Tonight there is another and a finer
effect. l would rather trust Ethers ear
In this. Listen high up I'm the scale, Ethel
think you will be surprised"
why. Professor hear-I seem to hear
a woman's voice floating in the air about
me; surely"
Initiate it." The girl opened her lips
and droned a high sweet note in perfect
accord with the full deep voice of the
river. So faint and far and echo-like It
seemed the party gathered round and
looked doubtingly into her face.
That's not you. Ethel" said Tom
briefly.
Yes. but listen and you will still hear
f."
You are singing again.
mo- not a sound. See!' She covered
her lips with her hand.
And now. Professor. explain that"
Tom turned toward HIS smiling friend,
puzzled.
1T is an overtone." said the professor
mot always Distinguishes, but very
clear tonight. The explanation is not easy
10 unscientific minds, but shall try. HIS
t0rically. the voice you hear has given
rise 10 many legends. and is probably the
origin Of the Lorelei myths OF the Rhine.
BY some Of my musical friends tits called
an octave Of the dominant-so far up the
scale as TO seem like the chime Of a dis
tant. sweet-toned hell; but 10 my ear 1t
Is a fifth and not an octave-a tenor note
and therefore an octave OF the'second bass
or In this instance. "a This overtone is
common to the best instruments and 10
some voices; and an instrument is called
mellow and a voice fine II they carry with
them overtones. The mystery. too. for 1t
is still a mystery. evidently gave BIRTH TO
one OF the most beautiful poems and
songs-I mean The Lost Chord" by
Phoebe Cary-fOr the song tells its own