Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-02-17


biz French motor car occupied nv
two men aud two very pretty women
whirred up Riverside drive late sun
day evening and at Nineueth street
drew up and stopped at the approach
10 the Soldiers and sailors monument
1t was Nng past the hour when the
crowd OF fashionable promenaders
leaves the drive as the party of four
stepped out of the big. vibrating ma
chine and climbed the steps TO the
monument
One OF the men was a millionaire
well known in the financial district.
The other was great tenor. With
them were the millionaire's wife and
woman known in half a dozen Euro
pean capitals as one OF the greatest
operate coaches living-a woman who
is constant attendant upon operate
stars and sharer in no small degree
in their musical triumphs
II il had been made during SUNDAY
or weekday afternoon. a crowd OF
fashionable folk would undoubtedly
have had their curiosity piqued by the
peculiar visit OF four such well known
people The whole affair was So hi
Zarre ana the sounds which soon issued
from the narrow entrance TO tho glis-
tening white monument were so
strange that nj any but a~late night
hour a crowd must have quickly filled
the plaza around the marble shaft. 4
desire 20 escape any such ANNOYING in
eidents probably led the visitors TO
choose the nighttime for their visit.
'Thc average American is q consum-
mate ass. said the New Yorker as he
guided the small party up the moon
lit steps 20 the monument. He travels
TO the utmost parts al the world.
spends barrels of money and generally
writes book or two describing the
marvellous things he sees. when 10y re-
naming right at home he could have
seen sights of a similar kind which
would have knocked the spots OF tie
things on which De has wasted his
patrimony and paragraphs OF superla-
tives."
But echoes. signor." replied the ten
or as he grasped the Wall street mans
arm. Echoes such as we have in the
0apustery' Never-eXcept in the old
cathedralS OF Italy-'
That's just what Americans saw"
retorted the New York man. They 20
into ecstatc rapturos over European
mediocrity without knowing that they
live among the greatest collection OF
marveis in the world. Listen To this
The party had reached the door lead
Ing 10 the interior Of the monument
a solid cylindrical wall Of marble and
granite surrounded a slender room
empty save FOR half dozen dried
wreaths lying on one corner OF the
stone floor When the whole party had
wormed its way into the monument.
the Wall street man babe them be
very still and with upturned face in
toned low note. An echo was heard
which rivaled those marvellous re-
VerberauOns which have drawn travel
ers to distant parts of the world and
have been the subjects OF brilliant de-
scriptions in the daily press and be-
tween covers. The note seemed instant
~ transformed into I, moving ball Of
sound. It's journey TO the distant stone
ceiling could be distinctly traced. IT
seemed 10 be waited upward ike q
ring or smoke or a cottony dandelion
seed The sound decreased until the
note seemed 10 strike the small. high /
ceiling. where il fingered q moment be- /
fore commencing its downward trim. /
Gradually increasing in loudness. II /
came back 10 the floor Of the monu- |
ment apparently as loud and as intact |
as when il was uttered. The whole /
wonderful incident occupied only a /
few seconds, but every stage of the
sounds trip TO the top of the monu- /
ment and back was as pronounced and /
as easily traced as though il had been
butterfly or q toy balloon.
'Magnihcentr' exclaimed the tenor in
tones OF rapture and surprise. y never
dreamed such marvellous echo existed
outside the baptistery at Pisa"
his voice made a perfect riot OF
sound within the narrow shaft. Count
less tones going and coming in rapid
succession produced an effect almost
PAINFUL upon the ears OF the listeners.
At the request of one Of the women
the tenor sang very slowly and softly
a lew phrases of la Donna Mobile"
The effect was peculiarly beautiful.
Two men seemed to be singing. one
half beat behind the other. As in the
~ go NNi'NN man experiment., euCn |
note could be heard distinctly soaring
aloft 10 the ceiling and back. At the
return of each note in its original vigor
and fullness the effect OF a second
singer was produced The union OF
the Dell-like tones OF the beautiful
voice, the wonderful echo and the De
euliar strangeness of the whole situa-
ton brought cries of delight from the
two women.
Il believe il IS as fine as the one in
Pisa, said the woman who coaches
prima donnas, land 10 think that we
never even heard Of it before-'
Peculiar fact" said the New Yorker
striking match and Illuminating the
iarS. cold interior. New Workers
never know anything about New York.
You can't sit down in hotel lobby or
n a club and speak Of echoes but a
iozen men VIII commence TO dilate on |
ome reverberations they have heard
a some baciswoods German or Italian
own, But none OF them knows OF any
hing remarkable In his own town.
ne greatest city on earth."-New York
Advertiser.