Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11

taken us to see a speaking automoton-
did invent a mouthpiece of rubber ana
other material that would say mamma ana
cry like baby. Another stage might De
marked by my ambition to be a singer and
a musical composer. 1 had good voice,
and just before reaching manhood. was
Cfevoting myself to its training with thal
life work in view. This led me to the further
study of the voice and the transmission or
sound. That ambition was given up on ac-
count of my health, and for the same rea-
son father brought me to CANADA Whefe
we purchased a farm. This migration now
seems almost providential in the life of
the invention for am sure had remained
in England l never should nave mace "a.
The intellectual atmosphere OF Great
Britain is too cold and conservative to IN
cite great discoveries whereas that of this
country is stimulating and friendly TO all
new things. Our patent system is also Lar
more encouraging.
We'll to continue my story DR.. BeH
went on. II found the Canada farm just
what | needed. The change and the out
of-door life soon made new man OF me-
and father. in the meantime, having again
taken I'D his studies of the teaching or the
deaf 7 became interested in that and was
made professor of vocal physiology IN the
BOSTON University.
Partly an Accident.
Gan this work YOU see was along the
line of sound and sound transmission. Then
another stage appeared which connected my
vocal studies with the machinery of the
telephone l became interested In multi
plex teIegraphy and tried to make an IN
yention by which several messages could be
simultaneously sent on one wire by using
the musical scale with signals OF dlHerent
pitch. We employed a series or reeds as
sounding instruments In these experiments
connecting them by means of wire. One
day one of the reeds accidently struck the
diaphragm at one end of the wire, and ITS
vibration was seen on the diaphragm at
the other end If that sound could De
transmitted why not other sounds. The
thought was one of the suggestions winch
resulted in the telephone. Later hao the
wire conducted from one of the top rooms
of the house to the electrical work SHOP IN
the basement, and speaking into the dia-
phragm was heard by Mr.. Watson, my as
sstant. below. I tried to get him TO reply
but could not hear him. He came in lit
tie later, much excited, and l asked him
why he did not answer He said he had
tried to- l then went down and took ms
place, but could not distinguish his words.
| can only explain this by the fact that
my trained voice more easily heard
than his unframed one, and that his hear
ing. sharpened by the necessities of noisy
workshop, was better than mine. TINS
experiment, however. showed me that the
telephone could be made success, and
at once applied for my patents
The Troubles of Success.
"How did your friends view the inven-
tom
.'The most of them laughed at it," said
Dr. Bell. They considered 1t toy at best,
and. even. after it was proved a success
in the transmission of sound, some told
me / was foolish to devote myself to
thing that could never be of practical value,
while / had a chance of making a fortune
II / kept at my work in muluplex teleg-
raphy."
Did you have much trouble in protect
ing your invention?'
Yes" replied Dr. Bell, "As soon as its