Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-08-07


a year after my birth, didn't she, dad?'
ssYou were thirteen months old when
we lost her. he answered, bending
over the clockwork attachment of the
fog bell to wipe off an invisible speck
Of dust Since his first term of service
on the rock the light had changed from
an occulting to a fixed one.
.'She is buried there, isn't she?' the
girl went on ''How strange that amid
our journeying we have never visited
Brighton
IF l were able to take you to her
graveside, I would not do it," said
Brand. ''I do not encourage morbid
sentiments even of that perfectly nat
ural kind. Your mother to you, Con-
stance. is like Enid'S to her-a dear but
visionary legend. In a degree it is al
ways so between loved ones lost and
those who are left Truth, honor, work
these are the highest ideals for the
individual They satisfy increasingly.
Happy as am in your companionship,
you must not be vexed when tell you
that the most truly joyful moment of
my life was conferred when my little
friend here first responded accurately
to external influences"
He laid his hand on an object resting
on table by itself. 1t looked like an
aneroid barometer, but the others knew
it was the marine auriscope to which
he had devoted so many patient hours.
"Is it in working order now?" asked
Constance instantly, and Enid came
nearer. Together they examined the
small dial. It was equipped with an
arrow headed pointer and marked with
the divisions of the compass, but with
out the distinguishing letters.
These three understood each other
exactly. By inadvertence the conver-
sation had touched on topic concern
ing which Brand was always either
vague or silent Both girls were quick
witted enough to know that Con.
stances mother was never willingly
alluded to either by the lighthouse
keeper or by the elderly Mrs. Shep-
pard, who looked after them in in
fancy and was now the housekeepe1
of Laburnum cottage.
Constance was annoyed. How could
she have been so thoughtless as tc
cause her father moments suffering
by bringing up painful "reminiscences
But he helped her, being master OF
himself
He adjusted a switch in the instru
ment
"I had no difficulty in constructing
diaphragm which would intercept all
sounds" he said. 'The struggle came
when I wanted an agent which would
distinguish and register a particular
set of sounds, no matter what addi
tional din might be prevalent at the
same time. My hopes were wrecked sc
often that began to despair, until ]
CHANGED to read one day how the high
tension induction coil could be tuned
to disregard electrical influences other
than those issued at the same pitch.
My anxiety, until I had procured and
experimental with properly con-
structed coil, was very trying, I assure
you;;'
'sI- remember wondering what OF
earth it was" volunteered Enid. "It
sounded like mathematical snake"
"And am sorry to say that even yet
am profoundly ignorant as to its true
inwardness," smiled Constance.
"Yet you girls delight in poets who
bid you hearken to the music of the
spheres. suppose you will admit that
the ear of, say, Ben Pollard is not tun-
ed to such a celestial harmony. How
ever, will explain my auriscope in a
sentence. 1t only listens to and indi-
Gates the direction of fog horns, sirens
and ships bells. A shrill steam whistle
excites it, but the breaking of seas
aboard ship. the loud tapping Of pro.
peller, the noise of the engines, of a
gale, or all these in combination, leave
it unmoved.''
81 remen Der once, when we were
going from Falmouth to Porthalla in
fog, how dceadfully difficult it was to
discover the whereabouts of another
steamer we passed Ell route,' said his
daughter
"Well, with this little chap on the
bridge the pointer would have told
The captain unerrinS.y. 1 don't suppose
it will be thick while you are here, or
you would see it pick up the distant
blasts of steamer long before we can
hear them and follow her course right
round the arc of her passage. 1t is
most interesting to watch its activity
when there are several ships using
their sirens I have never had an op-
portunity of testing it on more than
three vessels at once, but as soon as I
could deduce a regular sequence in the
seemingly erratic movements of the in
dicator I marked the approach and
passing Of each with the utmost ease"
"Would that stop collisions at sea?"
Nothing will do that, because some
ships officers refuse at times to eXer-
else due care, but with my instrument
on board two ships, and time chart
attached to the drums, there would be
no need for a board of trade inquiry
to determine whether or not the proper