New-York tribune., 1907-07-07
The Thinking Machine Goes on Lone

"HE telephone bell rang sharply. twice
j. lessor Augustus : f X Van Dusen-
I Thinking Machine-opcned his ewes
u sound sleep. rose from the bed
-----l "a an electric light. and sQuinted
a The oae. The table Il was just hali-past one,
he had beer eep tor only little more than an
h3ur- t-e .- small teet into a PAIR OF soft slip
pers and ..-. 81. -he telephone
Hello allied irrItably.
Is tha- p lessor Van Dusen," came the answer
II man ..--a voice tense with nervous cx-
cce1nerr. quick ln enunclation that the words
tumtled 0..- .-.- another
~Yes. i the scientist. What is it,"
Il - .-.-- II lie and death'' came the hllr-
ned resp. e. The same hasty tone. Can YOU
come ac .-E-' The instrument buzzcd and
Slltte1ee .e-ertlE, and the remainder OF the
questll.
For an . a, The Thinking Machine listened IN
,erty - interpret the interruption; then
ne s-- ceased and the wirc was silent.
p Aho sng, he demanded.
ne a. almost a shout It was i the
sre-he- cling and the words came ex-
NosFe-E distinct effort. " Ny name is"
and aI. The voice was swallowed up
SeadenlE leaieuing crack OF explosion
q some pistol shot Involuntarilv The
lh.&tng lodged. The receiver sang shrilly
II MS ea-. the transnitter vibrated audIbly;
then the --.-.r ,-.s mute again-t, c,,r7r,cc
ton was f-
Hello the scientist called again and
sga,n; bur -e was no answer He moved the
--oJE lI a. several times to attract Ccntral's
@--eii.l9! -- -.-t brought no response. What
e'e had ..--.-el had at least temporarily rem
.-s'ea MS .- ..e L-.eless. Dear mel Dear me-"
* srnta. -.-eautIy. Most cxtraOrdinarv,"
TOY q ' -ts1l thCughtiullV staring at the
--s-fl-aet- .u "eut and sat down the
e-se 81 t .. Sleep was banished now. Here
~a- Fra and q strange onel Every faculty
- y, MS "or-.- brain was concentrated upon it.
'-I .-I-' 40 as he sat there turning II all
80 u . ind aualyzing j, regarding 1t from
-. pos. point while tiny wrinkles we're
s'.-I& u ,r..~lnOus brow. Finally he con-
114ec ~ r. size telephone again Perhaps it had
n -tt-- --eutarllv dcadcued by the shock.
~ returned --e instrument and picked up the
- p. -n,c buzz Of the wire told him
--' '-e Inc working. Central an
Can Eaa ,.. rae the number which was just
,f-. ,.-l.. ,el VI. t-.' he inquired. We we're in
See go. get It, was the reply
"' '.e H-mo-t importance" he went on to
Ai.s,a I, '--1 matter Of life and death, even"
- j -. "...t ] can Central assured him; but
NJ " .-l 81 the calls, you know, and there
- '.-.e e.r t.'tv III the last ten fifteen minutes
S., - - l'~i - i'-e "feratOrs don remember them
-I CtlEttg.. ga.c him a quarter Of an hour as She
r. ,.i". clue ~ the number
-, - t.i----2 Machine waited patiently for the
WIKI. fg.-' 1,-i.is dulnbly at the transmltter mean
7,rt 'l-a ~ last Il came. 40 one remembered the
g,--- tter- was no record Of it. Central
csns5 Nfh curt word Of thanks the scientist
icr IL ~ one e" The big newspaper Offices and asked
5--i ~ Hatch, reporter.
"a II Hatch lsn il, came the response.
and you f"o" where he IS. quericd the scientist.
alT @ - vas shadow Of anxiety in the perpetu-
,Ifiated voice
no; home | suppose"
MT Ie man o science drew a long quick breath-it
,s sLl have been one 81 llneasiness-and called the
M, paper mans home number OF course the
Ii'us sage over the telephone had not been
y..e iial, D. II was not the reporters voice, he
clsntPe P'.ii.e ~ 81 that, and yet there bare
over 'tyl'. tIg Hatch growled stmably but seeply
yaae le linking Machines drawn face showed a
Mr nc as le recognized the tone. That you,
Iila'cht' he asked