The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-04-11


but neither the ethical nor humorous
phases of the situation seemed to
strike him.
Inc next morning Rand appeared
In church in clerical garb. The strick-
en- clergyman, his white head bowed on
his hand as he leaned on the arm of
his~c chair. never looked up, after pre-
senting Rand as Rev. DR.. Carleton
Smith of Chicago, who would read the
morning lesson"
From my seat in the first new. per.
maps 20 feet from the exact spot where
the speaker was standing, could OBJ
serve every movement that both he
and Rand might make.
1t was fully Is minutes before any.
thing unusual occurred.
Suddenly the old clergyman's voice
TOOK on momentarily rasping note
an inarticulate cry of agony and des-
peration! He went on speaking me-
Chemically, with his eyes closed. Rand
sat motioniess, but with the manner OF
tiger about to spring. He was lis
tening. and could tell from his face
that he also was hearing what was
beating In DR.. Coleman's ears-the
rolling anthem Of the unseen singers.
AS for me. 1 could not catch the
faintest sound beyond low, confused
murmur. Rand removed the micro
phone, which he always carried for
magnifying sounds. once or twice
after few seconds, then quietly drew
some sheets, apparently a small set OF
notes, from his pocket, found some
thing, folded the pages. and instantly
was lost in the most profound thought.
DIR. Coleman was staggering, struggling
through his address. stood ready to
rush to catch him should he reel and
rail- forward from the pulpit. There
were evident signs of deep concern for
him In the congregation. Perhaps It
was only two minutes, but il
seemed an hour that this situation
held
Then Rand, rising unobtrusively,
reached forward and turned on the
desk light. A moment later look of
relief came over the old clergyman's
face. He opened his eyes, paused a
moment, as il to steady himself, then
went on again. and waited perhaps
so seconds. / knew from the hand to
his ear that he was still listening.
Then he turned on the light once more
and again listened. He next said
something in a low voice to DR.. Cole
man, and, settling back comfortable.
folded his arms and listened to the
sermon at his ease. He had solvsd
the mystery.
How / endured the half-hour TIL
Rand and I were walking down the
avenue, arm in arm, with the happy
old clergyman, / do not know. Or.
Coleman and he had already had sons
explanatory words together, for tie
first thing I heard was:
But, my dear Mr.. Rand, how did
you make so wonderful a discovery
can hardly realize it is a mystery
no longer"
1T was really very simple, after
all, DR.. Coleman" replied Rand.
Through the Callahan men 1 col.
lected in advance. among other things.
the musical programs from every
church on Manhattan island. BY my
l discerned that 1t was
Pfeisters Ave Maria that was being
sung somewhere this morning, its
echoes apparently audible to your ears
alone. From my indexed notes l i
found that the only church where this
number was being sung was the
Church Of the Revelation, on the
West side, mile away, a distance far
too great Of course, for the natural
Of sound. Instantly, how
ever, 1t flashed over me that this was
one Of the old churches in which had |
learned the old sounding boards of the |
Teleautic Company had been placed. |
Here were the same music and the
same sounding boards-but no wiring |
had been put in. / looked at the base !
Of the sounding-board beside me. No |
wiring was there now! Yet there
must be a connection. There must |
be wires-wireless reproduction being |
sminently absurd. AS sat absorbed |
IN thought raised my eyes and
CHANGED to see that the electric wires
10 the desk light ran over the top Of |
the sounding board. One chance in a
million of a chance connection by the
electric lighting company! Rising, I
turned on the light. as you may re-
and the music ceased to be
audible. turned the light on, and
he Ave Maria could be heard to .
lose. You were alone In hearing the
'aint sound-waves so clearly, because
your ears were In the exact focus Of |
he radii of the sounding-board. / nb-
iced yesterday that the other church
began at 11:15, and I will
without visiting the audi
orium Of the Church Of the Revela-
ion, that the other board Is SO placed |