The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-08-21
BY PHONOGRAPH
BY FRANK n. WILLIAMS

Perry Walters, in the security of
an inner room at the International
Photograph store, talked briskly in
to huge horn, while the needle re-
corded his words on the swiftly re-
volving wax disc.
Jessie, DEAR he said, "you
probably know that your father
has forbidden me to enter your
! house. He also declares that he
will intercept any letters that
write you and try to prevent my
getting any word to you. Your
Father further says that you are
with him in casting me off. But
surely, dear, you will not throw
me down just because our fathers
are business rivals. l can't believe
| that you will, but I'm awfully
anxious to hear from you, your
self, that you still think of me in
the same old way. l am sending
| with this disc materials with which
you can dictate a reply to me.
Send it to the store here and 1
will get it. Remember, dear, am
always your. Perry Walters"
When he finished speaking Perry
pulled back the key that stopped
the machine. He wrapped up the
disc, together with an unused disc
and a recording needle, and sent
them to Jessie Oswald's house.
you see," he explained to the
proprietor of the store, "since she
has a photograph she will think
nothing Of getting this material.
which she will think comes from
Iyou. AS her father hates a talk
ing machine, l believe that she will
he alone when she puts the disk
in the machine"
Within a half hour the messenger
boy whom Perry had told to wait
for an answer returned. The boy
brought with him freshly made
record. This Perry grabbed and
tremblingly placed on a machine.
Its message, to his delight, was as
follows:
Dear Perry: I've been wonder
ing and wondering what made you
desert me so suddenly. Now l
know. LIDO think of you In the
same way, my dear boy, and since
it seems to be my fathers inten-
ton to separate US, will do what
you asked me to SO long ago."
Perry smiled ecstatically. In a
moment he had changed the
needles and was making another
record. This is what he said:
Dear, dear Jessie: You don't
know what delight your message
gave me. The only recourse we
have is to elOpe. I'm mighty,
mighty glad, dear, that you agree.
Slip out Of your house at 10 o'clock
tonight. I'll be waiting for you
on the corner with license. Ii
lyou can do this wave a handker-
chief from your window directly
after hearing this"
When the bundle was ready to
take to the house, Perry followed
the boy that he might be really to
see the signal. Just as he and the
boy reached the corner he was hor-
rified to see Jessie's father stop
the boy. Mr.. Oswald took the
package, examined 1t and, smiling
sarcastically, went into the house.
In an agony of apprehension Perry
waited for half an hour and then.
as Jessie failed to wave the hand
kerchief went disconsolately back
to the store.
To Perrys surprise, short time
after he reached the store the mes
senger boy returned with another
disc Apprehensively Perry placed
it on the machine. His astOnish-
ment knew no bounds when this
message was ground out In the
1 deep voice Of Jessie's father:
81 have discovered your trick,
made my daughter give me your
first record and now | will answer
you in your own style. You have
displayed more ability in communi-
eating with my daughter than ex-
pected from you. What's your hur-
ry? In the morning paper you
should have seen that your father
and | have combined. We are no
longer enemies. repeat, what's
your hurry? Come up to the house