Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-04-29

Nv WI and Hopping over his capacious
chest. 1t warm evening, and
4 N he had removed his battered straw
- hat, which he held in his hand The
size of the hat was No. g. The man was Thomas
A. Edison.
Before us spread that dream in frozen music
the buildings fronting the esplanade. mall and
plaza of the exposition. The twilight was done
the had arrived for the night birth
of that dream into splendor. For the first time
In history architecture be made alive at
night, more living than by day Half million
incandescent bulbs were hid along the transverse
lines of the buildings. The current turned
and they simultaneously bloomed. Ensued
spectacle for which Caesar would have bar
tered province joy that brought a gasp of
ecstacy from every of the millions who
1t.
Edison. bareheaded squinted his eyes The
poetry missed him. The gallop of scenic history
over the verge of missed him. The
glory of the spectacle itself missed him Instead
he glanced shrewdly and carefully all around
the enhancing wonder. then cautiously into his
battered straw hat and said:
81 could put every flament into that hatI"
Economics. mechanics-these obsessed him.
That brain, which required a No. s hat for cover
ing could think only of the compressed fact
that all the space occupied by the vibrating.
ergizing and glory-workng source of that gigantic
spectacle could be replaced by about two pints
of water-or quart of human brain.
Edison is In his speech, of which
he is as careful of his filaments he pulls the
core from field of ideas and thrusts it at you
as If it were poniard. You think about what he
says for week. month; and in years you don't
forget it.
All OF this is leading up to consideration of
what the wizardsage said few weeks ago when
select audience sat in his studio and watched
the first performance of the kinetograph that
fabulous instrument which is destined to repro
duce plays, operas public spectacles with the
action. the color and the voice intact
The great old inventor was gratihed
again Another thrill had come into his life His
latest adventure into the unknown had pros
pered. and his friends and associates clustered
about him with concentrations with Questions
with assurances.
For some time Edison silent He is CRATE
full that he is deaf. Then he squinted from one
to the other, and said:
Before long you'll be working that in an aero
plane, for you'll be able to pack it into soap
bubble,"
Rather small compass In which to place a
grand opera. A curious comparison. Did Edison
mean what he said? Did he know what he was
talking about?
Ever since heard that Edison said that. I
have been thinking of moving pictures in connec
ton with soapbubbles. And not always in the
way ne meant bubbles in connection with the
kinetograph
soap-bubble is cheap. 1t is easy to make-if
you know how. 1t is fragile. 1t is very allurins
1t reflects all colors. all forms. 1t appeals uni
Sersaiiy to children Sages ponder it. Poets
celebrate it. Artists reproduce it,
Conundrum.-Why is a moving picture like
soap-bubble?
First, find them everywhere
On the back streets of Reno the pictures
OF the bull fight at Guadalajara Mexico The
Guadalajarans look on the moving pictures
OF the prize fight at Reno.
al TuIta arenas the SOuthernmOSt he
world, saw Chileans applaud moving pictures
OF the Bowery and the New York water front
On the Bowery saw pictures of the battleship
Meet entering the harbor of Punta Arenas
On an island 1000 miles in the Pacific
Ocean the exned Iepers of Molokai gather daily
before the pickering wonders of a world which
before had been but vaguely in their dreams
The Sunday evening young peoples class of Eau
claire, Wisconsin. looks in pity the trans
planted and resurrected life of Molokaf which
passes before their eyes-on the
A group of travellers in the luxurious saloon
OF an ocean liner study the lifelike pictures of
the country for which they bound. The beg
gars who line the pathways of the tourist implor-
Ing backsheesh give up their pennies to see the
living presentment of their prey bounding to
them over the ocean wave.
In Iceland excited Eskimos applaud hero
ism of cowboy who rescues a captured maiden
from the redskins. Halfway round the world
In Northern Russia fearful peasants sorrow over
the pictured plight of French lover.
The Bengalee moves down Mowrfnghee Road
and gives two pennies to the funeral of
King Edward-to see # actually The
Moro in the alleys of Zamboanga goes without
an extra shirt. that he may view the reception of
Universal Froth.