The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-12-14

size of the hat was No. 8. 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,
and the moment had arrived for the night birth
of that dream into splendor. For the first time
In history architecture was to 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 was turned
on and they simultaneously boomed Ensued a
spectacle for which a Caesar would have bar
tered province-a Joy that brought gasp Of
ecstacy from every one Of the millions who
saw 1t.
Edison, bareheaded, squinted his eyes, The
poetry missed him. The gallop of scenic history
over the verge of a new missed him. The
glory of the spectacle itself missed him. Instead,
he glanced shrewdly and carefully all around on
the enhancing wonder, then cautiously into his
battered straw hat and said
II could put every filament into that haiti"
Economics, mechanics-these obsessed him.
That BRAIN which required No. hat for cover
Ing, could think only of the compressed fact
that all the space occupied by the vibrating,
ergizing and glory-woring source of that gigantic
spectacle could be replaced by about two pints
of water-or a quart of human brain.
Edison is a rare man. In his speech, of which
he is as careful of his flaments, he pulls the
core from field of ideas and thrlIsts it at you
as If 1t 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 wizard-sage said few weeks ago when
a 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 gratifed once
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 congratulations, with questions,
with assurances
For some time Edison was 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 1t into soap.
bubble!"
A soap-bubble! Rather fragile packing-case
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 l heard that Edison said that,
have been thinking Of moving pictures in connec-
ion with soap-bubbles. And not always in the
way he meant bubbles in connection with the
photograph
soap-bubble is cheap. 1t is easy to make-if
'ou know how. 1t is fragile. 1t is very alluring.
t reflects all colors. all forms. 1t appeals uni
'ersally to children. Sages ponder over It. Poets
celebrate 1t. Artists reproduce It,
Conundrum.-Why is moving picture like a
oapbubble?
First you find them everywhere
On the back streets of Reno / saw the pictures
II the bull fight at Guadalatara, Mexico The
fuadalaJarans now look on the moving pictures
Il the prize fight at Reno.
AT Punta Arenas. the southernmost port in the
World, saw Chileans applaud moving pictures
4 the Bowery and the New York water front
IN the Bowery pictures of the battleship
eet entering the harbor Of Punta Arenas
On an island 1000 miles out In the Pacific
,cean the exiled lepers of Molokai gather daily
efore the pickering wonders of a world which
efore had been but vaguely In their dreams
he Sunday evening young peoples class of Eau
laire, Wisconsin looks in pity on the trans
lanted and resurrected life of Molokai which
asses before their eyes-on the screen
group Of travellers in the luxurious saloon
I an ocean liner study the lifelike pictures of
70 country for which they are bound The beg
airs who line the pathways of the tourist implor-
lg hacksheesh give up their pennies to see the
wing presentment of their prey bounding to
lem over the ocean wave
In Iceland excited Eskimos applaud the hero
m of cowboy who rescues a captured maiden
ON the redskins. Halfway round the world
Northern Russia, fearful peasants sorrow over
lie pictured plight of French lover
The Bengaee moves down Mowringhee Road
nd gives up two pennies to see the funeral of
ing Edward-to see it actually move The
ORC in the alleys of Zamboanga goes without
extra shirt. that he may view the reception of
Universal as Froth.