The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-04-29

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~ vi and was Topping his capacious
chest. 1t warm evening. and
~ he had removed his battered straw
~ hat, which he held in his hand. The
size of the hat was No. s. The man was Thomas
A. Edison.
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. Halt a million
incandescent bulbs were hid along the transverse
lines Of the buildings. The current was turned
on and they simultaneously bloomed. Ensued
spectacle for which Caesar would have par
tered a province-a Joy that brought a gasp Of
ecstacy from every one of the millions who
1t.
Edison, bare-headed 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 on
the enhancing wonder then cautiously into his
battered straw hat and said
81 could put every fament into that hat!'
Economics mechanics-these obsessed him
That BRAIN which required a No hat for cover
ing could think only of the compressed fact
that all the space occupied by the vibrating. en-
ergizing and gloryworking source Of that gigantic
spectacle could be replaced by about two pints
of water-or a quart Of human brain.
Edison is a man. In his speech. OF which
he is as careful as Of his ilaments he pulls the
core from field Of ideas and thrusts it at you
as II 1t were a poniard You think about what he
says for a week. month; and In years you don't
forget It.
All OF this is leading up to a 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 aero
plane for you'll be able to pack 1t into soap
bubble!"
soap-bubble! Rather a fragile packng-case
Rather q small compass in which to place
grand opera. curious comparison. Did Edison
mean what he said? Did he know what he was
talking about?
Ever since 1 heard that Edison said that.
have been thinking of moving pictures In connec-
ton with soap-bubbles And not always In the
way he meant bubbles In connection with the
1finetograph.
soap-bubble is cheap It Is easy to make-if
you know how. It is fragile. 1t is very alluring
1t reflects all colors, all forms. 1t appeals uni
versay to children. Sages ponder over 1t. Poets
celebrate 1t. Artists reproduce 1t.
Conundrum.-Why is a moving picture like .
soap-bubble?
First, you fnd them everywhere.
On the back streets Of Reno saw the pictures
of the bull fight at Guadaajara Mexico. The
Guadalajarans now look on the moving pictures
of the prize fight at Reno
At Punta Arenas, the southernmost port In tho
world, saw Chieans applaud moving pictures
Of the Bowery and the New York water front.
On the Bowery 1 saw pictures of the battleship
fleet entering the harbor of Punta Arenas.
On an island 1000 miles out in the Pacihc
Ocean the exiled lepers Of Molokai gather daily
before the hickering wonders OF world which
before had been but vaguely in their dreams.
The Sunday evening young peoples class OF Eau
Claire, Wisconsin, looks in pity on the trans
planted and resurrected life of Molokai which
passes before their eyes-on the screen.
group Of travellers in the luxurious saloon
Of an ocean liner study the Mfelike pictures OF
the country for which they are bound. The beg
gars who line the pathways Of the tourist impior-
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 the hero
ism Of a cowboy who rescues . captured maiden
from the redskins. Hallway round the world.
in Northern Russia. fearful peasants sorrow over
the pictured plight of French lover
The Bengalee moves down Mowringhee ROAD
and gives up two pennies to see the funeral OF
King Edward-to see 1t actually move. inc
foro in the alleys Of Zamboanga goes witnout
an extra shirt that he may view the reception OF
unIvsrsai - Freth