davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09

the movements in the motion pictures
with the appropriate sounds replied the
wizard. as the lights went out. and that,
whether 1t be the human voice Or
Just then there burst upon the ear the
opening strains of I'll Trovatore.' Not
in the harsh. metallic timber of the
photograph, but clean, clear and reSo-
nant, from orchestra. many-toned
and perfectly balanced. The next in
slant there flashed upon the screen the
opening scene of the great opera. From
the crowded stage came the full-throated
voices of the singers. blended in perfect
harmony with the orchestra.
Rising, swelling and sinking in cadence,
all in faultless rhythm with every mo-
ton and gesture of those picture singers.
the mingled music of voice and orches-
ira floated forth from that picture stage
in an illusion that held the visitor SPELL
bound. Not false or a harsh note.
Not a single ill-timed movement, nor a
belated gesture from single one OF all
that lifeike throng. gathered there on
the phantom stage; but all in perfect
keeping-perfect beyond perfection-with
the strains of voices and instruments.
''Marvelous?" whispered the visitor to
himself. I'll have to get something
stronger than that weak word to tell this
tale"
What struck him as stransest as he sat
while the great opera proceeded to its
tragic end was the magical meditation
of the sounds. The absence Of any rasp-
ing, Photographic metalism was Won
derful enough. The perfect coincidence
Of gesture, with the appropriate words.
was marvellous, indeed. But by what
magic was it that the voices of the sing
ers were trained so delfcately as to be In
keeping with every position they took,
whether up-or down-stage; whether
with backs or faces to the front?
The mOdulatiOnS of melody and har-
monv, of voices and orchestra, so differ
ent from the screeching of some phonO-
graphs. with their dull. fiat monOtony of
timbre. were reproduced with an exact
ness and reality worthy of a finished
opera troupe.
itor was not listening to monographs;
he was not looking at movie" He
was hearing and seeing the greatest of
emotional operas, rendered by the living
flesh and blood of singers and musicians
and not some subtle combination Of dead
metal and celluloid and dull wax, gal
vanizcd by electricity into phantom life
Leonora and Manrico were there alive
agoniznGly alive. sobbing out their woes
in exquisite melody, buoyed by the har-
monies of an orchestra of artists The
writer's breath came short, as does that
of any music lover in such case; his fin
gers clutched the arms of his chair And
then
And then, from the tail Of his eye he
Caught d glimpse of Mr. Edson-and was
back to earth in AT instant. The great
inventor was not watching the stage at
all His gaze was fixed upon his visitor
observing his every movement. his evcr:.
expression Of interest and aStonShment--
truly. the man of practical science, not
ing the effect of his latest creation upon
mankind
While tho entire opera of III Trova-
tore lends itself admirably to An expo
sition of the wonders Of the kinetophone,
the we'll known "Mscrcrc' scene is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
1HOrIAS ADDISON

riations of depth in the wax, and NOT,
as with the old needle. with those of tho
breadth This i find. does away en-
tirely with the metallic rasping, as you
yourself have lately Witnessed.
IT will mention here that L made a
vast number of experiments before
succeeded in getting "A wax cylinder that
was perfectly satisfactory. The most
difficult sound to catch and reproduce
seemed to be the 'sh' sound, in the
word sugar i spent eighteen DAYS
standing before monographs containing
wax cylinders Of various formulas. gaz-
ing into them and saying Sugar" At
last 1 succeeded in getting "A cylinder
that would perfectly reproduce IL prop
erly, but 1 was so tired of the word that
il was a month before L enjoyed any
thing with sugar in il again,
And this reminds me-" continued Mr.
Edison in most charming DEPRESSION. that
people think ii strange that | take no
interest in my perfected inventions. The
incident of sugar VII explain why.
While engaged in an invention / work
at it SO hard and constantly that by the
time it is perfected 1 am so tired of IL
that 1t is relief to get away from it,
I feel as though l would like to forget
all about it, After 1 put the motion pic
lures before the public L fairly hated the
sight Of them and felt as though | never
wanted to see one again. / wanted to
go at something else"'
Alexander, signing for more worlds
I conquer thought the visitor.
That the kinetophone will become I'M
mensely popular Mr.. Edison feels assured.
Heretofore grand opera as sung by the
renowned singers of the world has been
only for the wealthy classes" he said.
1.-THE poor man has not two to five doll
lars to expend on an evenings entertain
ment, no matter how excellent IL may be-
Soon for ) cents he may hear music as
well sung, or rather just il is SUNG,
by the most noted singers. The motion
picture patrons will see and hear them
as though upon the stage. living, breath
ing personalities
And here. with his whimsical smile. Mr..
Edison dropped into a paraphrase OF
Anacreon's ode, thus:
" Enough. ifs she, It's all I seek.
And here is one substantial advantage
that the hnetophone will have over tho
modern stage" he continued. There
VIII be real houses, real ToGs, real trees,
real Greensward. real everything. in fact,
instead of the papier mache substitutes
from appropriate surroundings unham-
pered by the limitations of today's dra-
mas"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09

electric light, photograph. horoscope
kaleidoscope and countless other marvels
by his latest magical invention-the
kinetophone.
Youngest of all the wonderful children
of that wonderful brain, but requiring
the most of mechanical ingenuity. the
most of long sustained and determined
effort il seems destined most of all to
preserve for him his title of The Wizard
of Menlo Park"
x
What is a kinetophone. anyhow? That
was the question that bothered your cor
respondent. hearing vague rumor of this
new Edison wonder. He knew it had
something to do with making the NOV
les talk but he had seen of recent years
many pitiable failures OF photographic
and vocal accessories striving to accom-
plish this for these same movies He
had seen the shot fired and the girl fall.
all in silence-and three seconds later
heard a belated photograph crack like
pistol and let out feminine shrek. He
But this kinetophone? This was Edi-
son-and that was different,
So straightway he betook himself to
Mr. Edison for first-hand information.
stracted. intellectual giant. with head
in the distant clouds. as pictured in pop
ular fancy. The intellectual giant was
there-but SO far from being i'm the dis
tant clouds, he was most present and
hospitable human being, His genial
countenance, with the smile of humor
ever poised to spring ripping forth. re-
minded him much OF Oliver Wendell
Holmes. In his best Breakfast Table
mood His greeting was most cordial.
''Oh, yes, I've plenty of time to sec
YOU" was his CHEEKY reply to request
for information. What is it Your wish
to know
About this new invention of yours,
the kinetophone." replied the visitor.
I'D like to know
Come along with me-. was the Wiz
ards hospitabe interruption And. leav-
ing his ..O assistants busily delving in all
manner of scientific problems, he led the
way TO a large building adjacent. in one
corner of which was a spacious chamber,
proof against both sound and light.
This is my experimental theater," he
explained. as ne switched on the electric
lights 1t was much like the type of mo-
ton picture theater known to every hu-
man i'm the land that is old enough to
walk-about forty feet wide and twice
as long. At the far end was the broad
white screen; in the rear was the motion
picture machine Folding chairs took the
piacc of ordinary seats; for, in his mum
berlcss experiments, Mr.. Edison must
have plenty of room
But what is the kernel of the inven
ton" quericd the visitor, too curious TO
await Developments
lit is the absolute standardization of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09

and new extremes But that after all is
looking a hit too far ahead
The foregoing predictions, however, arc
not based OH suesswork Ihey are
based rather on conversations with sew
eral of the leading tailors OF the city,
men who keep in touch with fashion a,i-
thorities on both sides of the big pond.
Also, they arc based on the enormous
cuts in prices I'm the haberdasherlcs
where tho ready-built clothes are kept
In some Of these shops the price slicng
on ultra English garments Is little snort
of astounding. They seem to be wanting
to clear their stock Of them. and there
Is an old adage about strawS and the
wind
1t is hardly probable that the de-
parting style will be much nlourneo Inc
surprise, indeed, lies in the fact that 1t
has had such a vogue. True enough, the
tight-fitting. non-padded effect is aimlra-
BILE for the man with the handsome
physique, the Observation-Disclosures deep
chested athlete. But for the man whose
physique is not handsome-and there are
many such-the style. to say the least
is trying. Just as it tends to emphasI ze
all the athletes good points, so 1t tends
to make the deficiencies OF his more
poorly formed brother more glaring:
This Is no brief for extreme paoolhs
Yet most fashion authorities will tell you
that a certain amount of II. IN many
cases Is not only allowable, but aoVls-
able The question of padding should be
regarded In the same light as one re-
CARDS the bandeau. which woman
places around her hair. frankly and open
~ a device to increase the general at
Effectiveness of ones personal appear
ance- There are those who might cail II
vanity, but really 1t Is more an evidence
of regard for the feelings OF others, for
instinctively one wants the appearance or
those on whom his eyes must rest, be
they male or female, to be pleasing.
And so the moderately built up" suit
would seem to be Just about the IDEAL
and that so far can be found, is ex-
actly what is on the way, scheduled TO
arrive probably not later than next fail.
perhaps this spring. All of which brings
us back 10 the opening statement anent
out of seasonal buying
As already remarked. there are an
abundance of semi-English garments tn
be had at the shops-clothes with just
enough padding and fullness to make a
naturally small and slender mans ap-
pearance pleasing instead of insignificant.
And while the price reductions in this
style of garment are not nearly SO mark
cd those in the extreme English, new
ertheleSs there arc reductions a-pleuty,
fact due to the natural approach of
spring. aided and abetted by the notable
absence of real winter, which has kept
the sales of heavy garments woefully
small.
These reductions are most marked in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09

Nor is all this a utopian dream OF a
visionary. These kinetophone produce
tions will be placed before the public in a
very short time. Their first appearance
will be as d novelty in vaudeville houses,
a large promoter in that line having oh
tanned the rights for a limited period.
Eight motion picture houses are now be-
ing fitted up in New York for their pro-
duction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09

HOMAS 4. Ed
SON, whose in
ventions have for
more than a third
OF a century held
the world breath
less and made the
Tales of the Ara
bian Nights seem
commonplace by
comparison, h a S
surpassed his own
wonder record of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
MOVING PICTURES
that TALKQ

EDISON'S Invention Is
IL Called the Kinetophone
Youngest of All the Chill
dren of His Wonderful Brain
"A Simple Demonstration
of the Observation-Disclosures
Simple, and It Catches the
Faintest Sound-New Style
Needle and Cylonite Cylin-
ders Features of the Wonder
full Invention-"The Wizard
Of Menlo Park" at Home
Future of the Kinetophone,
According to Its Inventor.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
FDI5oNS PRIVHE No1IofIPNTORE 'TIEATRE

opera cast like that. when every one
knows that. when folks sing or talk into
a monograph. they crowd close around
looking in hole? And how"
Come into my Office said the wizard.
sood-naturedly, "And I'll explain it all to
you: Oh. yes. I've plenty Of time"
I've been working on the kinetophone
they were comfortably seated in his pri-
vatc office. lat least. l began to do
some desultory work upon it that long
ago. For six years I have been work.
ing On it seriously and, for the past
night 1t was my aim, from the be-
ginning, to perfect motion pictures
not moving" pictures, by the way. for
the pictures stay in the same spot, only
motion pictures that they would exactly
simulate the stage. and indeed real life.
in words and sounds as we'll as action.
Il did not bring out the motion picture
until l was able to show perfectly all
that took place on the stage. I decided
then to give the public the benefit of
what l had accomplished. That 1 was
right in doing so is evidenced by sta
tistcs. which show that twelve million
persons visit the motion pictures daily.
Il continued. however, to work on my
original problem until I reached my goal
which / have now done. When not
only the actors movements, but also his
words. can be reproduced. I believe the
popularity of motion pictures will in
crease still more. No. there is no COM
plicated mechanism added to the present
motion picture machine to create the XII
netephone. 1t is merely perfect combi-
nation OF that machine with the perfected
monograph.
Now, there were several great diff
culties confronting the perfection of the
kinetophone. First, to synchronize both
motion picture machine and photograph
SO that each word spoken by the actor
on tho screen should be exactly cotem-
poraneous with his appropriate action.
This presented several difficulties: ordi-
narily the speaker must talk right into
the horn of the recording photograph.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
BY THE BoULEVARDIER.

rN the shop of ali F street haberdashcr
the other day an entire huge show
window was given over to a display
of straw hats. There were Fanamas
IF all styles and descriptions. low
crowned sailors with wide brims high
crowned sailors with narrow brin1s, ''tele-
scope" straws, Quaker straws-in short,
every imaginable sort Of hat that might
be worn by man in summer. With the
display was a small card advising those
who read that now Was the time to buy
summer headgear at about onc-haIf the
price that would be demanded for iden-
Ideally the same articles in the spring
Whether or not il would he sdvanta-
geous TO take this haberdasher's advice
as regards hats is an open question. Tn
doubtedly straw hats are To- be had far
and away cheaper now than they win be
three OF four months hence. On the 9TH
er hand. no man save the makers may
say what style of hat will he worn next
summer. Just abou; the only thing GER
tain in this connection is the fact that the
said style is very apt TO be something to-
tally different from thai worn the year
before Hence the man who buys straw
hat now may get Il bargain. or he may
find that If he would be up-to-date his
money has been wasted. Then too. even
granting that the style holds good. keep
ing a hat three or four months, for all
that II Is unworn, surely and inevitably
takes away its neWness-
But ~hile. in the case of hats. il may
lie gamble there are other articles of
mans attire-scores of thcm-in which
SEASONAL buying. or rather out OF sea-
Sonal' buying. will enable one TO lay in
4 Wardrob, many time. more extensive
than the average person can AFFORD by
postponing purchases for a certain season
until that season has actually arrived.
Also, exercising mere common sense
Judgment. one may do this out-of- a.
Soual buying with never fear that he
will be out of STYLE Mems fashions
change far more rapidly than they did ten
wears age. but they are still stationary
enough for one to gauge fairly accurately
this winter or this spring what will be
worn next winter or spring. the answer
being that the styles viii he just about
tho same.
should there he a most radical change
though, the out season buyer NAV ~ III
rest perfectly content. Invariably il takes
at least ons entire season for an cntiTely
new style to come into anything hike 4
vogue. There ale, of course, always Il
few extremists WHO welcome the very
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-09
ACCESSORIES

latest thing out with glad acclaim, and
bedeck themselves accordingly. The aver
age man. however, Is more conservative.
Tic average man will watch A season or
so and sec how many and who are taking
the now style up.
This was strikingly illustrated in the
case of tho English" cut garments now
in public favor. 1t took nearly year
for the English clothes to really catch
on''-took so long that only the most per
sistent pushing both by the tallors and
by the higher grade vendors of ready
made garments kept the style from shar-
ing the fate of tho sheath gown and the
harem skirt.
And there arc some men-well dressed
men, too-who pay big prices for their
clothes and are particular of the tiniest
detail. who have never accepted the pure
English style to this day. As a concession
to custom and Dame Fashion they nave
clothes that suggest the English. but the
suggestion is all Recognizing this class.
the big shops which handle ready-made
garments all keep a large supply of these
semi English garments on hand
Speaking of the ultra-English style. as
nearly as the writer can find ont, II has
reached the summit of its popularity, and
is due for d certain and speedy descent.
IT is a sa fe wager that by this time next
YEAR clothes that are Lltra-EngliSh Will
be looked on more or less askance. There
seems TO he marked trend toward the
shoulders less sloping and narrow and
trousers less short. This must not be
taken as prediction of the return of
the shoulder that is a literal wad of pad
ding or of trousers of the style known as
''peg-top.' Fashions almost invariably
moving In "A circle, it is highly probable
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31

AS h1ndt was shrewd judge of human
nature and would supply his tools only to
the most capable men, he soon was getting
IN tnls novel way large, steady income.
with very little risk to himself
1t was generally thought impossible to
cheat kindt out of what he regarded as his
rightful due. No matter how far away
from him the robbery was he was sure 10
near or It, and TO put in a claim for his
share at the first opportunity
AS have already said many times. Harry
Raymond and Mark Shnburn were the
cleverest burglars who ever blew open a
sale. In previous articles | have traced
the history of their surprising careers, but,
II l remember right, did not mention an
amusing incident in which they figured
once when they were trying to get some
friends Of theirs odt Of jail
Raymond and Shinburn we're the leaders
OF the desperate gang which robbed an ex-
press car on the New York Central Rail.
road and got away with 100000 All the
express robbers escaped except Ike Marsh
and Charley Billiard. They were arrested
IN Canada, and, after their eXtradition,
were lodged in the Jail at White Plains,
n. Y. Raymond and Shinburn at once put
their heads together to get Their out
AS first step ther engage a,,yer-
eXRecorder Smith, of New fork City
and paid him retainer of $1,000. Smith
put the money in his pocket. and with
Raymond and Shinburn started for White
Plains TO have talk with the prisoners.
Before they reached their destination
Smith found to his amazement that dur.
ing the Journey his pockets had been
picked. The one thousand dollar fee he
had just accepted was gone-and so were
his gold watch and chain!
Raymond always denied having pbbed
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31

officials and learned how she had been
duped.
At another time Johnson counterfeited
the appearance OF the cashier OF an express
company so exactly that he was able to
slip in behind the desk OF this official
while he was at lunch and walk away with
several thousand dollars in plain view of
all the clerks in the office.
Once when large city bank vault was
open for the deposit OF boxes from brokers'
offices. Johnson made his way into the
bank as a brokers clerk, hung up his cap
with consummate GOODNESS, stepped into
the vault as II his right to enter was be-
yond all question, and walked out again
bearing a box on his shoulders containing
$4,000 worth OF bonds. When reward
was offered for the return OF some Of this
plumber he personated an attorney repre-
senting the thief, and actually obtained the
amount put up for the recovery OF the
stolen property.
One OF his most remarkable thefts was
effected by following the president OF
New York national bank who was carry
Ing package of bonds amour ting to $685.
600. When the president entered the bank
he laid the package for a moment on his
desk while he stepped to closet to hang
up his overcoat. AS soon as his back was
turned Johnson snatched up the package
and successfully made his escape.
Johnson can probably claim, with truth,
that he has entered more banks than any
other sneak thief, living or dead anG stolen
greater amount Of money. He drew
$3.50 in one lump from the Bank Of New
York b. watching the movements OF the
bank messenger. who had the money In
charge. When this messenger was called
away foi moment to another part OF the
bank he laid his small canvas bag, contain
Ing over. S37 900, on an unoccupied desk
When he returned a few moments later
the bag was missing and so was Johnson,
who had contrived to reach 1t and carry It
off under his coat.
All the men l am telling you about here
today were master criminals. If anybody
could make crime pay surely they could.
But how did they succeed?
Gentleman George" Elwood was shot to
death while trying to fight his way out of a
Rhode Island prison where he was serving
a twenty-fiye-year sentence. Harry Ray
mond and Chauncey Johnson died paupers,
and so did French Gus" Kindt Death
came 10 end "Sheeney Mikes long suffering
In the charity ward Of New York hospital
Even Mark Shinburn, the King of Burg
'ars, today has nothing to show for all
the millions he stole.
You see. it's the same old story-one
that's brought home with increasing en-
phasis by the career of every criminal
can mention-CRIME DOES NOT PAY; It
never has paid any one in the long run,
and 1t never WILL
SOPHIE LYONS.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31
How Long Are We YOUNG !?

bility aged them early, and at fifty
they were indeed old.
But the tendency Of life to-day Is
TO prolong youth and to place age
afar off. At thirty a man still feels
all the buoyancy of youth. It's light
spiritedness and, to some extent, its
lack OF sense of responsibility.
This spirit and manner continue In
most men until they have reached
or passed forty-flve years Of age. 1t
is only when he reaches fifty that a
man alludes, or permits others to al
lude, to himself as middle-aged.
One reason for the ability to saw
stay" to youth and Stand back" to
age is the growing tendency to live
out OF doors. A young man who has
slept out Of doors nine months of
every twelve looks at forty-six like
youth OF twenty-eight The law
yer's and business mans habit to
take Saturday afternoon off and to
play golf has aided In this length
ening the span of youth and mid.
die age.
There is no doubt that the cheap.
ness of the automobile, placing It's
ownership within the means of those
of moderate income, has done much.
to lengthen youth and to keep old
age at a long distance It's preva-
lence is correcting the tendency to
wear and tear of the nervous system
that exists In the concentrated man.
ner OF city life, especially In the
business districts.