The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-12-16

weirdness. For silence Is In reality a
composite OF many lesser noises. In a
woodland almost inaudible insects
hum. breezes blow, leaves and grasses
rustic; at sea the tiny waves lap the
sides and equally tiny breaths of air
stir the cordage; within the confines
OF the human shell the mere physical
acts OF breathing, swallowing, wink
ing, the mere physical facts OF the
circulation OF the blood, the beating
OF the heart. produce each its sound.
Even a man totally deaf feels tho
subtle influence OF these latter phys.
zeal phenomena. And underneath all
sound, percoptible alike to those who
can hear and those who can not, are
the vibrations that accompany every
( activity OF nature as the manifesto
| lions OF motion or of life. An or
binary deep silence Is not so much
an absence of sound as an absence OF
accustomed or loud sound. And In that
unusual hush often for the first time
man becomes actutely aware OF the
singing Of the blood in his ears.
But this silence was absolute. All
these minor sounds had been elm
mated
For a moment Boss Mccarthy star
ed; then showed back his chair with a
violent motion, and rose. He was like
shadow on a screen. The flching
from the world of one element Of Its
everyday life had unexpectedly rem
dered II all phantasmagoric.
As Mccarthy shouted. and no sound
came; as he moved from behind his
desk, and no jar accompanied his
heavy football, he appeared to lose
blood and substance. to become unreal.
As no sound issued from his contorted
face, SO it seemed that no force would
follow his blow. we're he to deliver one.
He stumbled forward, dazed and
cropping as though he we're In the
dark, instead Of merely In silence; a
striking example in the uncertainty
OF his movements OF how closely our
senses depend on one another.
Jack spoke twice, then closed his
lips in a grim straight line. He held
his elbows close to his sides. and
| lOOhtu Itduy IOI all tuiu6.
A look OF mild triumph illumined
Percy Darrow's usually languid coun-
enance. He stepped quickly to the
wall, and turned the button OF the in
cadenscent globe. The light instantly
glowed At this he nodded twice more.
From his pocket he drew a notebook
and pencil. wrote in 1t few words,
| 10 e., he
certain boss.
81 was right" barrow had scrawled
This proves it. It's by no means the
end Better be good"
McCarthy's bulldog courage had re-
covered from it's first daze. He began
10 see that this visitation was not en-
, tirely personal, but extended also to
his two companions. This relieved
bis mind. for he had suspected some
Grange new apoplexy.
did you expect this!" he wrote.
barrow nodded
n Together the three ghosts left the
y phaIsom Office. and glided down the
phantom halls. Other ghosts in vari
GUS stages of alarm we're already max
, ing their way down the stairs. Some
of them spoke, but no sound came
One woman, her eyes frightened
reached out furtively to touch her
; neighbor. apparently to assure herself
OF his reality. Urged by an unccn
trollable impulse, man thrust his
hand through the ground glass of an
office door. The glass shivered, and
crashed to the tile floor The pieces
broke-silently. 1t was as though the
, man had been the figure In cinemato
graph illusion. He stared at his cut
and bleeding hand. The woman who
had touched the man suddenly threw
:, back her head and screamed. They
could see her eyes roll back, her face
change color, could discern the strain
ing OF her throat. No sound came.
At this a panic seized them. They
rushed down the stairs, clambering
over one another, pushing, scrambling
falling. A mob Of q hundred mer
fought for precedence Blows were
struck. No faintest murmur OF tumul'
came from their futile heat. 1t might
have been the riot of a wax'works in
vacuum.
They fell into the lower hallway
and fought their way to the street
and stood there dazed and staring,
strange, wild-eyed, white-faced. bloody
crew. The hurrying avenue stopped &c
gaze on them curiously, gathering com
pact a mob that blocked all traffic
Policemen pushed their way in and