American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-05-15
PULLING ECHOES.
The Riddle Of the Gardens OF Aux
Rochers In France.
4 spot Who're an Almost lnaudibls
Whisper Becomes curiously Trans
formed Into Thousands Of Kissing
Responses-other Famous Echoes.

Whisper Becomes SuisV~y
formed Into Thousands Of Kissing
pesponses-Cther Famous Echoes.
Some echoes In their mystic charac-
Ter would seem to approach the 40
main of psychic phenomena, when are
eliciting so much and such puzzled at
tention. One of these ghostiy tricks
Of sound is to be found in the gardens
of AK i,ochers in France, Wnlcp
rs once the residence OF Nine. o.
Seyigne. The chateau Is situated neaA
the old town of Wire. A broad gravel
walk on a dead level conducts through
tbe gardens to the house. In the CEN
ter of this. ON a particular spot, the
listener is placed at the distance OF
ten or twelve yards from another per-
son. who addresses him In a low and
almost inaudible whisper, when imme-
diately, as from tens Of thousands OF
invisible tongues. starting from the
earth beneath, or as If every pebble
was gifted with powers of speech, the
words are repeated with a slight hiss
ing sound. not unlike the whirling OF
small shot through the air. On remov-
ing from this spot. however trihing
the distance, the intensity Of the repeti-
ton is sensibly diminished and within
a few feet ceases to be beard. Under
the impression that the ground beneath
was hollow the soil was recently dug
up to a considerable depth, but with
out discovering any clew to the mys-
terry.
Although the weird echoes of statu-
airy hall In the capitol at Washington
have been somewhat subdued since the
structural notifications of the roof.
they still haunt the chamber which
] was once the house of representatives.
The capitol guides used to take great
pride in the mysterious echoes of stat
nary hall, and they deplore their par
tial elimination. 1t will be recalled
by many that there is a 1agstone in
the floor of the hall marked by a small
black hole about as large as an um-
brella end, on which. if a person stood
III utlCl Gu u WILL, uC lCdld u ICPCtl-
ton of his voice proceeding apparently
from the basement of the building Just
below him. An appreciate interval
elapsed between the utterance of the
sound and it's echo. a circumstance
that rendered the effect almost un-
canny. To laugh was to prove a mock
Ing rejoinder. and many persons. say
the guides. were persuaded that a trick
was being played on them. The same
effect was noticeable on that part of
the floor adjacent to the fagstone men,
toned. but the farther away from the
latter the less distinct became the
echo until. at a certain distance, it was
no %perceptible ut all.
Some of the most curious and beau
tiful echoes in the world are to be
heard in the Luray cavernS. which are
only IL few hours journey from Wash
lngton. Numerous of the huge Stalag-
mites here. when only gently struck,
give forth tones that in some instances
resemble the Ginning of great. sweet
toned bells or q long melodic note like
that of a church organ. A famous yio-
linist is said. when visiting Washington.
to have %journeyed to Luray in order to
test the effect of the playing of his in
strumelt amid the singular acoustic
surroundings. The tones Of the violin
are described as having been wonder
fuily enhanced both in sweetness and
in volume.
Among the wonderful rock forma.
IONS OF the far west, notably in the
Grand Canyon of the Colorado. are said
to TURK many marvellous echoes. The
same Is true Of the great Niagara
gorge. and. though few are aware of
the fact. 1t is said that any one iour-
neying to the falls and taking in the
gorge-a superb piece of natural scen.
cry in itself-will be well rewarded
by stopping at Inspiration Point. walk.
ing forward to the edge of the cliff
ana here waiting until the first Train
on nearing the level crossing blows
Its whistle. The sound is caught I'M nv
uiu'titudinous echoes until one vonld
rancy that it was %resounding tbrou oh
the universe
One of the most famous echoes is 70
ne heard IN Woodstock park. Oxford.
shire. England. which is said to 20
peat seventeen syllables by day and
twenty by night. Although this STATE.
'ieiit IS TO be found in various stand
ara textbooks and treatises OF the
subject. it has lately been contradict
ea by an Investigator. who remarks
however that the d%iminution of this
classic echo is probably due TO the ra.
,iova' OF various buildings in its neigh.
horhood S" .
y most striking interior echo 10 ,
feature OF the Mormon tabernacle in
Salt Lake City When this hon -
empty ana quiet the ring of a min fall
ing on the floor can be heard FROM ~
points and even the faint. rasn,na
SOUND produced by rubbing the hands
together is perfectly audible from ono
END OF the building to the other
In the cathedral Of Girgenti in s,o
ny. the slightest whisper is borne with
PERFECT disfinctness from the region -,
the great door to a location IN tho ~.
per part of the church about oso w
distant. -"o zee