The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-31

ingly funny, has made HIM further
famous, and will continue so to do
as long as he is on the stage.
But back to our muttons."
When Mr.. Ransome was here last
| year he told me very remarkable
story about an Invention of his
which, by the way, occupies most
conspicuous place in his handsome
/ Washington Heights home in New
York city.
The instrument is about the size
of an upright piano and is called an
''aquaphone.
Sounds sort of like a prohibition
drink, doesn't it?
Aqua pura" or celestial
Vichey."
Any way, the invention of Mr..
Ransome's is so called because so
much water power is taken to run
it, as well as for producing the soft,
dulcet sounds which he declares are
positively inspiring.
1t seems, according to the inven-
tor, that he had been assigned to a
room adjoining the public bath in
the leading hotel Of middle west
town, as in those transforming
days room with private bath was
almost an unknown quantity.
Any way, all night long drip, drip,
drip, he heard ever yet and anon,
! drip, constant dripping, which at
first was very annoying to the ac-
tor, who, after long railroad jump,
was in need of good rest to pre-
pare for the morrow's performance.
After listening to the sounds of
dripping water until the wee small
hours, what had all along been such
source of disturbance began to
grow somewhat soothing and Mr..
Ransome thought he could detect
strange, peculiar music. Under this
gentle influence he finally sue
cumbed to sleep.
So great an impression had this
imaginary music produced on the
factor that he confided his expe-
rience to the musical director of the
company, and knowing him to be of
mechanical turn of mind, as we'll
as an exceptionally fine musician,
! suggested that he might work upon
the line of his, Mr.. kansome's, inn
agination and perhaps the two
would be able to evolve musical in
strument that would produce mel
ody similar to the quality heard
from the musical glasses performed
upon by vaudeville people,.
| The two became wholly absorbed
/ in the idea and before the close of
| the theatrical season, achieved new
results that made the .saquaphone"
possible The only difficulty en-
countered was in regulating "a suf-
ficient supply of water in order to
make the automatic workings Of the
instrument capable Of performing
more than limited number of Sc
lections; even today this point Of
limitation has not been overcome,
as only four or five musical numbers
can be rendered completely.
"Enrico Caruso: A Biography"
In world of books published
day in and day out, year in and
year out, a few stand out trium-
phantly as worth while.
Among these | nominate Pierre
V. r. Keys "Enrico Caruso: A
Biography" as one Of the most
valuable.
The story Of Caruso's life by Mr.
Key, who was the warm personal
friend Of the great tenor, both
unsteady and socially, in collabora.
ton with Bruno Zirato, the be-
loved secretary to the late worlc
famous tenor, marks it as timely
The book is dedicated aptly
ITO His Great Public"--meanine
the world at large, for not only did
Caruso number his public among
the thousands upon top Of thou.
sands who heard him in opera and
in concert, but to the. countless
thousands to whom his voice is a
household word--through the uni
versal medium Of the talking ma
chine.
To me personally, Mr.. Keys
book means more than the plair
cold type on white paper which
records the rise from obscurity tc
fame of the great Italian virtuoso
For think, after all, we are ali
human enough to let personality
come into everything we wo and
say and read, and having had the
pleasure of knowing Mr.. Caruso
most pleasantly, naturally read
with avidity every line concerning
this wonderful artist-noting many
Inside" facts, which others do not
know.
| Also having the pleasure OF
knowing the authors-both Mr.
Key, who is so pleasantly remem.
bered in Birmingham when he left
his work, threw everything to the
four winds of the earih during the
war, and made a personal trip
ahead Of the great Paris Orchestrs
and Andre Messenger, its renowned
conductor, and Mr.. Zirato. to whose
kindness and affability owe the
pleasure of having had one of the
few interviews" ever accorded ts
any newspaper scribe by Mr.
Iaruso.
/ The authors Of the book have
achieved their purpose fourfolc
for in Preface" to the book the
statement is made that the book il
intended as a "portraiture" of En-
rico Caruso and ito set down es
sential facts touching the career
and the private life Of this great
man which properly belongs in Z
biography"
Mr.. Key and Mr.. Zirato start al
the very beginning Of the life story
OF Enrico Caruso, telling of the
remarkable fact that he was the
eighteenth son Of his parents, borr
in Naples, and often he and his
hrothn,r Cio.ra~.A: 4.l1.. e - Z -