John Gayther's Garden and the Stories Told Therein

ll took a good part in teaching mathematics, but he had an assistant who did the heavy work. He had been principal of the school where the Mist

season the Old Professor had a special treat, for there were many things h

of the family-a spot the Old Professor knew well and loved. They conversed for a while on some deep subjects, and then they were joined by the two ladies and the Next Neigh

Sit right down and begin 'Once upon a time-'

me to do; and I am more sorry than I can say, but I have to know b

can make up as you go al

rned to the old gentleman, "we are all friends here, and I should so like you to tell us how you got your w

d, as you say, we are all old friends, and I am rather curious to know what this company will t

ed spirit now these many years, and has doubtless long known it, and has judged my cond

o to speak-of mathematics; or, more properly, mechanics. For I interested

sons, but very different in its construction and action. In the ordinary instrument the words spoken into the mouth-piece are carried through the tube to the ear, and are then heard exactly as they are spoken. When I used my instrument the person spoke into the mouth-piec

r and larger than that of the ordinary ear-tube, but the outward appearance of which did not indicate that it held anything extrao

elf at the mouth-piece. In the course of its construction I had frequently tried the machine by putting the ear-piece into my ear and speaking into the mouth-piece such scraps of foreign languages as I was able to command. These experiments were ge

patent right. To go to a foreigner and ask him to speak into my instrument, using a language he could readily assure himself I did not speak or understand, would be the same thing as an avowal of what the translatoph

d a note from Mary Armat which, for a time, drove from my mi

nterested in some of my inventions, and, although my feelings toward Mary Armat had not in the least changed, I did not visit her as often as had been my custom, and when I did see her I am afraid I told her more about mechanical combinations than she cared to hear. But so engrossed was I that I stupidly failed to notice this, and I did not perceive that I had been ne

I knew it must be spoken words and not written ones which would satisfy her that I had ha

ed; but I heard through her family that she was getting tired of her Eastern life. The rainy seasons were disagreeable to her, the dry seasons did not agree with her; her school duties were becoming very monotonous; and she had found out that in her heart she did not

ng, anyway," commented

or real goodness, to give up her work so soon and for such reasons." But she suddenly reflec

have suited Mary Armat, but it certainly had improved her, for she was much more charming than when I had last seen her. Moreover, she was so very friendly, and without doubt so glad to see me,

n as the proper time should come, I would make earnest love to her, and tell her what,

no doubts could possibly exist. But until I had made this test I did not want her to know what the instrument was intended to do; it was barely possible she might play a trick on me and speak in English. But if the thing succeeded I would tell her everything.

to say, 'Oh, dear! are you going to begin on that tiresome business again?' But I was not to be turned from my purpose. Such an opportunity as this was too valuable, too important, to be slighted o

'You don't mean to tell me yo

y hearing is just as

thing deaf peopl

gh I have never tried it in that way. It is my latest and, I think, my most i

uld,' she inte

continued, 'is to make a l

t want to do it. I should hate to think you are deaf and needed anythin

hould speak a few sentences in Burmese into my instrument. I h

derstand Burmese,'

when it is written. But there are certain tones and chords, and all that sort of thing, in the f

t of musical thin

mply speak to me in Burmese for a minute or two, that is all I ask o

it will satisfy you, I will say a few words to you in Burmese. Do

ry word came to me in clear and beautiful English! But I knew, as well as I knew that I lived, that the words she spoke were B

u the minute I got home? I am awfully disappointed in you, for I did think you would talk to me in a very different way the first time you saw me. And now I am going to tell you something-and I would rather cut my tongue out than say it in English, but it gives me a wicked delight to say it in Burmese: I love you, John Howard. I have loved you for a long time; and that is the reason I went to Burma; and now that I have come b

e, 'was there anything peculiar in the tones

s soon as she had finished speaking she had turned her face away from me, and was now leaning back in her chair, her mouth tightly shut and her wide-open eyes d

y had I discovered that my invention, the hope of my life, was an absolute success, but I was most powerfully impressed by t

ing slowly; 'there was a

g under suppressed excitement, for there was no other reason why she should have jumped up in that way. She looked as if she were anxious to see some

, 'I am so glad to find you at home! As it isn't late and the moon is so bri

well-seasoned material, she was quick to notice, eager to know, and ready at all times to display an interest in the affair

say, Mary, that you

into my pocket, and it was lying in full view on the tab

'That is not mine. It

e by my name in any form; and every tentative lover knows that when his lady addresses him as though he had no name it means

have never heard anything of that. When di

only one of his inventions. But tell me something of

ng Sarah was not to be

in college now. But Mr. Howard deaf! I am truly am

said before, she was a high-spirited one, and was

told you it is only one of his inventions

y anxious to know about it. Why do you u

me embarrassment at this unanswerable

s talk any more about it. This is the second time I have seen you, bu

of this very str

ble Sarah. 'Oh, Mr. Howard, please p

xtreme disgust. 'Please not while I am p

nced to tak

ute to ask Mary about the Wilmer reception; but as you are goin

lor, and it was a good deal later when the two young l

en we were on the sidewalk. 'You are not deaf, Mr. How

say something, and, moreover, that something must no

ed in connection with foreign languages.' Then I made a bold

aid Miss Castle. 'But what is the good of it?

ted that

derstand them or

fallen down a coal-hole I cannot truthfu

,' I said, 'for it would take a long

let me try i

t. I have an engagement at my club. In fact, I was jus

y. I do not believe much in club engagements, but of course we have to recognize them. And if you cannot come in now I wish you would call on me soon. If your invention has a

omise, and gladly saw the front d

loved by this lovely girl; and in the next I was overwhelmed by anxiety as to what should be done to make it impossible for her to know that I knew she had spoken those words. But whether my thoughts made me happy or distressed me, there seemed to be b

terrupted the Next Neighbor, "a

my study fire, and planned out my future actions. As soon as I could see Mary alone I would tell her my love, and I would explain to her why I had not spoken when I first saw her. But in order to do this I should have to be v

I wanted her to know all about it; and then, before she could ask me why I wanted her to know this, I would tell her it was because I wished to lay that fame and fortune at her feet. After that, in the best way my ardent feelings should dictate, I would off

e Next Neighbor. "I

," said the Mast

grew easier and I became happier. What was anything a black tube could do for me-what, indeed, was anything in the worl

the world, a boon the value of which I had not half understood. It truly was a wonderful thing-a most wonderful thing. An American or an Englishman, or any one speaking English, could take with him a translatophone and travel around the world, understanding the language of every nation, of every people-the polished tongues of civilization, the speech of the scholars of the Orient,

Why should I not hear in plain English what they say to each other? Why should not all creation speak to me so that I could understand? Why should I not know what the dog says

aking dreams

e so great as this? The thought that these little creatures, so nearly allied to man, might disclose to me their dispositions, their hopes, their ambitions, their hates, their reflections up

myself. Nothing would be easier than to take its delicate movements and smash them on the hearth. Now a prudent thought came to me: suppose Mary should not accept me? Then, with this great invention lost,-for I never should have the heart to make another,-I should have nothing left in the world. No

eir cage. Over and over again I stopped these thoughts and said to myself: 'But all this is nothing to me. I must consider Mary and nothing else.' Then in a very few minutes I was wondering if the monkeys would ask me questions-if they have as strong a desire to know about us as we have to know about them. From such questions how much I might learn in regard to the mental distance between us and them! But

eturned home I was

onkeys had not ceased to worry me dreadfully, and I had begun to think that when bees buzz around their hives they mus

bring that speaking-tube with you. Miss Castle has been here nearly all the morning, and some thi

ed merely with

hat there must be some extraordinary reason for my desire to have people talk to me through a tube in a language I did not understand. She had been too impatient to wait until she could try her German upon me, and she had gone to Mary and had filled her mind with horrible conjectures. One thing was certain: no matter what else happened, I must not

d t

. I took it in my hand and gazed upon it. Through its thin, flexible, and almost transparent outer envelope I could see, as I held it to the light, its framework, fine as the thread-like bones of a fish, its elastic chords, its quivering diaphragms, and all the delicate organs of its inner life. It seemed as if I could feel the palpitations of its heart as I breathed upon it. For how many days and months had I been w

heart to do anything that will preve

that little machine back into the tube. Lock it up safely out of sight, and then go to Mary with your instrument, and you can talk into it and she can listen, and s

. I turned upon it and stormed at it. 'No!' I exclaimed. 'I shall never wi

ersuasive. 'Do not destroy the translatophone. Then, if things do not

will have nothing to fall back upon. I will al

e in shame and never see me again, that I could make her believe in a love which had been so spurred on, even aroused, as she might well imagine mine had been? No; th

s much alive as if it had been a tired bird panting in my hand; and then I gently laid it on the hearth. I lifted my left foot and let it hang for an instant over the hopes, the fears, the anxieti

telligence which does not speak to man. From my own heart there came a groan. All was over! From the mysterious inner courts of the animal kingdom no revelations would ever come to me! The thi

cloud of misty disappointment, while before me there was nothing but dark uncertainty. What would Mary have to sa

a little. I had feared that the yearningly inquisitive Sarah might also

, and held out her hand; I was

ting you in such a manner. She said I ought to have known that your whole soul is wrapped up in the queer things you invent, and that I should have made some allowance for you, even if I did not care about such things myself. Now when she told me this I knew that every word was true, and I was utterly ashamed of myself; and as soon as she left I sent you that note because I wanted you to let me beg

hall have the nice talk we should have had last night, but it sh

t us go to work to make experiments with your tube. I am

t bring it

pity!' inte

d a particular reason for wanting to tell you all about it.' Then I began and bravely told her all about it, that is, all that justice and kindness would permit

rom a true woman's heart, and spoken only for the satisfaction of her own frank and impetuous nature, had come to me before in plain English she did not imagine, nor di

the Daughter of the House, w

t I did. I had a very happy life with my Mary-a life far hap

ment that might have been of great advantage t

e world and science, and what we owe to ourselves. You see, I decided in favor

ately in love," said t

he proper one to act upon. It would have been no terrible deception if you had taken the instrument to Mary without the little machine and talked English with her. Later you could have told her you had th

occasionally for some years. But who can say anything of the 'might have been'? The instrument

ong from the midst of the lilac-bushes, and the whole company listened spellbound

those words I should have lost that delicious melody. Doubtless the words were commonplace enough, but the melody was divine. An

ORY IS

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