EDITOR'S WALLET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2167, 5 September 1895, Page 49

EDITOR'S WALLET.

Edison's Baby.

A good story is told of Edison, tho inventor of the phonograph. With the completion of the first phonograph at his laboratory came the fir>t baby to the Edison home. It was the deligbt of fcho great inventor to record the pretty articulai ions of the youngster on the phonograph for reference in his old ago, fo that he could hear the baby wails of his first-born over again.

But the moat remarkable thing about the child was its picturesque cry, aud this was about the only thing that the father bad not caught on the cylinder. So Mr Euitou determined one day to catch the youngster when it was emitting its fiercest yells, and he started from his laboratory to the house with the phono-grai-h. He brought the baby in front of it, but the expected wail was not forthcoming. He tumbled the youngster about and rumpled its hair, and did all serbs of things, but still the baby didn't cry ; on the contrary, ho crowed joyoufly. Edison at length g*ve op in disgust.

But to bfifile Edison is only to inflame his determination. Oue morning, when te ki.ew his wife was in New Y^rk for the day, he went quietly home with the phonograph, and ttole iuto the nursery, where the baby greeted him with customary glee.

Starting the machine, Mr Edison ordered the nurse to leave the roorr>. Then he took the b»by on his kuce, and bared its chubby little leg. He took the teucer flesh between his thumb and finger, clenched bis teeth, shut his ejoj tight, and made ready to p ; nch the bxby's leg ; but just at the fateful momunfc the nurse peepp.d through the door, and, perceiving the horrid plot, flounced in and icacued the baby in the nick of lime.

Mr Edison breathed a mighty Bigh of relief as he gathered up the phonograph and went back to the laboratory. He then gave up the project of phonographing the baby's ctying. He succeeded not long afterwards, however, iv accomplishing his purpose. When the baby made its fir6t visit to the laboratory it set up a dreadful wail at the whirring noiso.

Mr Edison instantly had the machinery stopped, the phonograph was p'oduced, and a record of the baby's crying taken then and there.