'er going" and let me hear it spout an hour or two.
He said it would take several minutes to arrange it, besides he didn't
like to use up any more tin foil than was necessary, as he hadn't much
on hand.

I asked him what he thought of doing. He said he didn't know, but
guessed he'd go back home if his cousin didn't come.

"Why can't you and I give an exhibition?" I asked.

"Where will we give it?"

"Suppose we go to some country school-house a few miles out and give a
show to-morrow evening?"

"All right, I'm willing. I have plenty of small hand-bills."

"Then we'll hire a team to-morrow morning and drive out to some
thickly-settled neighborhood and advertise it. You're sure it'll talk,
are you?"

"Talk? You bet it'll talk!"

The next morning we were up and ready for business, and, after hiring a
horse and wagon, started out.

After driving several miles, we found a place where we thought it would
pay to stop, and upon inquiring for the school directors, were referred
to a farmer living near by.

We called on him, and after stating our business and promising himself
and family passes, were given an order on the school-teacher for the
key, when she had locked up for the day. We drove directly there, where
we found nearly forty scholars in attendance.

After making the teacher's acquaintance and explaining our business, she
gave us permission to deliver a circular to each one present, and to
make an announcement.

This I managed to do, and stated to them that if I had time after the
performance with the talking machine, I would deliver a lecture on
Telegraphy, and explain the manner of sending messages, and how
batteries were made, and how long it would take a message to travel from
New York to San Francisco.

My idea, of course, was to represent as much of an attraction as
possible, as I felt certain that if we got them there, and got the
machine to talking once, they would forget all about Telegraphy.

On our way out my partner had drilled me on what to say to the
Phonograph in order to have the words reproduced distinctly. He said it
was necessary to use a certain set of words that I could speak very
distinctly, and that would be penetrating, and recommended the
following:

"Dickery-dickery-dock,
The-mouse-ran-up-the-clock,
The-clock-struck-one,
And the-mouse-ran-down,
Dickery-dickery-dock."

After making arrangements at this school-house, we started out and
visite