Friday, 24 Jan 1913--EDISON'S LATEST--Thomas A. Edison is indeed a wizard. In an interview with the New York representative of the Denver News, Mr. Edison said he believes the end of the present legitimate stage is at hand as a result of the newest invention, a talking motion picture machine, called the Kinetophone, which proved successful in a demonstration in a few days ago. The News interview follows: the inventor explained why he thinks the present $2 show must give way to the cheaper form of amusement, which he declared, will give almost as the other for one-twentieth of the price. There will be no more barnstormers, either, because no one will be willing to pay for second-class acting when the foremost stars are performing for the "talkies" and can be seen and heard for a dime. "Is the machine perfected?" Edison was asked. "Nothing is perfect," replied Edison, "but it works. It will be put in operation in Brooklyn inside of thirty days." "What does your new invention do?" "It delivers at the exact instant of occurrence on the film any sound made at the moment such action took place. Every word uttered by the actors is recorded and delivered in time with the action; the creaking of a gate, a whistle, the noise of hoofbeats, even the click of cocking a revolver, comes apparently from the scene and in unison with the motion." "How is it done?" "The phonograph, which is placed behind the scene, is wired to the picture machine, which may be a hundred yards away. The speed of the talking parts acts as a brake on the film, so that neither can get ahead of the other. There are special records which run as long as the film lasts. Other records can be made to come into place successively and the performance be carried out throughout the whole play. Whole operas will be rendered and the films can be colored by hand if the display of color is needed. Small towns whose yearly taxes would not pay for three performances of the Metropolitan Opera company, can see and hear the greatest starts in the world for 10 cents and will pay because of the volume of business. We want democracy in our amusements. It is safe to say that only one out of every fifty persons in the United States has any right to spend the price asked for a theater ticket." "How long did it take to work out the plan for talking motion pictures?" was asked. "Thirty-seven years," replied Edison, slowly. It is all of that time since I made a motion picture show inside a box by dropping the succession of drawings rapidly and attaching a record to two other tubes." "And was that successful?" "Not the kind of success I wanted. What I want must affect the whole people. Actors will have to leave the legitimate stage to work for the movies in order to get any money. This is all the better for them. They can live in one place all the year round and barnstorming will cease automatically when no one wants to pay several times the amount of the movies show for some inferior production of a stale play." "Will there be a great fortune in it?" "Money?" asked Edison. "Why, all the money I make on an invention goes into furthering my experiments. I do not seek money. Besides, there will be any number of others begin along the line, and I have found that an inventor is always sacrificed for the public good, which is satisfactory so long as the great masses are benefited. Often the courts do not uphold me, but somehow, I get the credit whatever is good for," he added with a laugh. "Will it not be hard on actors?" was suggested. "On the contrary," replied Edison, earnestly, "they are going to be benefited. They will be able to lead a normal home life. I can see nothing in the future but big studios centralized, perhaps in New York, employing the actors all the year round and at a better figure than they now get." Friday, 24 Jan 1913--FROM R. A. RENNOLDS--In a personal letter to the editor, R. A. Rennolds, of Onola, Ok, writes among other things: "You wanted to know about my coming back to Higbee. Well, you can look for me most any time. There is getting to be quite a boom here now, as this is an oil and gas field at present, and as soon as prices get right here I expect to sell and come back to grand old Missouri. We have at present three large gas wells here at Inola. Three drills running night and day. I have my place leased to an oil company, and they are going to start to drill this week one half mile from my place. Pryor and Choteau have bought the gas and are piping it to their towns. Most all the Higbee people here are well. We have had a fine winter so far. Scarcely any snow at all. there has not been over a day or two that one could not plow. The wheat is looking fine. All the family are well with the exception of Bertha. She had an attack of typhoid fever last fall and has not fully recovered. She had to give up her school on account of her health. Keep the news a-coming. It is a welcome visitor in our home." Thanks, R. A. We shall certainly do so. Here's hoping that they find the biggest oil well in the country on your farm and that you will be able to hire old Rockefeller to polish your shoes if you so desire. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Joseph Fretwell, one of Boone county's oldest citizens, died at his home near Sturgeon on the 12th, aged 92 years. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--MRS. MARY J. RULE DEAD--Mrs. Mary J. Rule, who fell two weeks ago at the home of her son, John S, with whom she made her home, and broke her hip, died at 5 o'clock Thursday morning, Jan. 24, 1913, as a result of her injuries and chronic stomach trouble, with which she had been afflicted for some time. Mrs. Rule, whose maiden name was Holtzclaw, was born in Kentucky in August, 1840, and came to Missouri with her parents in the year following, locating on a farm near Sturgeon. A few years later the family moved to Howard county, locating on what is now known as the Egly farm. She was married in the early 60s to David S. Rule, who died some fifteen years ago. They were the parents of three children, but one of whom, John, survives. She also leaves three brothers and four sisters, viz: James, John and A. C. Holtzclaw; Mrs. Margaret Jackson, Mrs. Martha Ware, Mrs. Susan Warford and Mrs. Minerva Kirby. Mrs. Rule was a devout Christian and was a member of the Methodist church, but since the organization at Old Locust Grove was abandoned years ago, she had joined any other congregation. Funeral services will be held today at New Hope, Howard county, by Rev. Ben Robson, and interment made there by the side of her husband. Our sympathy goes out to the bereaved ones. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Born, on the 20th, to J. W. Briggs and wife, a daughter. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Mrs. J. Rulin, of Monta Vita, Colo, is the guest of her sister, Mrs. Bud Goin. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--E. G. Seymour, a prominent farmer of Sturgeon vicinity, died on the 9th, aged 57 years. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--The sympathy of all goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Rennolds whose infant son died on the 21st. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Mrs. Mary Nichols of Fayette was the guest of her mother, Mrs. William Avery during the week. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Mrs. Ed. Rees and son, Norman, who were called here several weeks ago by the death of her mother, Mrs. Ben Robson, returned to their home in Springfield, Ill, Monday. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--CARD OF THANKS--I want to thank most sincerely all my dear friends who worked so faithfully in helping me win in the recent piano contest conducted by Mr. M. Murphy. I am very proud of the instrument, but more so of the loyalty of those who won it for me. I appreciate their kindness more than I can express. Again thanking each and every one who helped me in any way, and Mr. Murphy for offering such a handsome prize, I remain. Respectfully, Beatrice Dennis. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--MRS. M. S. WILHITE DEAD--Mrs. M. S. Wilhite, aged about 30 years, died at her home in Huntsville Friday of last week, after a long illness. She was formerly a citizen of this place, and had many warm friends here who were deeply pained to hear of her death. The heart-broken husband has the sympathy of all his many Higbee friends. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Thos. Williams, who about a year ago returned from a 20-year stay in the West, but who remained only a few weeks, returned Sunday, and has since been quite sick at the home of his son, Miles. He has a bad affection of the heart and dropsy and is in a serious condition. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Mrs. J. R. Herbertson left Tuesday for Pittsburg, Kan, to be with her sister, Mrs. Curtis Elwin, who recently underwent an operation and who had to return to the hospital the first of the week. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Lewis Viley, perhaps the oldest Negro in the county, died at his home in the northeast part of town late yesterday, aged 98 years. he had been living here about three years, moving from Silver Creek. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--Mrs. L. W. Hendrickson returned to her home in Colorado Springs Wednesday of last week after a very pleasant visit with her mother, Mrs. N. J. Nicholas. While here she enjoyed very much the company of her intimate friends, and at Christmas was the recipient of many gifts, among them a diamond ring of rare brilliancy from her mother with the wish that her life might ever be as bright and free of imperfections as the beautiful gem, which she cherishes so dearly; not for its intristic value, but for the deep love it expresses from her mother. On her way home Mrs. Hendrickson stopped off at Olathe, Kan, for a visit with relatives. Friday, 24 Jan 1913--MISS ADA REYNOLDS DEAD--Miss Ada, the 18-year-old daughter of Mrs. Geo. W. Rennolds of Myers vicinity, died at 10 o'clock Sunday night, Jan 19, 1913, after an illness of four days of appendicitis and peritonitis. Her suffering was intense--greater, her physician states, than he had ever witnessed--and death no doubt came to her as a welcome relief. Deceased was an exceedingly popular young lady, and her death has cast a gloom over the entire community. Funeral services were held at New Hope Christian church, of which she was a consecrated member, by E. Y. Keiter of Hannibal, and interment was made in the church cemetery. The NEWS joins the community in sympathy to the bereaved family. Kathy Bowlin