mitter came the problem of the MYSTERIOUS NOISES.
This was, perhaps, the most weird and mystifying of all the telephone
problems. The fact was that the telephone had brought within hearing
distance a new wonder-world of sound. All wires at that time were
single, and ran into the earth at each end, making what was called a
"grounded circuit." And this connection with the earth, which is really
a big magnet, caused all manner of strange and uncouth noises on the
telephone wires.

Noises! Such a jangle of meaningless noises had never been heard by
human ears. There were spluttering and bubbling, jerking and rasping,
whistling and screaming. There were the rustling of leaves, the croaking
of frogs, the hissing of steam, and the flapping of birds' wings. There
were clicks from telegraph wires, scraps of talk from other telephones,
and curious little squeals that were unlike any known sound. The lines
running east and west were noisier than the lines running north and
south. The night was noisier than the day, and at the ghostly hour of
midnight, for what strange reason no one knows, the babel was at its
height. Watson, who had a fanciful mind, suggested that perhaps these
sounds were signals from the inhabitants of Mars or some other sociable
planet. But the matter-of-fact young telephonists agreed to lay the
blame on "induction"--a hazy word which usually meant the natural
meddlesomeness of electricity.

Whatever else the mysterious noises were, they were a nuisance. The poor
little telephone business was plagued almost out of its senses. It was
like a dog with a tin can tied to its tail. No matter where it went, it
was pursued by this unearthly clatter. "We were ashamed to present our
bills," said A. A. Adee, one of the first agents; "for no matter how
plainly a man talked into his telephone, his language was apt to sound
like Choctaw at the other end of the line."

All manner of devices were solemnly tried to hush the wires, and each
one usually proved to be as futile as an incantation. What was to be
done? Step by step the telephone men were driven back. They were beaten.
There was no way to silence these noises. Reluctantly, they agreed
that the only way was to pull up the ends of each wire from the tainted
earth, and join them by a second wire. This was the "metallic circuit"
idea. It meant an appalling increase in the use of wire. It would compel
the rebuild-ing of the switchboards and the invention of new signal
s