This story appeared in the popular Strand magazine in March 1891.
This is a predominantly comical story though it was innovative to mention the remarkable achievements of the supporting character Mrs Esdaile. In that time in England, women were not very active in the professional field, leave alone in matters of science. Mrs Esdaile was the source of envy of not just the gossip women who were idle but also of men who thought that royal science clubs were exclusive admittance only to men.
Physician Mary N. Crawford worked at the Serum Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1962, she discovered that she was one of a few people in the world with the rare blood type Lu (a-b-) and that her blood might be donated to a patient in Great Britain.
Source - Flashback
In Lindens, Birchespool, Mrs. Esdaile is the secretary of the ladies' branch of the local Eclectic Society. A lover of all things innovative and adventurous, she organizes a scientific exhibition in his home with the help of her daughter Rose and her son Rupert. The highlight of the exhibition is a new invention called here as an apparatus of 'wood and steel' or now commonly called gramophone which would play a lecture from an eminent professor. Shortly before the guests start to come, Rupert talks to his sister about a certain Captain Beesly and he advises her not to be courted by him. Rupert is dominating and mischievous, though he has his sister's interests and welfare at heart. Rose disagrees and argues with him. When the mother and sister momentarily leave the room, Rupert is alone with the 'apparatus'.
He decides to do a little trick and tinkers with the gramophone. The exhibition goes on smoothly much to the delight of Mrs. Esdaile. The gramophone is brought out to impress the guests and for the speech. Instead of an elderly man speaking on mundane matters of facts and theory, a voice announces all the former conquests of Captain Beesly and also questions his penchant for cards. Ashamed, the Captain flees the place.
Source - Flashback
In Lindens, Birchespool, Mrs. Esdaile is the secretary of the ladies' branch of the local Eclectic Society. A lover of all things innovative and adventurous, she organizes a scientific exhibition in his home with the help of her daughter Rose and her son Rupert. The highlight of the exhibition is a new invention called here as an apparatus of 'wood and steel' or now commonly called gramophone which would play a lecture from an eminent professor. Shortly before the guests start to come, Rupert talks to his sister about a certain Captain Beesly and he advises her not to be courted by him. Rupert is dominating and mischievous, though he has his sister's interests and welfare at heart. Rose disagrees and argues with him. When the mother and sister momentarily leave the room, Rupert is alone with the 'apparatus'.
He decides to do a little trick and tinkers with the gramophone. The exhibition goes on smoothly much to the delight of Mrs. Esdaile. The gramophone is brought out to impress the guests and for the speech. Instead of an elderly man speaking on mundane matters of facts and theory, a voice announces all the former conquests of Captain Beesly and also questions his penchant for cards. Ashamed, the Captain flees the place.
Illustration of Beesly fleeing - by Walter S. Stacey in The Strand Magazine (March 1891)
Shocked and dejected, Rose doesn't have any suspicion on who did the trick. Some years later she is married to Mr. Stares, a most respectable scientist. Yet she can never be sure of how the gramophone could do a trick like that! The voice finally guided the little sister to a better marriage choice.
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