They have persistently grown more elaborate, until today a telephone set, as it stands on a desk, contains as many as one hundred and thirty separate pieces, as well as a saltspoonful of glistening granules of carbon.
Next after the transmitter 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.