The Great Inventor

Mattie was excited. Today, her father was taking her to visit one of his friends, Mr. Edison. Her father had told the family last night at the dinner table that his friend was an amazing inventor. He had entertained them at dinner with stories of all of Mr. Edison’s inventions. Mattie had been captivated by the tales. She wanted very much to make a difference in the world someday. She wondered if, perhaps, she could be an inventor, too. However, what Mattie was most excited about was the fact that just she and her father were going to visit her father’s new friend. Her brothers and sisters all had to go to school. For once, she would have something special to talk about at supper instead of only having to listen to all the things they did while they were gone for the day.

The next morning, Mattie and her father walked to Thomas Alva Edison’s home. Mattie immediately felt at ease with the kindly older man. His wife had made cookies, and Mattie thought they were delicious. She sat on a small stool beside her father and listened as the two men discussed various news. When she was finished with her treat, she followed the two men into another room. It was there that she learned just how great an inventor her father’s friend was.

In the corner stood something she had never seen. Later, she would learn it was called a phonograph. Mr. Edison showed them how the machine could record voices and play the sounds back. Mattie giggled in delight when he recorded her voice. She recited her favorite nursery rhyme about Mary and her little lamb. Mr. Edison laughed and said he had recorded the same words the first time he had used the machine.

The morning seemed to go much too quickly, and eventually it was time to leave. Mattie waved goodbye to her new friend and hugged her father and thanked him for bringing her with him. As she held fast to her father’s hand, she wished her brothers and sisters would get home soon. She had so much she wanted to share with them. She hoped her father would take them soon to meet Mr. Edison, but she was certainly glad she had been able to meet him first.