Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-03
Edison as an Editor.

SIZE, III WaS HoI'tno Pi"oo "nOio 'h0
advent Of a genius would be looked for,
if this elusive spark had the habit OF
appearing anywhere, according to pre-
scribed formulas. The village of Port
Huron, Michigan, to which his family
removed soon after, and where the
greater part of his youth was passed,
would not have afforded a better pros
pect. His family was an average one OF
the humber sort. There were no nnu-
sual talents in any Of its members upon
Which claim to hereditary ability could
he based. OF number Of brothers and
sisters, none have shown an Inclination
toward pursuits like the inventors own
He may have taken from his father
who was in turn tailor, nurseryman,
dealer in grain, in lumber, and Ill fafm
lauds-s0,ne of the rcstlessness which
las impelled him to activity III So many
different directions. He took, also, Il
oood constitution. This parent, of
Dutch descent, a hale Old gentleman,
still living at the age of seyenty-four-
had two immediate ancestors who sur
yived, one to the age OF one hundred
and two, the other to one hundred and
three. It is q point not altogether un-
important to note i'll passing, since it
holds out the prospect, in the ordinary
course of time, for the matured compile
ton of the wonderful programme the
inventor has laid out for himself already
at the comparatively youthful age OF
th;rty-two. His mother, of Sec .ch pa
rcntage, although born i'll Masachu-
sctts was of good education, and had
formerly been a school teacher in Can
ada She impaired to him about all
the instruction from outside sources he
eyer received. OF regular schooling he
had no more than two months in his
life. His schoolmates of this rlcfpcrlod
do not remember him as brilliant, nor
are there preserved any family records
Of phcnominal infantile doinss. But he
was 2 child who amused himself much
alone and doubtless if bis quiet plays
had been noted, there would have been
detected indications of the faculty i'll
which his extraordinary future career
WAS involved. He was in particular an
omniyorous reader. He had the intense
curiosity about the world we inhabit
and its great names and great deeds
which will be found an early trait i'll
common i'll almost all the Nves that
have histories of their own to leave be-
hind them. At ten, he was reading
Humes England" Gibbons "Rome,"
the Penny Enclycopaedia," and even
some books Of chemistry, which came
in his way with the rest, and gave, as it
seems, the direction to his future action.
One can imagine these works. 1t was
rot time nor place for fastidiousiy
ELEGANT bindings. They were serious in
aspect: perhaps all occasional halt-coyer
gone: the leaves well-yellowed and
stained with brownish spots. But to Il
boy OF ten with the omnlyoTons taste, q
book is book all the same He extracts
honicd sweetness, as he bends over1t,
which has nothing to do with accident,
ofappearance.
At twelve, he began the worlet-as
tgain-boy on the Grand Trunk Railroad,
Of Canada and Central Michigan. To
one who has noted the precious self
possession, the tiippant conversational
powers andthe sharp financial dealings
of the young persons who for the most
part abound in it, does not seem pro-
trssion for the cultivation Of Il spirit Oft
Guet research, or the most thorough |
acGuircmcnt of the sciences and arts.
But it is fair to presume that Master
Edison at this time had 10 very COM
prehcnsivc scheme of Development pre-
pared. II offered the most available
means of livelihood. He went into it
with such a will that in course of time
he became an employer of labor, having
four assistants under him for the dispo-
,sal of his wares. He is not ayerse to
| irccug to the humors Of this part of his
ilifr.
Were YOU one OF the kind Of train
|loyS," he has been asked, ''who sell figs
lin boxes with bottoms half-an-incl
Ethicli:"
'Iil rccollect right" he replied, with
u merry twinkle, ''thc bottoms Ct my
boxes were Il good inch
His peculiarity consisted in having
established i'll turn, i'll the diSn,cd smol-
ing section of a Springlcss old baggage
ear, which served him as HEADQUARTERS
for his papers, fruits and vegetable
iyOry-twO industries but little known