The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-04-26
For Boys and Girls.


the Youngest telegraph operator IN
this country. Though he is only
nine years of age, he is very skillful,
reading messages from the wires as
easily as does his father, who is an
operator also. Beverly lived at
Hanover Court House. in Virginia,
and passes most of his time in the
telegraph offices there. His father
did not intend that he should learn
so young, but the lad picked up the
knowledge himself. Not log since,
areporter, who wanted to send a
dispatch TO distant newspaper,
stenped into the office and asked for
the operator. Fathers out; but III
do it. said Beverly. You" exclaim-
ed the tall reporter, looking down
upon the small boy you send a
messagel Ha, ha! bal" But Beverly
took the reporters copy, read 1t,
seated himself at the operating table,
and began to send the words flying
over the wire. The reporter writes
that he never admired anything so
much in his life as he did the bright
lad who had mastered the mysteries
of difficult trade so young. One
day Beverly was reading and the
instrument was clicking away. Sud
denly the little fellow sprang to his
feet, exclaiming: There's message
going wrongl 1t ought to come
here: it is for Mr.. Taylor, and they
are sending it to Hanover junction
by mistake" And SO it turned out.
1t was not long before the message
was sent back to Mr.. Taylor, who
lives near the court house. Beverly's
skill is the more remarkable when
it is known that he did not begin
to study telegraphing until less than
a year ago.
One day last month, a young miss
her brother and two other boys, were
skating on a small pond near Evans
vile, Ind, when the thin ice broke,
throwing the whole party into the
deep water. Two ofthe boys succeed
ed IN reaching the shore, but Ed
ward Williams remained with the
girl, Ottie Smith. They struggled
heroically, but EVERY time they
would get a firm grip upon the ice il
would break, and they would fall
back into the chilling water. The
alarm given brought several men to
the shore. One of the men shouted
"Dont get excitedw Pm not excl.
ted" said the brave girl. Throw
me a rope" But no rope could be
found. The men walked as far out
on the ice as they could, but each
felt that it would only make matters
worse toplunge in. Among the men
was an old Indian named Joe Jack
son, who was quite a character on
the Ohio River. Joe pittied the atrug-
Cling young people SO much that he
began to cry, and in another moment
he ran out across the treacherous ice
and plunged in. As heswam toward
the girl, hesaid: "If | can't saveyou
III drown with you" By the time he
had reached the unfortunate skaters,
the men on shore had procured
planks, and shortly afterward all
were saved.
Near Hackett City. Arkansas, there
lives planter, Major J. X. Hale,
who had son about six years Of
age. One night during the first week
in January of this year, three masked
robbers entered the mouse, and busrt-
ing into the room where Major Hale
was sitting with his family. demand
ed his money. The planter gave
them his pocket-book, but they told
him that he had 81, 100 hidden in {
trunk, and that he must get then
the key. the little boy crept up to
one OF the robbers, peeped under ths
mask, and said: "Mr. Williford, why
doyou want to steal fathers money!
The discovery so startled the robbers
that they dropped the pocket bool
on the floor and fed. The little
hoy saved the money. On the fol
lowing day the robbers named, who
lived in the neighborhood, were ar
rested, and shortly afterwards the 9th
er robbers were taken to Jail also.
AGood story is told of the witty
Archbishop Whately. On one oc
casion he was in field near Dublin
where some men were at work in 8
bayfield,. "Now, may ladsm said
the archbishop. you all see tha,
tree yonder?', pointing TO a large tree
several hundred yards away. Yes
your grace they all said. 'Well,
said the archbishop, 'the man who
touches that tree first shall have thi:
half-crown." The men got reade fol
the race. ''Now, thenw shouted the
archbishop, lone, two, three and
awav," Of the men started, each do.
ing his best. When about third Of
the way to the tree, they heard the
sound of quick steps behind them
and soon the tall figure and long
legs of the archbishop swept pas,
them. With a triumphant laugh
the archbishop touched the tree, and
put the half.crown into his pocket
But after they had acknowledged
him as the winner. each of the losers
were presented with a haif-crown.
The girl or boy who reads the great
est number of books is not ALWAYS
the best informed, because they read
without judgement. We know OF
some young people who have a
strange ambition to be considered
great readers" They do rot use
the word great" in reference to
what they learn by reading, but in
regard to the number of books and
pages that they have aad. They
are not careful as to the quality.
Usually this clas OF readers select
the poorest quality, because they can
get through with it quicker. Indeed,
they will sometimes boast of the
rapidity with which they can read a
book, as though it were an occasion
Of honest pride to read whole vol
ume at one sitting. They forget
that it is not the amount of reading
which benefits one, but the quality
and the manner in which the book
is read. Some get more good from a
page thar others from a volume
BE select in your reading. and
choose only such books as vii add