The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-07

FOR BOYS AND Girls.

4 y
| youngest telegraph operator in this
country. Though he is only nine years
| of age, he is very skilful, reading mes
sages from the wires as easily as does
| his father, who is an operator also.
Beverly lives at Hanover Court House,
| IN Virginia, and passes most of his time
in the telegraph Office there. His father
did not intend that he should learn SO
| young, but the lad picked up the knowl-
edge himself Not long since, areporter,
who wanted to send a dispatch to dis
tant newspaper, stepped into the Office
and asked for the operator. Fathers
out; but do it, = said Beverly. s'Y6ur'
| exclaimed the tall reporter, looking
down upon the small boy; you send a
message! Ha! ha! hap But Beverly
took the reporters copy, read it, seated
himself at the operating table, and be-
gan 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 a difficult trade so young.
One day Beverly was reading and the
instrument was clicking away. Suddenly
the little fellow sprang to his feet, ex-
claiming: There's message going
wrong! 1t ought to come here; it is for
Mr.. Taylor, and they are sending it to
Hanover junction bymistake." And so
it turned out. It was not long before
| the message was sent back to Mr.. Taylor,
who lives near the court house. Beyer-
ly's skill is all the more remarkable
when it is known that he did not begin
to study telegraphing until less than
year ago.
One day last month, young miss,
her brother and two other boys, were
Sly
Ind, when the thin ice broke, throwing
the whole party into the deep water.
Two of the boys succeeded in reaching
the shore, but Edward Williams remained
with the girl, Ottie Smith. They strug-
gled heroically, but every time they
would get firm grip upon the ice it
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: Don't get
excitedin I'm not excited,''> 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 to plunge in. Among the men
was an old Indian named Joe Jackson,
who was quite character on the Ohio
River. Joe pitied the struggling young
and IN another moment he ran out across
the treacherous ice and plunged in. AS
he swan toward the girl, he said: eff
can save you I'll 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 a planter, Major j. K. Hale, who
has son about six years of age. One
night during the first week in January
of thisyear three masked robbers entered
the house, and bursting into the room
where Major Hale was sitting with his
family, demanded 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 them
the KEY. While Major Hale was looking
for the key, the little boy crept up to
one Of the robbers, peeped under the
mask, and said: Mr.. Williford, why do
you want to steal father money! The
discovery so startled the robbers that
they dropped the pocket-book on the
floor and fled. The little boy had saved
the money. On the following day the
robber named, who lived in the neigh
borhood, was arrested, and shortly after
ward the other robbers were taken to
jail also.
A good story is told of the witty Arch
bishop Whately. On one occasion he
was IN field near Dublin, where some
men were at work in a bayfield,. '.Now,
nv LADS said the archbishop. 'svou all
see that tree yonder?'' pointing to a large
tree several hundred yards away. Yes,
your grace they all said. ''Well,' said
the archbishop. 'sthe man who touches
that tree first shall have this half-crown."
The men got ready for the race. t'Now,
then:' shouted the archbishop, lone,
two, three and awayr' Of the men
started, each doing his best. When
about a third of the way to the tree. they
heard the sound of quick steps behind
them, and soon the tai figure and long
legs of the archbishop swept past them.
With triumphant laugh the archbishop
touched the tree, and put the half-crown
into his pocket. But after they had ac-
knowledged him as the winner, each of
the losers was presented with half
crown.
The girl or boy who reads the greatest
number of books is not always the best
informed, because they read without
Judgment. We know of some young
people who have strange ambition to
be considered 'sgreat readers.'' They
do not use the word great Interference
to what they learn by reading, but in
regard to the number of books and pages
that they have read. They are not care
ful as to the quality. Usually this class
of readers select the poorest quality,
because they can get through with it
quicker. Indeed, they viii Sometimes
boast of the rapidity with which they
can read book, as though it were an
occasion of honest pride to read whole
volume 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 page than others
from a volume. Be select insyour read
ing, and choose only such books as viii
add to your stock of information