Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-04-11
AWIzIRD's EARLY DAYS.
Hotr Edison, the Great Inrentor, Came
East.

Il don't think" said friend of Thom-
as A. Edison some days ago 10 a group
seated in the rear room of one of the
most comfortable hostelries of Orange,
"that you ever heard the story of how
the Wizard came East. He was only a
young man, careless, generous, jovial and
totally ignorant If the value Of dollar.
He had been knocking round in western
cfiices until his wonderful swiftness rs an
operator got him into the central office Of
Il western city. From there he was or
dered to report 10 boston to fill vacan-
cy. Ii was warm weather for the season
when he started East, and he donnned
linen trousers and n duster By the time
he had reached Boston the weather had
got cold, raw and stormy. He didn't
care, and reported just as he was. Linen
trousers and duster, topped by a slouchy,
broad brimcd hat, weren't the fashion in
Boston in the best Of weather, and on Il
raw day a man with a limp, wet duster
on and wet linen trousers sticking to his
legs was something to provoke a smile.
He walked into the superinteudent's room
and said
"'Here | am >"
The superintendent eyed him from
head to foot and said:
"'Who are you?'" "
"'Tom Edlson, "
"'Who in the deuce is Tom Edison ? "
The young operator explained that he
had been ordered to report for duty, and
the superintendent told him to sit down
in the operating room. lis advent here
created much merriment. and the opera
tors guyed him loud enough for him to
hear them. He didn't care, though.
Several hours later a New York sender,
noted for his swiftness, called the Office
and there was no one to take him.
"'Well, let the new fellow try him,
anyway, said the superintendent. Young
Edison sat down, and for four hours and Il
half wrote out messages in a clear, round
hand, stuck a date and number on them
and threw them on the floor for the Office
boy to pick up. The time he took in
numbering and dating were the only mo-
meuts he was not writing out transmitted
words. Faster and faster licked the in
sirument, and faster and faster went Ed
ison's fingers, till the rapidity with which
the messages came tumbling ont on the
floor attracted the attention Of other OPP
orators, who, when their work was done,
gathered around to witness the spectacle.
At the close of four hours and a half,
and the New YORK business, there flashed
from New York the salutation:
"'Hellor"
"'Hello yourself, licked back Edison.
"'Who the dickens are you p" ratified
into the Office.
"'Tom Ellison was ticked back.
"'Shake, Tom Eds n, came over the
wires
'Wilh all my heart" was the reply.
"'You are the fr,t man in the country
said the instrument, that could take me
at my fastest, and the only one who could
ever ST at the other end OF my wire for
more than two hours and a half. I'm
proud to know YOU "
"Mr. Ellison had been experimenting
and studying and improving telegraphy
ever since he was nineteen years old. He
patented some Of his inventions. He left
the Boston Office to try and sell his null
tiplcx system to the Western Union. He
was a careless looking young fellow when
he walked into the Office one day in New
York and asked them if they wanted to
buy patent.
"'What is 10 they asked
"'Why means Of sending two mes