Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-02-19

VcUbtu. INindpo II Will lHAcresl Ne
readers to be told how two boys rein
vented one Of these forms of telegraph
ing when they could not put up wfe
to be worked by battery.
These boys, Tom and Eugene, were
sons of physician, and lived in The
backwoods OF North Carolina. far from
railroads aud towns. Eugene attended
school in the neighborhood, Wills
Tom was older, and clerk in a county
store near by There was often need
of means Of communication between
the store and the doctors residence,
especially after dark, and as the distance
was nearly a mile, these boys conceived
the idea of constructing a telegraph Ina
between the two places.
As a preliminary to this work, they
learned 10 write in the telegraphic a.
phabet, which, as every boy knows, i
composed of dots and dashes, thus
This is called the Morse code, because
1t was invented by Prof. S. T. B.
Morse, and they soon became quite ex-
pert in writing it and in spelling sen
fences to each other by the sound Of
rapping on table with a key or pocket
knife. They were now ready for the
wires and instruments, but were aston
ished to find that the necessary outfit
at that time. would cost them upward
of twenty-five dollars, a sum far beyond
their means.
Since their leisure time was mainE
after dark. they concluded TO try some
means of signaling to each other H
using a lamp. The apparatus they
finally made was so simple and effect
i've that any boy handy with jack
knife can easily make one
BY referring to the cut il viii be
seen that it consists of a lamp inside
small box. with hole on the side at
the height Of the fame, and means
of opening or closing the hole easily
and rapidly. The box was an Ordinary
cigar-box, and the lamp small ons
burning kerosene oil. Several smaA
holes were made in the bottom Of the
box to admit air, and large one in The
top just over the lamp-chimney.
When closed the light was entireF
concealed except when the cover to the
opening on the side was pushed back
This cover was shaped as seen in ts
cut, and made of thin cigar-box wood
also. 1t had single screw at the BOZ
tom and small knob TO push by. IH
movement of the cover or shutter was
from side to side, like an inverted pen
dulum. There was tack on each sioe'
one to keep the shutter from going 1oo
far one way. and the other to stoph
exactly over the hole. when closed
small spring of whalebone or rubber
band served to hold the shutter IN v
closed position.
When this box and lamp were usea .
night the opening and closing OF 'ne
shutter served to show the light as .
succession of quick or long flashes
which look at distance exactly IKE
FREELY. To open and close the shn''f'
very quickly makes a mark to nprs,
sent dot. and to make dash 'Hs
shutter is held open about half se'
ond. For long dash. representing ~
l. the shutter is simply kept open
trifle longer than for the regular assn
4 little practice will soon enable OBJ
TO make the short and long llashes cor
responding to the characters Of -
Morse code. and the signals are easn'
read. even ut distance OF several niies
of course the operations must s~As
place between stations visible i'o'
each other. and the box must be tnrn'1
in the direction of the distant ooser'e.
For very long distances a larger ia'Ds
and reflector will be better.
With such box under his arm VIM
out of doors. or at a table near w
dow looking in the proper diree'o-
Tom would telegraph long conVeis
tions to Eugene, and read his replies :
the distant sparks On cold. dalA
rainy nights these boys were aO'e
talk with each other. and were sun
times able to send messages Of IMP
lance. which saved them many slelS
Many boy or girl may thus ~
means of amusement IN commnni'-'7s
with friends. even across wide rlfe's
at long distances in a billy or NOUNS
us country. with such home waoe 8
egraph. There are situations w''eN
couple Of entcrprising boys might Losss
money out Of tt
Harris, ia Youths Companion