River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-08-04

insanity are so frequent of late and
their manifestations so strange that
they form an interesting study. Hav-
ing add ed that very peculiar case in
terested him greatly few weeks ago,
he was induced 20 narrate it, which he
did as follows:
One of the most pushing and growing
OF our western cities has recently put
in a very excellent system Of the over
head electric railway, and as IL IS some
distance from the larger cities the super
intendent has experienced some diff
Guilty in getting men competent to take
charge of the ears
Those acquainted with the overhead
system are aware that a pole holds the
little trolley wheel against the wire
strung above, and this connects with
the wheels and the track and furnishes
the motive power whenever the cur
rent is turned on. Iy turning with the
crank in an opposite direction the mo-
tiOn impaired to the wheels is reversed
and the car will run backward.
While beginners Were being taught to
turn on and off the current, reverse
suddenly. handle the brake properly
and run the ears. application was made
10 the manager for a position rs a mo-
tOr-man. The applicant was a stranger,
but claimed to be a man of experience,
and as he showed thorough knowledge
of the business he was engaged.
lie proved to be attentive, careful
and capable, but no one liked him. His
feIlow-employes particularly disiiked
him, because he held himself aloof from
them, and he soon became known
among them as 1.-The car" because of
domineering ways.
Among the bows hanging around the
car-house, as in all such places, was a
tough little specimen of the street
gamin called Billy. who was about
twelve years old, but who had
become thoroughly acquainted with
the rules of the company, the
manner Of running the cars, the times
OF the various runs. and the hours of the
various men. He was around the pow
er-hOuSe at all hours of day or night,
and soon came TO know more about this
wonderful fluid or mysterious force and
how To handle II than anyone con-
nected with the business. 1t was the
joy Of his life To get with some good
natured motOr-man OLt on a suburban
trip and obtain permission to run the
car short distance. This he had done
50 often ont ON the Woodland Heights
line that he was, - lar as that line
was concerned. as competent a motor
man as there was in the service.
Billy and the ear" had no use for
each other. and the former was never
found on or around the latters ear.
Several weeks ago, Billy was ont in
ono Of the parks on the Woodland
Heights line la:e in the evening. and
was having great sport fishing. as he
had stolen his way into the park with
some fishing tackle concealed about
him He was playing in hard luck,
however. as he expressed it, for the
proprietor caught him and confiScated
his entire outfit With the characters
tic Observation-Disclosures of boy. however.
he cons0led himself with the reflection
that he could ride into the city on tine
next ear. as his special chum would be
the mOtOr-man.
As soon as the next car arrived. with
several ears attached 10 it in order tn
carry the large crowd back into the
city, Billy slipped around and squatted
down on the front step in the shadow,
and not until they had fully started did
he find ont that il was not his chum,
but 1.-THE ear" who had charge of the
car. The latter hadn't seen Billy, and
the boy made himself as small as pos
sible in the shadow, hoping he would
not be seen
CHANGING back. the ear" fastened
the front door Of the car with its strong
catch on the outside. and then took
from his pocket bottle of some liquid
that sparkled in the moonlight Plae-
ing this on the little stand in front
holding the switch and buttons con-
trolling the current. he took several
strips OF some kind of metal and bend
inc them so that one end went down
into the bottle while the other went
down among the buttons of the switch,
he rubbed his hands together in glee,
and said TO himself. as he quivered with
excitement;
Now for the test / know l am
right, but must prove Il TO myself!
What are a few lives in comparison
with an eternal truth?
Il will give the crank one notch. and
make connection with the elixir Now
the speed ought to be four times as
great as ID is usually with one notch,