The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-01
BOYHOOD OF EDISON.
Something About tho Youth Of the
Great Inventor.

Acrecent number of st. Nicholas con.
tains an article from the pen of Ida
Rose McCabe on the boybood of the
great Edison. According to this ALL
thority the early life of the nineteenth
century wizard was certainly unique
and interesting. He was a genuine
type Of the American youth, and yet
his father says he had no real boyhood
DAYS, for his earliest amusementS were
steam engines and mechanical forces.
Of his life in Milan, Mich, the writer
says:
In Milan, On the banks of the Huron
river, where he passed the first seven
years Of his life, he seems to have joined
in the boys games; but soon marbles,
ball and flop-scotch were left to less in
genious urchins, while young Edison
constructed plank roads or dug tunnels
and caves along the shore.
His interest in tunneling was rivaled
by his love for chickens. Astonished
at the results of a goose sitting on
nest of eggs, the inventor thought to
increase the broods by a device Of his
own. One day the boy was missed
from his usual haunts. Messengers
were sent in search of bim and found
him curled up in a nest he had made in
the barn. 1t was filled with goose and
hen eggs, upon which he was sitting.
trying to hatch them!
There was one phase of Milan child
life in which Edison, happily or unhap-
PLY, hardly shared. He was not one of
those who daily trudged with satchel
and books to the white washed school
house. Indeed. Edison went to school
for only two months. In her youth his
mother had been teacher in the
Canadian high school. She taught her
son at home, impressing him with the
love and purpose of study. Like many
of the worlds greatest men, Edison
owes much of his fame to his mother,
to whom he was devoted son. Read
ing was his delight. His father, to en-
courage him in the habit, paid him for
every volume he finished. AT the age
of seven, the family removed from
Milan to Port Huron, where Edison, on
the shores Of Lake Erie, continued to
build roads and dig tunnels, during the
same time pursuing his studies at home
with the industry and concentration
that continue to dominate his lie
With Hume's History of England"
D'Aubigne's History of the Rcforma-
ton" Gibbons Rome" Sears His
tory of the World" the Penny Ency-
clop1dia,' and various scientific works,
he had well stored his mind before he
began as a trsin-boy to carry a basket
of figs, apples, toys, periodicals and
newspapers. In the ups and downs of
this rugged calling Edison found his
university education. He always re-
fers to this period with humorous
CLEAN in his searching eyes.
HIS run was from Port Huron to
Detroit Night, however, always found
him il the shelter of his fathers home
a large !d-fashioned frame building
surrounded by grove and with az OBJ
servatory that commanded 4 glorious
outlook over the broad river and dis
tant hills.
business increased rapidly and soon
the boy had to employ four assistants
At this period Edison's inventive
genius first asserted itself The war
had Just begun. News was eagerly
awaited Il was this dull-looking news
boy who hit upon the novel idea of tel
egraphlng. in advance of his train, the
head lines Of the war news columns.
which We're promptly bulletined at the
stations. When the train arrived his
papers sold with electric speed
His stock in trade was purchased
principally al the Detroit end of the
line, where his reputation as an hon
est boy who did cash business" was
soon esta blished
Had Edison been 4 less energetic bow
he might have remained TO this dav
vender of news. But scarcely had he
reached his fifteenth year when he re-
solved to edit and publish paper of
his own. For this purpose lie pur-
chased three hundred pounds Of old
type from the Detroit Free Press. whose
composing-r was one of his favorite
resorts when of duty.
Attached to his train there was n
springless frcight-car with a room set
ventilation, passengers rarely entered
this compartment Here the newsboy
deposited his type and set about the
publication Of the Grand Trunk Her
aid. II was a twelve by sixteen-inch
sheet. printed by the pressure OF the
hand and on one side only. The Herald
was issued vaelllv and sold FOR three
cents copy or eight cents a month,
and reached a circulation of several
hundreds The columns were devoted
to railway gossip, changes, accidents,
market reports and general informa-
ton. Railroad men OF prominence
were among its contributors. and it be-
came celebrated as the only newspaper
IN The world printed in 4 railway train.
The journalistic ambition Of the Young
editor v-s satisfied when the Herald
attained editorial mention in the LON
don Times.
Not content with his success as ed
itor- nublisAer and traiaboy. Edison