The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-06-05

lers, he is; he's goin' to improve every
passin' moment by soupin' round Bill
ings, SOS he can git all the soft snaps.
Thomas A." he concluded, in a whisper,
I'm goin' to put d head on you some
day, when l git you ~alone!"
Ray never carried his desire for
knowledge far enough 10 interfere with
his regular duties. No matter how
much time he devoted 10 the telegraph
alphabet, he was always in his place
on the bench, ready to spring when his
turn came to answer 4 call.
His promptness in delivering mes
sages and running errands had been
commented upon by the manager of
the office, as well as by the operators;
and his faithfulness won for him many
small favors, which only increased the
jealousy of the other boys.
One day, when Ray was hurrying
back to the Office with a message, he
overlook n of the other boys. who
was going at a much more moderate
rate. AS Ray did not slacken his speed,
the other increased his pace TO keep up
with him, and began talking.
Thomas A, you've mistook your call
in. Your gait's altogedder too fast fur
this biz; you'll ruin the profesh goin'
like that"
AS Ray paid no attention to the boys
carcasm, his prosecutor became threat
ening as he continued:
"Some day the other kids II take
you, an they won't 10 a thing to you,
oh, no! If 1 ever ketch you hurryin'
like this ag'in. I'm goin' to thump the
life out of you-see?"
Even the severe shaking up" which
the lineman's cruel trick gave him did
not cause Rays seeking for electrical
knowledge TO abate.
One night he came home with a card,
and as soon as he was inside the house
he made the request:
Mrs. Green, won't you sign this card
for me?"
What do you want me to sign the
card for? Did you bring your pay
home with you?" was the sharp reply
of the woman with whom he lived.
Ray was an orphan, and since his
mother died, two years before, he had
lived with Mrs. Green, a woman who
had been his mothers neighbor.
Mrs. Green's hard struggle IN the bat
tie of life had done much to spoil her
temper. and her treatment of the poor
boy who had been left in her care was
often far from kind.
Here's the money" was The meek
reply. Il want you to sign the card
so l can get books from the library.
There's some books about electricity
there that | want to get: but they won't
let a boy have books unless his par
ents or guardians sign n of these
cards; and l haven't any parents, so
won't you please sign it for me?"
'You go now and mind the baby,
while 1 get supper, or you'll get signed
in n way you won't like. No, l won't
sign no cards so you can get books to
read. You waste enough time already,
without getting any more books to be
reading, when you ought to be doing
something else" was the disappointing
answer which the boy received to his
request.
Even if he was denied the use of the
coveted library books. Ray managed to
get books from Mr.. Billings and the
manager, to which he applied himself
much as possible.
Every bit of information which he
could gain upon his pet subject was
stored away in his active brain. He
would go along the street with his eyes
turned skywards, looking at the wires
overhead, until he could readily distin-
guish between bum linework and
that which was properly done, and
could trace out the lines as we'll as any
lineman.
.'Git on to Thomas A." was the man.
her in which one of the other boys one
day called attention 10 Ray, who was
carefully studying the illustrated copy
of instructions for DEMONSTRATION in
case of Electric Shock which Mr..
Billings had tackled upon the wall the
day before. Thomas \. is goin' into
the life-savin' business. He's goin' to
know how to rusticate people what We
got shocked, he is"
One day while he was waiting for a
message to be written. Ray overheard a
merchant say to an assistant:
Send out and get some n to come
and fix the electric bell in the other
offce. Something is the matter with it
The boys bright eyes sparkled as he
inquired:
IF you please, sir, may I look at it?
Perhaps | can fiXit."
Permission being given him to try his
hand at this repair work, Ray asked a
few questions as to the way the bell
acted" secured n stepladder and screw
driver. and got up So he could reach
the bell, and, having some one work the
push in the other Office, he carefully
the adjusting screw, and by
the time the message was written the
bell was again in working order.
"IIow did you know how tc fix it,"
asked the merchant.
"Oh, 1 Just picked it up! Some one
gave me an old bell, and 1 kept working
with it until l got it so it would ring;
and that's the way l learned how"
A few days after this, Ray was pass
ing along the street, when he saw a
of people gathered around a