Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-11
HOBART'S BOY,

s..s omce from Mckinley Junior the
IT,. prasident,s Tyvelve-X ear-Old Hope
r,I nabbles in Electricity and Has Been
Amounted Custodian of "hite mouse
Bells.
Care, A. Hobart, Jro is only twelve
years old, but he has PREF ia u ~. aug
acute conception Of the aphoi'shl mat -
tb. victors belong the spells.
Fired in his youthful Imagination oy TINS
great patriotic truth, the Wee President
,oung booeful has become an once
holder. On the very day his papa ana MI
MCKINLEY were inausurated the young-
star became an oGlce-ho.der. Entirely OF
his own initiative. ne made application
to the President of the United states LOT
m position OF custodian OF electric Del's
IN the White House.
Whereof the story is a good one, and
well worth telling from beginning.
Carrot \. Hobart. Jr., or Junior as
he il, called by everybody in the neighoor-
hood of his Paterson home, IS not ro-
bust lad. and for that reason was never
sent 10 school. But he take a robust in
terest IN affairs outside his tutor ana his
toys and would sooner contrive some
thing odd and useful with his slender
fingers than read the most fascinating Oh
romances amout Indians or pirates
Many months ago ne began to de.ve in
to the mysteries of applied electricity.
Ned Van Piper his most intimate chum
i'm Paterson. Joined him In his researches,
ana the youngsters made astonishing
progress in their studies So successful
were they. indeed. that the entire house
hold of Hobart was soon thrown into
paroxysms Of surprise, not unmiXed at
times with dsmay. for Junior wired
the house over in tho equipment OF Va
rious devices Of his own invention, until
the most simple operations resulted in the
most unexpected developments.
TO this day there are electric fixtures
i'm the Hobart mansion whereby. among
other things. the cook can light the
kitchen fire by pressing button at the
head of her bed; the master of the house
may signal the number of guests he is
bringing home to dinner the moment he
reaches the front gate, or the incauuous
burglar may unchain the watch dog by
fumbIing with the window fastenings.
Having so installed his fathers house
so that one could hardly move an elbow
without ringing an alarm or opening q
door. the ambitious young electrician and
his partner turned their attention TO their
neighbors For modest consideration
they offered to supply them with complete
electric bell outfits. and the neighbors
Jumped az such chance. Since that time
the two boys hove carried on their fad as
Il regular business.
When Carrot a. Hobart ,he elder, went
10 Washington to be inaueucGtcd. me took
Carrot \. Hobart. the younger, with him.
Junior" was Immensely imocassel with
everything he saw on that memorable
occasion. but with nothing so much as
the brlgados Of hungry looking PEOPLE.
who. his father told him, were office
seekers The boy reiaosed into deep
thought for a few minutes, ana then lie
said wistfu.N:
give ME the Jon cf taking care OF the
Papa. l wonder if Nj Mckinley would
bells i'm the White House,"
The Vice President was talking to SEN
ator Eillns at the time and his sons art
less query passed UNDECIDED. Vast. then,
was his surprise and mystitication the
following day when the President clapped
him on the back and exclaimed.
Hobart, that boy of yours is a treas
ure, I've just had the pleasure Of APP
pointing him electrician Of the White
House, on his own application