The Van Buren press., 1897-06-19


commented upon by the manager of
the Office, as well as by the operators;
and his faithfulress won for him many
/ small favors, which only increased the
jealousy of the other boys.
One day, when Ray WAS hurryihg
lack to the Office with a message, he
overlook one 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.
"Thamas A.. you've mistook yonr call
in. Your gait's altogether too fast fnr
this biz; you'll ruin the pr0fesh goin'
like that
As Ray paid no attention to the boys
carcasm, his prosecutor became threat
cning as he continues:
"Some day the other kids Il take
YOU, an they won't 10 a thing to yon,
oh. no If 1 ever ketch you hurryin'
Ike 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 card,
and MS SOON as he was inside the house
he made the request:
Mrs. Green, won't you sign this card
for me2"
"Nyhat 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 ueighbar.
Mrs Green's hard struggle IN the bat
tie of life had lone much to spoil her
temper. and her treatment of the poor
boy who had been left in her care was
often far from kind.
.IIere's the money" was the meek
reply. II want yon to sign the card
50 | 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 one of these
cards; and | haven't any parents, 50
won't you please sign it for me?"
"Yon go now and mind the baby
lille get supper, or you'll get signed
in way you won't like. No, | won't
sign no cards so you can get books 10
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
as 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 sltywards, looking at the wires
overhead, until he could readily distin-
puish between "bum" linework and
that which was properly done, and
could trace out the lines as we'll as any
lineman.
.tGit on to Thomas A." was the man.
her in which one of the other boys one
day called attention TO Ray, who WAS
carefully studying the illustrated copy
of instructions for "Resuscitation in
case of Electric Shock" which Mr..
Billings had tackled upon the wall the
day before. "Thomas \. is goin' into
the life-savn' 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 assistants:
Send out and get some one to come
and fix the electric bell in the other
Office. Something is the matter with il
again."
The boys bright eyes sparkled as he
inquired:
"If you please, sir, may 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 bel
acted" secured 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
turned the adjusting screw, and by
/ the time the message was written the
bell was again in working order.
"IIow did you know how to fix it,
asked the merchant.
"Oh. just picked it up! Some one
gave me an old bell, and l kept working
with IL until got it so it would ring;
and that's the way learned how"
\ few days after this, Ray was pass
ing along the street, when he saw {
number Of people gathered around &
/ broken wire which had fallen from {
pole.
The morning was clear and sunny
but everything was still wet from the
heavy rain of the night before.
From force of habit, the boys eyes
we're instantly turned upward to trac,
the broken wire. Everyone seemed
afraid to touch it, until a man iumpe,
from a passing wagon and started t,
pick it up.
1t was the same lineman who, severa
months before, had played the crue
trick on Ray.
Lock out!" called Il hoyish voice
chats an electric light primary"
Electric light nothin'." growled thu
burly fellow, picking up the wire ant
carrying il to one side, in so doing
stepping upon the iron frame of a eel
lar skylight. That's a messenger
l call"
lie did not complete the sentence.
His hand had come in contact Will