The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-31
THE BOY FINDER.


after war be confidently counted upon
to produce tremendous revival In in
pansion Of American genius in many
| directions, but that out OF the war itself
will spring new inspirations in various
paths, contributing to the worlds store
OF things, both utilitarian and artistic,
as have already been added new knowl-
edge In geography and new words to
our English vocabulary, there is al
ready ample evidence.
AS an illustration OF this. we may cite
highly novel and most curious inven-
tion. which. IL we are credibly Informed.
is soon to be presented to the attention
OF parents and guardians and all in
terested in the control not to say re-
straint of youth. We refer to what the
inventor calls the hoy finder"
The name thus given to this curious
little instrument accurately describes
1t. It's purpose is to find the boy--the
boy who has strayed temporarily from
the hearthstone, and particularly the
boy who has so strayed at the exact
time when he is wanted in the house
which, experience has demonstrated. is
the time that the boy commonly takes
to stray. The boy finder" is not de-
signed to usurp the function or per-
form the work OF the policeman. the
agent of the Society for the Prevention
OF Cruelty to Children or the boy
Lost" advertisement in the newspa-
pers. Being simply mechanical in
vention. its inventor lays no claims to
superhuman, or even human, powers.
and frankly admits the necessary linn
itations to its field of usefulness.
The inspiration for the hoy finder"
Is directly traceabie to the range finder.
now familiar from it's use in the navy.
as indeed the inventor states. Like
The most of us. he was ignorant Of
range finders until the war brought
hem to his attention. and their marked
IsefuIness prompted hirs Z, apply the
invSs@ed and produce the re-
'ult in the hoy finder AS everybody
rpoxys pox, a ,.ou~o Ac1o~ A.. 90, A.. |
trument for finding the location of the
,bject on which II is desired to train
he guns in action, the mathematical
thereof by the range
Inder making II unnecessary, in mod
rn warfare. to aim and shoot the guns
number of times at the object before
citing an accurate line on II.
To find the boy is the object of the
boy finder" just as TO find the range
! the object OF the range finder. The
of the one has been felt
ute as long as OF the other. Parents
nd guardians have for many genera
ons realized. at times, the want OF a
oy finder. that is, some instrument
+ device whereby the boy. discovered
Ut To be where he is supposed TO be.
Jay be promptly and accurately To-
,ted. and. IL required summoned to
he place where he sleeps nights. eats
'me OF his meals and from which he
,kes his departure for school. Here
ofore. we believe, parental endeavor
as been chiefly confined 10 keeping
he boy from departing thence unex-
ectedly and In unknown. or. at al,
vents. uncertain directions to mys-
erious destinations. while. for his re-
all, such crude devices as a dinner
ell or enlisting the services OF the
eighbor's boy TO track him, or perhaps
ne primitive action Of calling John
VI" or James Henry" as the case
ay be. broadcast over the landscape
om the back stoop. have been the only
cans available for finding the boy.
nd all OF these have. as a rule. de-
a singular inefficiency for
e accomplishment OF the object
usht.
rhs boy nnder.' however. does it's d
'rk accurately and promptly. AS at n