The suburban citizen., 1900-10-27

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father to buy him the necessary out
fit, so that he might learn the bust
ness at home.
"All foolishness," answered Mr.,
Mason. you'd get tired Of it in less
than a week. Better go in for some
tlrlng that you'd get some good out
Of"
81 wouldn't get tired of it." asserted
Billy. Il promise you that if you'll
buy me an outfit I'll stick to it till
/ get so can send messages just like
a real operator does
Bat Mr.. Mason couldn't be coaxed
into gratifying the boys "whim," as
he called it.
81 would just be throwing money
away" he said. Cant afford it,"
That settled the matter, so far as
Mr., Mason was concerned. But Billy
did not give up his plan.
When the new railroad came to
Brownsville of course a telegraph line
came with it, and Billy lost no time
making the acquaintance of the oper-
ator, who was a pleasant, good-na-
tured fellow, and quite willing to show
Billy how to use the instrument
In less THAI a week from the time
he began to practice on the operators
SENDER he had learned the alphabet,
and it was not long before he could
begin to pick up short and easy words
as they came to the operator over the
line.
You'd learn the business in no time
If you had a chance" the operator
said. "You ought to have an instru-
ment at home. If you had, we'd
string a wire between your place and
the station, and we could practice a
good deal, at odd spells"
Il wish it could be done" said Billy
with a sigh. "Tl try father once
more"
Accordingly, he made another at
tempt that night but as unsuccess-
! fully as before.
Il tell you it's all foolishness," said
Mr.. Mason. Il wish you'd stop teasing
me about It. won't give you a cent
to throw away in that way"
Billy concluded he would say no
more to his father about it, but he
determined to learn telegraphy for all
that.
One day the operator at the station
told him that he had found where a
secondhand outfit could be bought for
q song, almost.
IF youn buy tlat, I'll furnish the
wire" he said. Then weu have n
line Of our own, and Wen ask no IA
Vors of the main line"
Billy determined that such n chance
as this should not be lost, and he went
to work that day to earn the money
with which to buy the outfit. He ran
on errands. He did all kinds of odd
jobs that would bring in a penny
By-and-by, seeing how intent he was
on the purchase Of the instrument, his
mother felt sorry for him and gave
him enough money to make up the
price of it, when added 10 what he had
earned.
And Billy bought the outfit.
Il shouldn't think you'd encourage
lhe boy in his foolisnness," said Mr.
Mason to his wife, when he found
out how Billy had bought the instru
ment.
Maybe there isn't as much foolish
ness In it as you think for" she said
Il believe it'll be the means Of max
ing a telegraph operator Of the boy
If he doesn't it amuses him, and keep,
him at home, and out of mischief, ant
that's worth a good deal"
A happier boy than Billy Mason wa,
when the wire was strung and tn,
line was ready for use it would br
hard to find.
1t was not long before he was abl
to take" the messages the station
man sent him over their line. and il
a little while he became quite prof
cient at sending" They talked bacl
and forth between the farm and sta
tion, and Billy began to feel quite llli
a full-fedged operator when he wa
able to 'call up the man at the othe
end Of the line and ask him n Ques
tion whose meaning did not have t
be guessed at.
One day Mr.. Mason announced hi
Intention to take the family and 2
b over to his sisters, at Three Lakes, O
a visit
wen 90 Saturday and come bac
Monday" lie said. But I guess you'
have to stay at home Blny-"to see t
things 1t wouldn't do to shut up tn
house and leave it alone"
IAN right" said Billy, rather please
at the prospect Of being left in charc
of the place. He had never been alon
all night, and the experlenc would i
8 n novel one for him. lie rather like
the idea OF the responsibility It woul
= put upon him to be left ito sec
'ngs,' the same az if he were
GO.
NT. Mason and the family starte
OFF on Saturday afternoon, on the Ion,