Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-11-11

JUA era first created the idea of pho
Biography in my mind. Before
that L hadn't the slightest inclination
toward the art whatever but when
Lester purchased his neat little leather
covered box, and went around merely
pressing button, and getting pictures
by no other means, l Immediately de-
cided that |, too, must have camera.
Testers was not an expensive one.
His father had found it in one of the
Photographic establishments in Phila
delphia, and, being Of a slightly scien
tific turn of mind, had purchased it
and brought 1t home to Lester, who
fitted up a corner of the cellar as
dark room, and straightway launched
himself as an amateur photographer.
Testers first attempts, revealed by
the chemical development, were sur
prisingly good, and inspired strong
feeling of envy in the breasts of those
of his comrades whose fathers were
blind to the oft-repeated advantages
and delights of amateur picture taking.
Even more eXasperating, he straight
way became the idol of all the girls at
school, whose zest in posing for him
was only equalled by the grotesque-
ness of some of their postures.
| brooded long and deep over this
unpleasant condition of affairs, and
finally arrived at the conclusion that
1 would have a camera at any cost.
Lester was kind enough to initiate
me into the mysteries Of his dark room,
and to allow me to examine the inte-
rior of his camera by ruby light. With
the knowledge thus gained, l resolved
to manufacture one myself 1t wouldn't
be as handsome as Testers perhaps,
thought, but it might do just as good
work. So 1 made the attempt, using
which l owned, but in vain. The in
strument never reached the second
stage Of its construction.
The contrast between Lester's clean,
smoothly-covered box, and what
knew mine would appear, even If l
could finally complete 1t was too great,
and 1 abandoned 1t in despair.
Then tried another tack. My faith
er was exceedingly skeptcal concern
Ing the desirability of amateur phOtog-
raphy, and fatty refused to furnish the
necessary funds. 1t was October then,
so conceived plan by which l would
earn money during the fall by corn
husking among the nearby farmers, so
that when spring opened l would have
the price of the coveted camera.
No one could have worked harder
during the weeks through which the
season lasted than did l. Huskers were
in demand that fall, and l secured
work wherever l applied.
1t is just possible that if Lester had
grown tired of his camera in the mean
while, and had ceased to use it, my
desire for one might likewise have gone
by the board but the snap of his shut
ter was heard everywhere and at all
times, and even at night-by fiashlight
in the barns, where the frequent
huskings were progressing.
When, after few weeks, the farm
ers ceased to require huskers, l struck
up bargain with our grocer, whereby
l was to spend Saturdays running err
rands for him. The money from this
helped out wonderfully, and, accord
ing to my expectations, when April
opened, a snug little sum reposed as
the fruit of my labors in one corner of
my top bureau drawer.
AS soon as the weather moderated
slightly, Lester, who now posed as a
Photographic oracle, and myself, went
to the city one fine morning to buy the
camera.
The neat little leather-covered box
was duly inspected and purchased, to-
gether with the pamphlet of instruc'
tons that seemed so entlcingly mys
terious to my uniformed mind.
The camera was just like Testers
with the exception of some minor i'm
proyements which had been effected
since the time when he had purchased
his