Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-10

benefited was directed to take hold OF
two handles attached to wires con
nected with the battery. The operator
would then gently turn on the cleo.
tricity to the extent that the patient
could stand. For this small fee was
exacted. OF course, no one could stand
the shock of all the electricity which
the machine was capable of producing
and some of the patients would appa-
rently be lifted from the ground when
the operator turned on the electric
fluid too lively.
Edison observed the man with the
amused at the way some Of his pa
tients squirmed. Finally, one day ne
said to the street faker:
ct can stand all the electricity your
old machine can make; l am electric
proof, l am. II l can't stand all you
can put on and not squirm I'll pay you
a half-doIlar. and if you can make me
squirm by turning it on full III pay
you the same.
This was agreed to. Edison took
the operator to turn the battery on
full. The street crowd stood amazed.
Edison never whimpered or moved a
muscle. The faker was also amazed.
He offered to take Edison with him
for exhibition, but Edison told him he
did not have time to travel in that
line
Edison had. before visiting the
street faker, placed a wire under mis-
clothing and over his shoulders down
both arms to his hands. thus making
a complete circuit, and when the bat
terry was turned on felt no shock be-
cause the electricity passed through
the invisible wires under his clothing.
Edison was full of tricks like that.
but no one would suspect him. He
was tall, thin. solemn-faced country
boy, but he told me that he had been
all over Michigan, Indiana and else
he of
came to Louisville. He seemed to like
Louisville better than any place else.
and if he had had the money to carry
on his experiments at the time l speak
of he probably would have been resi-
dent of the Blue Grass state instead
of New jersey" said Mr.. Underwood,
in again regretting that he did not part
with that 500 for the honor of old
Kentucky.
an a recent newspaper interview"
continued Mr.. Underwood, Il see Mr..
Edison is quoted as saying that people
usually sleep more than is really nee
essary. and that as far as he was con-
cerned, he only needed three or four
hours sleep out of the twenty-four.
This brought back to my mind the fact
that 1 never knew Edison to be asleep
or to look sleepy while he lived in
Louisville. He was always wide
awake, even after Office hours, until
the manager made him quit taking
down the telegraph instruments. Then
is when he wanted to have instruments
in his room.
For the life of me. I could not tell
you where he lodged. nor do l recall
that 1 ever saw him eat a bite except
perhaps an apple or two. I suppose he
stayed at some cheap boarding house.
In those days there were no restau-
rants like there are now. no dairy
lunches. The big restaurants charged
more than Edison could pay. and he
was forced to stay at boarding house,
probably one which lodged him and fed
him for few dollars a week. He did
not have the appearance of one who
was well fed. The fact was Edison
did not think much about eating or
was on improving telegraphy. 1t was
in Louisville that he perfected his i'm.
proved stock ticker. the instrument
that you see in brokers odices. to give