The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-11-04

hear Il or even think of II. was 100
busy washing up the cages for which
was to receive on the morrow free
ticket to the greatest circus, but there
is no desertion Of duty without PEN
atty. Although the, vestryman never
mentioned my absence. the silent re-
buke was one that left its impress
through life, perhaps more than II they
had gwen me q proper calling down, as
they had the right to do. The fact that
they had failed to take me TO account
made me ashamed of my action ana
from that time on no employer nag oc-
casion to And fault with my inattention
to whatever trust has been resposed In
my care and keeping.
The first telephone to be installed and
give service in Mankato was at one
time on the job in this church. This
was purchased by W. T. Mills for use
between his office near the corner OF
Cherry and Main Streets to his home on
Second street adjoining the John F..
Meagher homestead. The system con,
shaped bottom and containing COM
mon pearl button through which ran a
copper wire connecting with similar
receptacle at the other end of the line.
the Of AFFAIR mr ns ss S ne to
discarded it. 1t was the fortune of my
brother Frank, who was in Mr.. Mill s
employ. to fall heir to the wonderful
new invention. He brought 1t home and
weeks, l appropriated 1t and placed 1t
in operation between the woodshed at
home and the basement of the church.
The conversation over 1t was so un-
ed set of spiritualistic knocks which
had their due significance and answered
their purpose. There were of course no
bells rs in the instrument of today and
- Id AxF tnl yfNr OF ~
and rapping on the button in the bot
tom of the can. Three distinct raps
had their meaning then as they do to-
day; only then they meant that break
fast was ready and the young janitor
who on winter mornings was often COM
PEELED to be on the job at five and earli-
er, for which he received the morning
offering for his services, was only too
ready to- respond. But referring to
compensation again, this morning offer
ing was sometimes awfully small as one
thinks Of moneN matters today-some-
times as much as seventy cents all In
nickels and pennies-perhaps DR.. Nj. d.
Wood who was treasurer at that time
can tell how much smaller it often was.
However, there was never grumble
as 1t was more than many other boys
were earning, and besides l had the
advantage of the old belfry,> and there
were put in the shade. 1t is quite
probable that there are many members
of this church today who never saw the
belfry. 1t was not very handsome but
til the inquisitive vestrymen were again
on to their job. Even their vigilance
never revealed the worst side Of the az
fair because at the time OF their investi-
cations l happened to be all sold out.
The junk dealer Of today could not, II
he tried. equal the business that was
carried on for a few weeks right under
the nose Of the members of the con
hat lad
was one, Of the marvels of the age. Be-
meath the bell which hung in the open
loft above was q good sized room per-
haps fifteen feet square. There was
no floor other than mother earth. There
were no windows, just a door through
which one entered to grasp the bell
ropes which hung below, one rope for
ringing the bell and the other for toll
this room, too much space in that era
of low rents to go unused. MISSIONER
the thought than there was action.
Boards were secured. stakes driven
down in the ground and in short order
four bins were constructed. one in each
corner, leaving a space in the center
for business purposes. Like mush-
room the business developed-almost
this section of the town Were scurryins
the neighborhood for old iron, old rags.
discarded tea kettles anf worn out
washboilers of copper OF possessing
and when Andrew swenson. whom all
oldtimers will remember. came around
with his rag wagon l was able to cash
in with little profit to increase the
thusiasm to enlarge transactions of the
corporation caught cold and shortly de-
veloped a fatal case Of cold feet.
asked the good old peddler what other
line I could add to our. activities. He
said bones" adding that there was
quite a demand for old bones. The next
day the kids, who had rather cleaned up
the supply OF other commodities, set out
with hew vim and before dark there
was at least dray load of old bones
piled up in the corner of the belfry and
can, tonight, easily see q cows head
with long horns protruding standing in
the corner and the thought, what would
the church people say II they found this
still stronger. Its significance never
came home to me until the stuff was
gathered and in its horrible array and
smell faced me ssd in tia that belfry You can
locked and no one permitted to enter
until the collection was sold and re-
moved. 1t was out of the way none too
soon for it was only a day~-or so after
its disappearance that the vestrymen put
in their appearance.
-. New Idea Growing
This did not put an end, however. to
the activities Of the old belfry. A new
then employed by w. W.. P. Mcconnell
IN his dry goods store and later in the
First National Bank, had an amateur
printing outfit. This soon became my
property and full-fedged print shop
turned out, milk tickets, and calling
cards composing the principal business.
This was somewhat dull, not enough
excitement for a red-blooded youngster.
Why not publish a paper? No sooner
thought of than put into execution, with
q whole gang Of youthful reporters. It
wasn't much of a sheet but 1t was SEN
sational enough to make one man in
the community, walk 2 little more cir
cumspectly. The smell Of the printer
ink. however, left its impress and later,
truant at time when fishing was good
at the old Red Jacket MILL employment
was sought in the Review office with
the late John c. Wise. one of the foun-
ders of this chuEch.
But the room below in that old bel
fry did not contain all Of the attractions
by q long way. Up above was a van
tage ground worth while. 1t is true
there was no ladder. but that was no
obstacle to a barefoot boy and 1t was
far more enticing II a little difficult to
obtain. The illzmatched carpenter work
at the corners afforded an, opportunity
to toe in and heights were reached right
up next to the big bell. The boarding
ran up sufficiently high. especially al
the corners. to furnish concealment and
long in finding it out. The old st. Paul
& Sioux City railway. now known as
the Omaha line ran through the alley
iust hack of the church while {usf