Evening star., 1938-05-29

dreds of miles, the lad crooned cowboy ballad
to the accompaniment of the guitar.
In each town visited, the horse yards
were generally close to the railroad station. Ii
this way the boy became fascinated by tn
clicking of telegraph instruments, and finall,
learned the technique of sending and receiving
messages.
His father settled on farm, where Gen,
worked until he was eighteen. He then be
came railroad telegraph operator and gen
eral handyman in small Oklahoma town.
His guitar always ready, he whiled ava,
the time between messages by playing ane
singing
He was busy one day when man, just off
train, came in to send a telegram. Noting tn,
guitar, he asked if Gene played.
''Yes, sir" was the reply.
DO you know They Plowed the Ok
Trail Under'?" he asked. Gene needed NJ
urging - he started to play and sing.
While the room vibrated with the song tn,
singer looked at the listener and wondered
where he had seen him before.
Many Western ballads were sung. FINAL,
the man said, LET me play you something
'propriate, boy" The guitar sprang to new
life under the words:
AAthe St0itch,nen k,seW BY the engine means
That the man at the throttle waS Casey Jones..
The songfinished, thestranger began anothe
lively tune of the great plains country Thel
the man handed him the guitar saying. "Yo,
belong in Hollywood, boy, playing the guita
- and not that telegraph instrument. You
heart amt in it," He walked to the counter
We'll, reckon you better take my messag
now"
''Yes, sir"
The message was signed will Rogers"
The stunned boy heard the words, "Sa,
hello to the folks for me-" Then the creates
trouper of his day was gone.
Autry was disturbed for days; then he CAV
up telegraph operating to join Doc Field
Medicine Show. His salary was not large. bu
the experience was larger At Docs sugges
ton, he rigged himself up as a cowboy o.
parade and has never abandoned the get-uI
When the cold drove Doc Field to winte
quarters, Gene returned to the telegraph
instrument. The next June he secured pas
from the railroad. Taking his guitar and hi
nerve to New York. he went to large record
ing Office and asked for an addition. Hour
passed and no hearing. To while away tn
time he played softly and sang ''The Lon
Cowboy"
Men high in power are now credited witt
the discovery of Gene Autry 1t was tn
chauffeur of such man to whom the credi
should 60. For the chauffeur heard the SON
and said, boy. you've got something there
You oughta knock em dead"
Soon the man in charge of the auditor
heard him.
"What'd he say?" asked the chauffeur.
He told me to come back - when ha'
had more experience
That's fine - you can't lose with wailin
cowboy song and that guitar"
He returned to Oklahoma with new deter
mination. For some time he sang and playe,
over small radio stations. He was approache,
by young boyhood friend, George Goodale
then working on newspaper. The reporte
informed him that Jimmy Long. another rail
road worker, had an idea for song. He wa
calling it THAT Silver-Haired Daddy O
Mine" and needed more "feel'' in it.
Long and Autry worked out the lyrical bal
lad, and Gene began singing it over the radio
The results were astonishing Within tw
months it was a favorite among Wester
ballads.
The chauffeur heard Gene sing it over tn