BOUND TO BE AN ELECTRICIAN
CHAPTER I.
THE YOUNG ELECTRICIAN.
"Franklin!" called Mrs. Bell from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes, Aunt Martha."
"Are you not coming down? Charley Moore and Katie have come, and Will Charleigh has been here a quarter of an hour."
"In a minute, aunt; just as soon as I can get this new battery to work. There seems to be something the matter with the zinc plates, and I want to test them."
"Oh, dear, was there ever such a boy!" sighed Mrs. Bell, as she walked away from the stairs. "Ever since he visited Edison's works at Llewellyn Park he has been crazy on the subject of electricity. He has two or three batteries in his room, and the shelf that used to hold his school books is filled with bottles of blue vitriol, sulphate of I don't know what, and a lot of other trash. I declare, it makes me tired to see them littering up the place."
"Yes, Will was telling me about Frank," returned Mrs. Charleigh, who had come over to help Mrs. Bell at the party to be held by the young people. "He thinks Frank the smartest boy in Orange, and he has been at me and his pa to get him a battery and some sort of a telephone to put up from his bedroom window to Frank's."
"I don't know where he gets his liking for electricity," resumed Mrs. Bell, with a shake of her head. "I'm sure his father, who has been dead these ten years, never took any interest in that subject, and his mother died before batteries were known, excepting by doctors and such folks."
"Well, we're living in an age of progress, so Mr. Charleigh says, and I suppose the boys have got to move the same as the rest," said Mrs. Charleigh. "Now what do you want, Will?" she continued, to her son, who had just touched her arm.
"I would like to go up to Frank's room, if Mrs. Bell will let me," returned the boy, a curly-headed, manly-looking fellow of sixteen.
"You can go, if you will promise to bring Frank down in five minutes," replied Mrs. Bell. "Tell him it's a shame to stay up there when the boys and girls are arriving just as fast as ever they can."
And Mrs. Bell darted off to welcome some newcomers.
Will Charleigh bounded up the broad steps two at a time and burst into the little room at the end of the hallway.
"I couldn't wait any longer for you!" he cried. "All the guests are coming, and your aunt says you are to come down inside of five minutes, sure pop." He paused to catch his breath. "What have you got there?"
Franklin Bell answered without looking up. He was a serious-faced, determined-looking youth, of the same age as Will Charleigh.
"This is a new gravity battery, Will, but, somehow, I can't make the thing work. The zinc plates didn't come, and I tried some of my old ones, but I guess they are so coated that I will have to scrape and wash them."
"What are you going to do with the battery? You have three others now."
"Not gravity batteries. That one is a Grove, the one in the corner is a bichromate, and the one by the window is a nickel-plating battery."
"You are talking Greek to me, Frank. I don't understand 'tudder from which,' as the saying goes, excepting about the nickel-plating battery. What are you going to do with that"
"Plate a number of things around the house,"
"Can you do it?"
"I have plated this old brass watch chain What do you think of that?"
Will took the chain, which shone brightly, and examined it carefully.
"I declare, looks as if it just came from the jeweler's," he cried. I wish my brass watch case was plated like that."
"I'll plate it for you if you will take the works out." Franklin worked on in silence for a minute. "There! now the battery appears to be all right."
"Then you are ready to go below?"
"Yes. After supper I intend to show the girls and boys some curious experiments and give them all a shock. Come ahead."
Franklin Bell was an orphan, who had lived with his Uncle William ever since his father had died. The youth did not remember his mother, nor did he remember any home but that which he now possessed.
The Bells lived in a modest house on one of the side streets of the pretty city of Orange. Mr. Bell was a bookkeeper in a factory in New York. He had once been rich, but through the rascality of pretended friends his wealth had taken wings, and he was now compelled to work hard for every dollar he earned.
Mr. William Bell had no sons, but he had five daughters, all of whom were younger than their cousin Franklin. There was Clara, aged fourteen; Annie, Flossie, Daisy, and Baby Bess, just turning two. They all liked Franklin, and looked on him more as a big brother than anything else.
Downstairs the front room and the hall were pretty well filled, and a buzz of conversation was going on.
"Here is Frank now!" exclaimed Charley Moore, rushing forward. "We have been waiting for you the longest while! Did you lose your collar button, or couldn't you find your necktie?"
There was a laugh from a number of girls at this, and Franklin, who was rather bashful, blushed.
"He's been getting something ready to surprise you with," said Will, coming to the rescue.
"Surprise us" What with. Will? Do tell us!" exclaimed half a dozen girls simultaneously.
Will Charleigh put on a most mysterious air.
"I can't do it," he said, in a tragic whisper. "It's a secret."
Just then Franklin's cousin Clara sat down to the piano and began to play a polka, and those of the young people who knew how began to dance, while the others broke into little groups, some to talk and others to play games and look at the stereoptican views.
Promptly at seven o'clock supper in the dining-room and in the little conservatory annexed to it was announced. While the guests were being seated, Franklin slipped away and rushed upstairs.
"Where are you going?" shouted his cousin Daisy after him.
"You'll find out in a minute," he cried back. "Just go out to the table and wait."
It was somewhat dark in the little conservatory on account of the many plants, and Will and Charley were sorry they had not placed lanterns around. They would make such a pretty effect among the flowers.
"I spoke about it, but Frank said not to mind," explained Will.
"Well, it will be too dark to eat" began Mrs. Bell.
Then she stopped short and looked up into one of the large palms, from the branches of which a curious hissing sound issued.
Then came a splutter, several flashes of fire, and in another second the little conservatory was illumined by half a dozen brilliant electric lights.
What a shout went up! "Did you ever!" "Isn't it just lovely!" "I never thought Frank could do it!"
Will waved his handkerchief over his head.
"Hurrah for Franklin Bell!" he cried.
And just as Franklin appeared once more the cheers were given with a will.
The youth was so embarrassed he fairly sneaked into his seat, but he was hauled out by Will and made to acknowledge the cheers.
The supper was a success, and after it was over every one felt in the best of humor.
When most of the young folks had grown tired of dancing Franklin brought down one of his 
The girls shrieked and the boys laughedPage 11
batteries and allowed first the girls and then the boys to examine it, and he explained how it worked, getting so warmed to his subject that he actually delivered a little address.
Then all present were told to join hands, the first person in the circle taking hold of one handle of the battery and the last person hold of the other, and then Franklin turned on the current gradually.
The girls shrieked and the boys laughed as the strange sensation shot through them, and Will pretended to be electrified, as he termed it, and began to cut up a series of monkeyshines, which set everybody in a roar.
"I declare, they do go wild over it," said Mrs. Bell, who stood in the hall doorway looking on. "If only some accident don't happen."
"Franklin appears to be a very careful boy," replied Mrs. Moore, who sat near. "Besides, I imagine those batteries are not strong enough to do any serious damage."
After everyone had had all the shocks desired, Franklin placed the battery to one side and brought forth several bottles, some glass, and a number of strips of metal.
"Now I will show you something that has just been discovered," he said. "We will place these bits of glass in a tumbler of water"
A violent ringing at the front door bell interrupted him. There was a hush as Mrs. Bell opened the door.
"Does Mr. William Bell live here?" asked a rather rough-looking man in a voice which was distinctly heard in the parlor.
"He does," replied Mrs. Bell, but he has not yet returned from New York, although I expect him every minute."
"I suppose you do, mum, but—but" The man hesitated, and fumbled his hands in the pockets of his short coat.
"But what?" questioned Mrs. Bell, shortly.
"He's been hurted, mum, on the railroad."
"Hurt? My husband hurt?" cried the woman, turning deadly pale.
"Yes, mum. Not very bad, mum, but pretty bad, too. They told me to come ahead an' tell you to have a place fixed for him. Here they are now, mum."
Mrs. Bell gave a shriek which brought Franklin to her side instantly.
"Your uncle has been hurt, perhaps killed!" gasped the poor woman. "See, here they come now with him!"
Mrs. Bell pointed down the street, and her breast heaved violently.
Franklin looked in the direction, and by the rays from the electric light on the corner, saw several men approaching through the snow with a baggage truck, upon which lay a motionless form covered with a white cloth.