as to take board, and who were living in an old abandoned
water-tank.

The young man whom I relieved from night duty was promoted to day
operator, and as he was thoroughly disgusted with the place he kept
continually writing to the Superintendent's secretary, who was a friend
of his, to get him a better office, which he did in just six weeks
afterwards.

I was then promoted to his position, with no raise of salary, but which
I gladly accepted.

There was plenty of duck hunting and frog catching among the settlers
there, but they didn't seem to understand how to find a market for them.
I at once took advantage of this by getting a day off and a pass to
Chicago, where I bargained with a commission merchant to handle all I
could send him. I then returned to Whiting and arranged to have the
settlers consign all their game to me, which I in turn consigned to the
commission merchant. I had plenty of business and made money fast.

One day the Division Superintendent happened to get off the train, as we
were loading on a lot of frogs, when he asked me who was shipping
from that point. I told him I was. He looked at me a moment and asked,
in a gruff tone:

"Does this R. R. Co. pay you to buy frogs?"

I answered: "No, they pay my board to watch the station, and I buy and
sell frogs to make my salary."

The conductor and other employees who heard our remarks laughed
heartily, and the Superintendent returned to his car with a broad grin.

As soon as the frog and duck season was over I began urging Mr. Kline to
give me a better paying office. I also wrote home expressing my
dissatisfaction with the business, and my contempt for the small salary
it paid, and closed by saying I could make more money swapping
jackknives than I could telegraphing, and that I never would be able to
pay my debts were I to continue at it.

My mother answered; saying, that if I threw up that position and came
back home she would leave the country.

In a few days I was transferred from Whiting to Swanton, Ohio, with no
raise of salary, but better facilities for spending what I did get.

I remained there until the following spring, and managed to spare about
five dollars per month towards reducing my home liabilities, and tight
squeezing at that.

While there I made frequent visits to Toledo, where Mr. Kline's office
was located, and never failed to call on him or his secretary, with a
request for a better position. One day I wanted to be extra