42 years of age, and to-day enjoying a reputation as an
inventor that is without a parallel in history.

At eight or nine years of age he began to earn his own living, selling
papers. When twelve years old his enterprise, pushed by ambition,
secured him a position as newsboy on the Grand Trunk Railroad. Here his
inventive genius manifested itself. Arranging with station agents along
the line, he caused the headings of news to be telegraphed ahead, the
agents posting the same in some conspicuous place. By this means the
profits of his business were greatly augmented. He next fitted up a
small printing press in one corner of a car, and when not busy in his
regular work as newsboy, successfully published a small paper. The
subject-matter was contributed by employes on the road, and young Edison
was the proprietor, editor, publisher and selling agent. He also carried
on electrical experiments in one corner of the car.

Finally, he entered one of the offices on the road, and here he learned
the art of telegraphy. The next few years he was engaged as an operator
in several of the largest cities throughout the Union, such as
Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville, Boston, New York, Memphis, and
Port Huron. He not only became one of the most expert operators in the
country, but his office was a labratory for electrical experiment. All
day long he attended to the duties of his office, and at night one would
find him busy at experiments tending toward the development of the use
of the telegraph.

Hard work and frequent wanderings at last found him developing his ideas
in Boston. He brought out duplex telegraphy and suggested a printing
telegraph for the use of gold and stock quotations. His ability becoming
so apparent he was retained by wealthy men in New York at a high salary.
In 1876 he removed to Menlo Park, New Jersey, where he fitted up an
extensive labratory for the prosecution and development of his
enterprise.

Here he has won his world-wide fame, keeping two continents in a fevered
state of expectancy. Indeed, some of his inventions have been so
wonderful that he might be accredited with supernatural powers. By
improvement he brought the telephone of Gray, Bell, etc., from a mere
toy to an instrument of great commercial worth. Ten years ago hardly a
telephone was in use; now the business of our country would hardly know
how to do without it. Of all modern inventions connected with the
transmission of electrical sound