Philadelphia Manual Training School - US Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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and Arthur Greene. It seems that these fellows had formed a colossal electric company. They were running the whole city by electricity. Their furtive brains had carried them so far that by applying to them they would furnish one sufficient currants to satisfy one's appetite for a whole week. Although they were sued about once a month by persons who had been '-' hit by an electric current, and although they lost a great deal of money by employing fellows who had taken their course in our school, but who had been in the class of '90, yet, notwithstanding these great expenses, they were as thriving as the best company in town. Their prospects were bright as long as the city authorities were kept in ignorance of the charges they made and of the monopoly on life they held. A most mysterious scene now followed. The figure, who had been quietly gazing with me toward the hre, now bent forward and stirred the embers with his cane. Immediately there arose from the fire dense fumes of dihydricpotasichypophosphite. And presently, as the fumes curled up and Hlled the whole fireplace, -I saw distinctly in the midst of them the face of Wheeler. He had a bland smile on his countenance, which indicated that he was in perfect bliss among his chemicals--a successful chemist, a wide-famed promoter of science. Then the flickering flame began to grow darker, then the light it had shed began to droop, and, as the room became dimmed, the figure rose, then said: This is as true a prophetic line as a class ever received. Upon this all can build their hopes and shape their futures. Then, with a smile that bore in it all the goodwill and hearty wishes that such geniuses are wont to give, he faded, as mysteriously as he had come, into thin airf' He left me reclining in my chair with a brain that was really Working for once, and its labor was to present these various scenes in the order of their appearance. And so I have endeavored to follow the exact course that the mystic apparition has presented. 115

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growth of population that people couldn't stand it, so they expressed him to the far West. Again the flame began to sink, but it was revived by the figure. I-Ie pointed to it, and I found that I was entering again the City of Brotherly Loveft I was away down town among the large bwayned people that are found among our law offices. Yes, it was down there in 'K Poverty Row I saw a modest- looking shingle, bearing the name William S. Outerbridge. Sammy is the name by which we remember him. Sammy is the fellow we used to envy for his position as Vice-President of the Argus Stock Company. fFor fear some one may be again deceived by our somewhat ambiguous language, I will state that the reason we admired this position was because Sammy by it had the control of those people who held all the Argus wealth. And our admiration, when sifted through, is found to be one of admiration for lucre, or love of that root. j To re- turn to that shingle. Under the name was the information, also very modest, Attorney-at-Law. But this wasn't all, for on entering the office I saw, seated behind a plain desk, but one which was stuffed full of important documents, a man whose face was careworn, a face which expressed to me that he had been engaged in great problems of the day, that he had decided great questions. I did not disturb him, but ascertained upon in- quiry that he had decided many great disputes, such as those arising between tug-ofwar teams, and also some of greater im- portance: for instance, one was Should 'Pop' be allowed to sell buns on the school pavement? There was a great cracking in the fireplace, and in the flame I saw a large building. The sign-board of this massive struct- ture had painted on it in large letters, '89's Electric Company. On entering the building I found myself in an ohtice in which were, seated a number of fellows whose faces I recognized, although they were somewhat disguised by flowing beards and wrinkled brows. Among them were McClellan, Rumpp, Hays There are exceptions to all rules. Let the reader not for one instant suppose that all in this town is brotherly love, or that the relations existing between the High School four dear sister Institutej and Us are examples of this loving senti- ment. V 114

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