Bound to be an Electrician/Chapter 2
CHAPTER II.
FRANKLIN FINDS EMPLOYMENT.
On the instant there was great excitement throughout the Bell family and their friends. All the games and the experiments with Franklin's battery were forgotten, and everybody crowded to the front door.
"Papa has been killed!" shrieked Daisy, and fell in a dead faint upon the hall settee.
"No, mum, he is not killed," said the man who had brought the sad news. "He is only badly hurted about the shoulders, mum."
Mrs. Bell was too dazed to speak or move as the men with the truck entered the yard and approached the front piazza.
Franklin drew a deep breath, thus trying to throw off some imaginary weight from his breast, and led his aunt into the parlor.
"Will you show the men to my uncle's room?" he said to Mrs. Charleigh. "It is the one in the front."
"Certainly," was the reply. "Perhaps they will want bandages. Where can I find them?"
"Clara will show you. Come, brace up, cousin. It may not be as bad as all of you imagine."
For the poor girl was weeping as if her heart would break.
Mrs. Charleigh led the way up the stairs, and the men followed with Mr. Bell's body. Clara came on behind, trying to dry her tears with her dainty handkerchief.
"I wouldn't all go up," remonstrated Franklin, as the other four girls started to follow. "You had better stay here with your mother. Are you better, Daisy?"
"Yes, but, oh! Frank, isn't it simply dreadful!" burst out the girl.
"Let us hope for the best." He stroked his aunt's hair. "There, there. Aunt Martha, I don't believe it's so very bad. The man said he was only hurt about the shoulders."
"Oh, Franklin! What shall we do? We must have a doctor."
"I'll go for him," put in Will, coming forward.
"Get Doctor Noble if you can, and otherwise Doctor Vincent," said Mrs. Bell.
A little later she and Franklin went up stairs, where Mr. Bell lay on the bed, still unconscious. The poor woman gave a cry and flung herself across her husband's body.
Franklin and Mrs. Charleigh did what they could to soothe her, and waited impatiently for the physician to come. At last he put in an appearance and went to work on the instant.
"It is a compound fracture of the collar bone," was Dr. Noble's report. "Not necessarily dangerous, unless there are internal injuries attending it. He must be kept perfectly quiet."
Just then Mr. Bell moved slightly.
"Martha!" he murmured.
"I am here, William," replied his wife.
"I—I—fell from the train trying to get off too soon," went on the sufferer.
"We know all about it, Mr. Bell," said the Doctor kindly. "Please keep quiet and you will be all right."
"My neck hurts me."
"Your collar bone is broken and you must not move."
"Broken!"
"Yes."
The injured man groaned.
"Too bad! too bad! What will my wife and family and Franklin do?"
"Never mind us, William," put in Mrs. Bell. "You must do as the doctor says."
"But I cannot work and earn anything."
"Never mind. Be thankful you are spared to us. You will be well some day."
After this the injured man became quiet. The doctor did all in his power and then left, stating that he would come again early in the morning. The men who had brought Mr. Bell from the station withdrew, and one after another those who had attended the party went home, leaving Mrs. Bell, Franklin and the girls alone.
"It's a sorrowful ending for your party, Franklin," said Mrs. Bell to the boy, after all but Clara and Daisy had gone to bed. "We never would have dreamed of this a few hours ago."
"I do not care about the party," replied the youth. "But I am awfully sorry uncle has been hurt. I suppose he will have to stay in bed for a a long time to come."
"Yes many weeks, and perhaps months," sighed Mrs. Bell.
"And during that time he won't be earning anything." went on Franklin.
"No, our income will be cut off entirely."
"Then I think it about time that I found something to do, don't you?"
"I—I suppose so," hesitated Mrs. Bell. The idea of Franklin going to work so young had never before struck her.
"I intended to speak about the matter to Uncle Will to-morrow," went on the youth. "It's about time I was earning something."
"But what will you do?"
"If uncle and you are willing, I intended to strike Mr. Fells for work."
"Mr. Fells? Who is he?"
"He is an old man who has a shop over on Main Street, he puts up electric door-bells, burglar alarms, and other electrical appliances."
"I might have known you would desire that kind of work," replied Mrs. Bell, with a faint smile. "All your ideas seem to run upon electricity."
"I admit they do, aunt. I don't seem to care a rap for anything else. I would rather be a second Edison than the President of the United States!"
And Franklin's face glowed with enthusiasm as he spoke.
"In that case it is certainly the work you should go at. I don't believe in trying to put a boy at some occupation he doesn't care for, because he will never get very far along in it."
"I know I could get along in electricity," returned Franklin, with a decided shake of his head. "All I want is the start."
"Do you think Mr. Fells needs help?"
"I think so. A fellow named Gresson worked for him, but he used to be so irregular Mr. Fells discharged him."
Mrs. Bell was silent for a moment.
"Well, Franklin, do as you think best." she said. "It won't do to worry your poor uncle about it, and I know very little about such things."
So the following day, after Doctor Noble had called and reported favorably upon Mr. Bell's condition, Franklin set out for the shop of which he had spoken.
It was a long low place, with dirty windows. The shelves were full of bells, wire, batteries, and similar things. In the rear, near a couple of windows, was a work-bench, and here the youth found the proprietor of the place hard at work figuring on the cost of putting electrical appliances in a new house that was being built on Hillside avenue.
"Good morning, Mr. Fells," said Franklin politely.
"Hullo, Bell, is that you?" cried the man looking up. "Say, is that true your father was hurt on the railroad last night?"
"Mr. Bell is my uncle," returned the youth. "Yes, he had his collar bone fractured."
"Too bad. How did it happen?"
Franklin related the details, as they had been told to him by one of the men. Mr. Fells worked and listened at the same time.
"No use talking, tain't safe to jump from the train till she stops," he commented.
"That is true."
"It will keep your uncle to home for a long spell, I take it."
"Yes, Sir, and it's a very bad thing, not only for him, but for the family as well."
"I suppose 'tis. He was only working on salary, wasn't he?"
"Yes, Sir,"
"And now that's stopped. Too bad." Mr. Silas Fells dropped his pencil. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"I came in to see if you could give me a job."
"A job!" exclaimed the electrician in surprise.
"Yes, Sir. It's time I went to work, and I think I could do better at this sort of thing than anything else," explained Franklin. "You know what an interest I take in electricity."
"I do." Mr. Fells rubbed his chin reflectively. "Well, I dunno. I do need a man. Gresson's taken so to drink he ain't no good any more. But he was a splendid fellow to work when he was sober."
"I wish you would give me a trial, said Franklin earnestly. "I know a little about the business, and I imagine I can learn fast."
"That's just what all boys think until they get to work and get stuck, though I must admit you seem to take to electricity like an eel does to water. How much did you expect to earn a week?"
"I don't know; whatever I am worth."
"I started Gresson on six dollars, and he was getting twelve when I sent him off."
"I am willing to start on six, Sir," replied Franklin, thinking that sum quite fair for a beginning.
"I don't allow no loafing," went on Silas Fells. "When a man works for me he must attend to his business and do just as he is told. When do you want to start?"
"The sooner the better, Sir."
"Then you can come to work to-morrow morning. I have some burglar alarms to put in Mr. John Mace's house. His wife thought she heard somebody around the place day before yesterday, and she says she won't feel safe till they are in."
"I'll be on hand," said Franklin.
As he turned to leave the shop the door opened and Andrew Gresson came in.
The man had been drinking, and his inflamed face was covered with a scowl.
"Say, Fells, do you want me to do that job up to Mace's?" he asked, as he dropped into a chair.
"I told you that you were discharged," cried Silas Fells, angrily. "I have no use for a man who drinks."
"I only take a drop for the toothache," pleaded Gresson.
"I don't believe it, and I dont want you around any more."
"How are you goin' to git your work done?" muttered Gresson. "You can't do it alone."
"I have just hired this young man to help me."
"What, Frank Bell?"
"Yes."
"He don't know nothin' about electricity." growled Gresson. "Better take me back."
"No, I won't, and I want you to clear out," replied Silas Fells.
"Very well; you'll be sorry for this; see if you aint!" exclaimed Andrew Gresson, and he rolled out of the place and up the street.
A minute later, Franklin also left. Up at the corner of the street he came face to face with the discharged workman, who grabbed him by the arm.
"So you're the feller as is goin' to do me out of my job!" cried Gresson, savagely.
"No," replied Franklin, stoutly, "Mr. Fells wanted a man, and I secured the place."
"It's the same thing."
"I don't think so. If you had remained sober he would not have discharged you."
"I don't want no preachin' from a boy! I ain't a-goin to stand it!"
"What are you going to do?" asked Franklin, curiously.
"Never mind; you'll see."
"Why don't you sober up and then, perhaps Mr. Fells will take you back."
"He'd take me back anyway, if he knew what was best for him," growled Andrew Gresson. "He won't gain nothin' by dischargin' me. I was the best man he ever had, and he knows it."
"I imagine Mr. Fells knows his own business best," returned Franklin, briefly.
And with this remark he walked away. Andrew Gresson shook his fist after the youth.
"I'll get square; see if I don't," he muttered under his breath.