ent. Both Mr. Bell and
Mr. Watson attended the christening and the papers chronicled the
circumstance in bold headlines the following day. Immediately patrons
who wanted telephones began to pop up right and left like so many
mushrooms. But alas, where was the money to come from that should
enable Mr. Bell and his associates to branch out and grasp the
opportunities that now beckoned them? The inventor's own resources were
at a low ebb; Watson, like many another young man, had more brains than
fortune; and neither Mr. Hubbard nor Mr. Saunders felt they could
provide the necessary capital. Already the Western Union had refused
Mr. Hubbard's offer to sell all Mr. Bell's patents for one hundred
thousand dollars, the Company feeling that the price asked was much too
high. Two years later, however, they would willingly have paid
twenty-five million dollars for the privilege they had so summarily
scorned. What was to be done? Money must be secured for without it all
further progress was at a standstill. Was success to be sacrificed now
that the goal was well within sight? And must the telephone be shut
away from the public and never take its place of service in the great
world? Why, if a thing was not to be used it might almost as well never
have been invented! The spirits of the telephone pioneers sank lower
and lower. The only way to raise money seemed to be to sell the
telephone instruments outright and this Mr. Bell, who desired simply to
lease them, was unwilling to do. Then an avenue of escape from this
dilemma presented itself to him."

"What was it?" asked Laurie.

"He would give lectures, accompanying them with practical
demonstrations of the telephone. This would bring in money and banish
for a time, at least, the possibility of having to sell instead of rent
telephones. The plan succeeded admirably. The first lecture was given
at Salem where, because of Mr. Bell's previous residence and many
friends, a large audience packed the hall. Then Boston desired to know
more of the invention and an appeal for a lecture signed by Longfellow,
Oliver Wendell Holmes, and other distinguished citizens was forwarded
to Mr. Bell. The Boston lectures were followed by others in New York,
Providence, and the principal cities throughout New England."

"It seems a shame Mr. Bell should have had to take his time to do that,
doesn't it?" mused Ted. "How did they manage the lectures?"

"The lectures had a checkered existence," smiled Mr