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magnetos, potato-parers and the like; my latest hobby
 

      “I’ve been thinking of this for some time, Ned. I’ve been puttering around inventing new magnetos, potato-parers and the like, and this is my latest hobby. The Panama Canal is a big thing — one of the biggest things in the world. We need the biggest guns in the world to protect it.
      “And, listen: Uncle Sam thinks the same way...”

ex Victor Appleton [Howard Garis], Tom Swift and his Giant Cannon; or The Longest Shots on Record (1913, unknown printing) : 26
U Michigan copy/scan (via google books) : link
U California copy/scan (via archive.org) : link

—

publishing details at link
wikipedia for this book link

Howard Garis (1873-1962)
wikipedia : link
 

a couple of pages later —

      “’Scuse me, Massa Tom,” broke in Eradicate, as he put his head through the half-opened office door. “’Scuse me, but dere’s a express gen’men outside, wif his auto truck, an’ he’s got some packages fo’ yo’ all, marked ‘dangerous — exposive — an’ keep away fom de fire.’ He want t’ know what he all gwine t’ do wif ’em, Massa Tom?”
      “Do with ’em?” Oh, I guess it’s that new giant powder I sent for. Why, Eradicate, have him bring ’em right in here.”
      “’Scuse me, Massa Tom,’ said the colored man, “but dat express gen’men can’t bring dem explosive powder boxes in heah, ’case as how his autermobile had done ketched fire an’ he cain’t get near it nohow. Dat’s why, Massa Tom!”
      “Caesar’s ghost!” yelled the young inventor. “The auto on fire, and that powder in it! Come on, Ned!” and he made a rush for the door.
p 28

Eradicate Sampson appears in several Tom Swift stories — e.g., being Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout (1910; link), where he is described as “an aged colored man who made a living for himself and his mule Boomerang, by doing odd jobs.” Apparently he is now in the regular service of Swift. He is named “Eradicate” because he eradicates dirt (p 16).
 

10 December 2024