A hundred years ago, these young men (Bill and Sam) kept in touch and built up their code speed with this telegraph system linking their houses. All they needed was two buzzers, two keys, two switches, and enough wire to connect their houses down the street. And, of course, they needed some batteries, but this ad warned them not to just walk into the store and ask for a dry cell. Instead, they were to ask for Columbia Eveready by name. Those peppy batteries made the buzzer yelp at the slightest touch of the key, allowing them to quickly build up their speed. And for easy connections, you could get the batteries with Fahnestock clips.

The ad appeared in the October 1924 issue of Boys’ Life.