The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-11-29
PEPPER!
a ca .IToENIAN STORY OF A TELEGRAPH
OPERATOR.

\ CA IEOlNlAN STORY OF A TELEGRAPH
OPERATOR.
The following s.oGy originated, we be-
lieve with the San Francisco Post. We
give it in he words OF The California writer:
'.MIny amusing stories have been told
OF The les i've freaks OF ,elegIaph operators
who. whenever aifoi ded an opportunity for
The display of heir peuchant for good
joke. rarely fad TO improve l.. Almost
eve. ybody has heard of the operator in an
e.s e i city, who, on hot summer day,
desiring to borrow a chew of tobacco from
Ore of ip,s fellows in the same room, instead
of making known his request by words of
mou h. chose what he deemed the least
e haus; ing measure OF iuditing despatch
WI. 'ch. travelling over a circuit of upwards
of thoIsaud miles. in about two minutes
reached the Identical office whence 1t start
ed, mVch to he surprise of the other chap.
who blandly shed his tobacco box at the
head of the Tepressible jokiSt.
1T often happens that telegTapheTs are
called in'o service at the rep eSentatiOn of
a sage play, i'll which occurs what is known
rs "a telegraph sceue,' such as the one
shown in Evron's ACROSS The Continent
or Boucscault's ''LOng Strike and it IS
tken hat The operator behind The scenes
manages 10 amuse himself by ''tali,iLg' to
The i a e. My in ihe audience. unknown
ofcour. e O most OF those present who find
no meaning i'll the ''clicki of the instru-
ment.
..As al evidence that the operators of
or city are not bchisd hand IN the matter
of having their fun the following is related
OF jim -, well-knowh attache of the
Western Union
'.Dur:ng The theatrical season of last
year. the urama of '1The Long Strike was
produced at one of our theatres, and for
he manipulation OF the telegraph instru-
ment, which plays an impoitan part in
ihe most impoI iant act OF the play, jim
was engaged.
His posi-. ION was such thathe could see
ne audience without being seen, and when
upon saking his position, discovering IN the
aIdito,ium a brother operator from Mem
ljhis. by narc Peppei-who had that day
az ived in 5ovn-he determined to have
little sport on his owa account.
.'AccD, d'ngly, whea he time came Tor
Tho seldT.,er OF The fit dcspa! cI. Jim louo-
" sounded o. h : maciIihe the wo' ds, How
=. yOu Pepper?
The quick professional ear of Pepper
cs.HglIE he wo' Gs ihsi antlv, and wondering
who fle deuce it waT,' 81 aiGlt;ened up
and sta ed ut the Stage as II lie would
have "ivcp tNvo dollars and a half to know
some hing mo e.
.. Temper how's your mo-, hero came
f-om ue irs,rumen.- aad Pcppe-, thor
on~hIy r1ysl'Sied. tn ned confidcn.ly i to his
fair Par, acr to CD e.S his u.;er astonish-
Ineat al the most singular circums' .,uce.
AS luck would have ii, the auditorium
held q.Ii.e dele@a ION of telegraphers,
who bv this f;.ne saw thai Jim was up TO
one uG his old ,';ckS, and with one accord
they began TO look about ,he !heatre for
Pepper
Jim saw he effecs of his experiment,
aid eIioyed i-nlself hugely.
pepper hadn't got Trough telling his
g'ri all about Il, whea there came ano,her
Ine-.s,Te.
- hat won't do, old Pepper, know you
well. aad you hadn't better be fool'ug hat
confiui4hg c eaiuIe w.Sh any soit nonsense" "
- his Ioused the feleg aph boys TO the
vc~v pitch of curiosity. and many OF hem
stoJd Up. gazing lOngincly about them as
If he only objecJ i'll life was to discover
PeH or.
/ '-l'enpe- felt that hey knew him, and
/ ine confusion VIII. ch h"d been adually
coveiilg his handsome fea es grew into
NOR, ifica.iou when he saw 50 many eyes
evidently levelled at him, add at last cuJ-
mih..;ed in his w-,hd.awa from the ihea-
e. tut Jim was bound TO G.Te MN d
pa sag Shot, I'd as he faded fi.,'H N'e1 w ne
hea d bo. ne 20 his ea"s -'''"S'i- oy' eP-
per. Put your trust il ffo'-uelce' ouG
s.'TIoee Who arD. ociated the affair were
,,,,,ol ,-,,,,.eI a d SO, indeed, was the vic
~ ,rben. on the following day. he learned
Who hid so nea'ly captured him."