Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-21
Pepper.
Pepper
A San Francisco paper tells this amusing


A San Francisco paper tells this amusing
story:
MANY amusing stories have been told of the
festive freaks of the telegraph operators who,
whenever afforded an opportunity for the dis
pisS OF ,hoir penchant for good joke, rarely
tail 10 improve it, Almost everybody has heard
of the operator in an eastern city, who, on hot
summer lay, desiring to borrow a chew of to-
hacco from one OF his fellows in the same room,
instead Of making known his request by words
oil mouth, chose what he deemed the least ex.
hausting measure of inditiug q dispatch. which,
travelling over circuit of upwards of thousand
miles, in about TWO minutes reached the identi-
cal office whence II started, much TO the sur
prise of the other chap, who bandy SHE'D his
tobacco box at the head of the irrepressible
iokist.
1t often happens that telegTapbers are called
into service at the representation OF stage
play, IN which occurs what Is known as a tel
egraph scene" such as the one SHOWN 10 BY
rOn's Across the Continent or Boucicsult 3
Long Strike" and il is then that the operator
behind the scenes manages 10 amuse himself by
talking" to the Fraternity in the audience,
unknown of course to most of those present,
who find no meaning in the "click" Of the in
| Srument
As an evidence that the operators of our city
are not behiudhand in the matter of having
| their fun, the following is related of jim -, a
| well known attache OF the Western Union:
During the theatrical season OF last year,
| the drama of "The Long Strike was proGuCed
at one of our theatres, aud for the manipulation
| of the telegraph instrument, which plays an i'm
portant part in the most important act OF the
PLAY, Jim was engaged.
HIS position was such that he could see the
audience without being seen, and when, upon
taking his position discovering in the auditori-
um Il brother operator from Memphis, by name
Pepper-who had that day arrived in town-he
cd bav m n
account.
Accordingly when the time came for the
sending of the first dispatch, Jim loudly
sounded on his machine the words, How are
you Pepper
The lick professional ear of Pepper caught
the words Instantly, and wondering "whO the
deuce il was Strengthened up and stared at the
stage as if he would have given two dollars and
halt to know something more
Pepper, hOw's YOUR mOtherP came from the
instrument, and Pepper, thoroughly mysided,
turned confidentav to his fair partner to eX-
press bis utter establishment at the most singu-
lar circumstance,
As luck would have il, the auditorium held
quite delegation OF telegraphers, who by this
time saw that Jim was up TO one of his old
tricks, and with one accord they began to look
about the theatre for Pepper
Jim saw the effect OF his experiment, and en-
joyed himself hugely.
Pepper hadn't got through telling his girl all
| about it, when there came another message:
THAT won't do, old Pepper. know You we'll,
and you hadn't better be iooling that confidug
| creature with any soft nonsense"
This reused the telegraph boys to the very
| pitch of curiosity, and many of them stood up,
| gannaly about them, as if their only object in
| lite was to discover Pepper.
Pepper felt that they knew him, and the con-
fusion which had been gradually covering his
| handsome features, grew into modification when
he saw so many ewes evidently eveed at him,
and at last eliminated in his withdrawal from
| the theatre. But Jim was bound to give him a
| parting shot, and as he faded from view he
| heard borne to his ears: Goodbye, Pepper. Put
your trust in Providence, but keep your powder
| dry
| Those who appreciated the affair were much
amused, and so, indeed, was the victim himself,
when, on the following day, he learned who had
so neatly captured him."