The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1872-02-22
Telegrnphic Trick,


young meu, telegrsphic operator.
boarding Mt one ofoar leading third
class hotels, and being of somewhat
hilarious disposition found great
amusement 10 carrying on coversation
with each other at table by ticking
90 their plates with a knife, fork or
spoon. For the Information Of these,
not familiar with the telegriphy it
my be well to state that a combination
of sounds or ticks constitute the tcle.
graphic alphabet, ani persons familiar
With these sounds eau converse there's
by aI intc!Iigibly as with spoken
words, Til, young lightning strikers
as alrea iy stated, wore in the habit Of
indulgiug in table tlk by this maan.
whenever they desired to say aay-
thing privao to elch Other For in'
stance, NJ. lwjuli pick up his kilc
and tick OF some such remarks % thl,
to No. 2:
why is this buttcrl like tho oaan,a
Of llamlct's uuclc ?"
No. g. Igivo i, up"
No. l." Because it's rare, and
smells to hcaven,'.s
OF course the joke ia not appre,iat.
cd BY the ltnilorl (who sits close by,
because he dJsen't understand tclo-
graphic tricks, arl prJbibIy he wjnll
not appreciate it much ii h did; but
the iokcrs enjoy it immcn4cly aud
laugh i'm no loritcly, while thu o,her
guests wonder what can bo tho occl-
sion for this m,rrimeut and naturally
conclude that tn, oprrators mist b,
IDIOTS.
4 few daysasp, while the fun'lev-
ins youths were seated vt btoakfast, u
stout built young mao entered tho d'n-
ing room with hlu lsoms girl on his
arm, whose timid, blushiug counte-
nance showed hor to DO b:ils The
couple had, in fact, been married but
a day or two previous, aud hal como
t. San Francisco from their home ia
Oakla or Mud Sprin - or som, other
rural village, for tho purpose Of pass
Ing their honeymoon. The Telegraph
tukers commence as soon rs the hu'-
band aud VII, hal seated themselves
at the tablo.
No opened the discourse rs i'!-
lows:
What a lovely little pigeon this is
alongside Of mc-isn't she =
No =" Perfectly charming looks
as if butter wouldn't mclt in her mouth
Just married. Don't yon think so !!
No. l." Ycs, | shoull judge sha
was. What luscious lips she's got'
If that country bampkin besides her
was out of tbs road, IL give her q
kiss and hug just for luck
NJ, -" Suppose yoa try it any
hoW. Give hcr li,tlc nudge under
tho table. With your knca.'
There is no telling to what extent
the impulont rascal. might have g'no
but for au amlsins and en,ireIy untor-
seen event.
The bridesroom's face hal flushed
and dark sc,wl was on his brow
during tn, progress of the ticking
conversation but the operators were
too much Occupied by each other to
pay attention to him. The reader
may form some idea OF the young mems
coasternation when tho partner OF tho
lady picked up his knito ani tickei up
tho following tersc bat vigorous mes
sage:
This lady Is my " ito, aud as soon
as she gets through with her breakfast
I propose to wiring your neck'-you
inso!ent whelps.'
Their couutonanoes fell very sud-
denly when tho message commenced.
By the tine it hal endei they had lost
all appetite AMI appreciation for jokes,
ami slipped out of dining room in avery
rapii aud ceremonious manner. Tho
Bridegroom, it seems was telesraphic
operator, aud "knew how it was him
self.