The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-22

The following story originated, we be
,,rr. with the San Francisco Post W.
'%,.n IN the words Of tho Californian
writer:
sW,nv amusing stories have been told
Una fssLiye freaks Of telegraph opera.
, " Who, whenever afforded an opportu.
Wv Sor lie display Of their penchaut FOL
va ioke, rarely fail to improve It. Al.
III everybody has heard Of the operator
IN N eastern city, who, on hot summer
ne desiring 70 borrow q chew Of tobacco
I'm one Of his fellows in.the same room,
'n,iesd OF making known his request by
,S,,j1ol mouth, chose what he deemed
'0s least exhauStlUg measure ofinditing Q
Ii.oH,Ch, which, travelling over q circuit
~ GnTatds 81 y thousand miles, In about
,ro ~ minutes reached the identical Office
SSsnce h started, much TO the surprise Of
,bsS,her chap, who iblandly SHED his 10.
Sscco box Il lhe had Of the irrepressible
~, FsaI,- lH
1T often happens that telegraphets arc
called into service At the representation Of
, stage play, IN which occurs what Il
lrovp as q Telegraph scene,p such a.
the one shoWnS IN Byron's Across the
Continent or Boucieanlt' Long Strike,
and Il Is then that the operato behind the
Genes nanages 10 Rmuse himself by talk.
ios 10 the fraternity" in the audience,
Unknown OF course 10 most Of thusepres.
snt, who find no meaning in the "citck"
Of the instrument. 40
@As an evidence that the operators of
our city are not behind hand In the matter
Of having their fun, the following Is re-
I,,ed Of Jim -, o Well.known attache
Of the Western Union: ogaa,r7a
During the theatrical season Of last
veal, the drama Of "The Long Strike"
wN produced ct one Of our theatres, and
lot tie manipulation Of the telegraph In
,Iument, which plays an important part
N The most important part in the play,
Jim was engaged. .
"EIs position was such that he could
,.e the audience without being seen, and
when, upon taking his position, discover
luE In the auditorium y brother Operator
IRON Memphis, by name Pepper-who
had that day arrived In town-he determ.
laed 10 have little sport on his own &C.
count
Accordingly, when the time came for
ths sending Of the first dispatch, Jim
loudly sounded on his machine the words,
How are YOU, Pepper? au
"The quick professional ears OF Pepper
caught the words instantly, and wonder
iug who the deuce It wss,' Strengthened
Up and stared at the stage as If he would
have given two dollars and q half TO know
something more. r.'
Pepper, hOw's your motherg came
from the instrument, and Pepper, thor
Oughly mystifed, turned confidently to
As fair partner to express his utter aston.
I.hment at the most singular circum-
stance.
AS luck would have II, he auditorium
held quite a delegation Of telegraphers,
who BY this time ssW that Jim was up TO
nsot his old tricks, and with one accord
they began to look around the theatre for
Pepper
"Jim saw the effect Of his experiment,
and enjoyed himself hugely.
Pepper hadn't got through telling his
girl ali about 1t, when there came another
message
THAT won't do, old Pepper; / know
you well, and you hadn't better be ioollng
that confdlng creature with any soft
nonsense"
This reused the telegraph boys to the
very pitch Of curiosity, and many Of them
stood up, gazing longingly about them as
I their only object In life was to discover
Pepper.
Pepper felt that they knew him, and
the confusion which had been gradually
covering his handsome features, grew into
notification when he saw so many eyes
evidently levelled at him, and at last cul-
minated in his withdrawal from the
IheatEe But jim was bound TO give him
apartlng shot, and as he faded from view
be heard borne to his ears: Good by,
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, be learned who had so neatly cap
lured him"