St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-02
The Telepurp.
A BRAND-NEw INVENTION-HOWA A YAL-
LER DOG WAS SENT OVER THE WIRES.
[From The Operator.l

A bhAND-NEW IN n Az
LER DOG WAS SENT OVER THE WIRES.
[From The Operatorl
A good story comes from Norwalk,
Conn. One day last week gaunt,
slab sided chap, with particles of hay
seed on his coat and in his tow-colored
hair, stepped up to the telegraph office
and asked if the boss was in. The Op
orator assured him that he was, and
his rural friend went on to relate that
he lived up in Danbury had come down
from there that morning, and intended
bringing his brothers dog, which a man
in Norwich wanted to buy, but had for
gOttenlit, and wanted to know if the
dog could be sent down there by tele-
graph The man of lightning seeing
good chance for little fun, at once
answered:
"Certainly, sir; that is matter of
daily occurrence. All that is necessary
for you to do is to give me descrip
ton of the dog, so that no mistake can
be made call again in about half an
hour and the dog will be here"
at is yellow dog, with small ears,
and is about so high" said the granger,
placing his hand eighteen inches from
the floor. He then took his departure
with the remark that he would call
again soon. The operator then sent
his messenger boy to look for dog as
near the description as possible, which
he soon succeeded in finding. 1t was
at once brought to the office, and Sc
cured to the operators desk by means
of piece of telegraph wire. After a
little coaxing the dog was made to lie
quietly down, and everything was in
readiness for our rural friend. Punctual
to the time appointed he made his ap-
pearance, and asked if the dog had
come.
81 will see," said the operator, and
stepping up to the instrument he tap
ped few times on the key, at the
same time inserting his legs under the
desk he managed to step on the dogs
toes which caused the unfortunate ca
nine to yelp. "Ah! he's coming" said
the operator, and then tapping more
furiously on the key, he at the same
time kicked the dog clean from under
the table, who not relishing this kind
of treatment, barked furiously and ran
around the Office with the wire attached
to his neck. ''Fifty cents, sir" said
the operator, turning round to the
lllsill- HlCc uOS
must be worth $50; but he is the haTd-
est dog | ever received over the wires
he is so muscular, you see, that he
broke the wire; in fact, Il piece OF it is
now attached to his neck, which he
broke off"
During the whole of this operation
the countryman gazed on the opera.
tor with eyes wide open and full o.
surprise but when the dog came from
under the table and was seen by the
countryman, that was the eliminating
point, and he was struck with amaze
ment. After looking at the dog mo
ment or so he said: "Say, Mister, hi
amt so big as he was, and he is darker
how is that 2"
''Oh that is easily explained" sait
the operator; ''you see the chemicals
employed in making electricity o
+ course darken his original color, ant
the velocity with which he passed owe
+ the wire caused him to contract in size
, but after you expose him to the air 70
short time he will assume his origina
size and color"
''Du tell !" said the countryman, and
i after placing fifty cents on the counter
picked up the dog, and walked out o
the office, remarking that ''the man VIII
: invented them telegraphs must be
: very knowledgable man."