Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-11
TELEPHoNED.
Pipe Talking Between Sweethsarts..
Pooling a CO%untryman and Soaring
His Hair Straight,

These telephones are becomingquite
interesting in their connections. They
are a wonderful invention, and strike
the sensibilities of every person who
don't understand them properly with
becoming awe. A number of the
strange affairs have been erected here,
perhaps a dozen or two, and various
railroad men, bank presidents, physi-
clans, ice and coal dealers, cotton
handlers, etc, have lines connecting
their business offices with their resi-
dences, their store houses, depOts and
the like. Yesterday DR.. Heber Jones
ranone through between his residence,
near Vance and Lauderdale, and his
Office on Madison street. A party Of
ladies at one end Of the wire and a
number of gentlemen at the other had
a lot offun, talking and frolicing with
each other through the pipes. 1t has
got to a point, through their increased
numbers, that the boys or young men
may now converse with their fair
friends in various parts of the city,
almost in every neighborhood-ask
them to go on a trip to the theater, a
concert, an icc-cream saloon, or out
for a drive, merely by dropping into
pater-familia's business quarters and
putting a speaking tube to their lips.
The labor is light and the expense of
a hired messenger saved. Ever SO
much fun is made, too, by the %jocular
remarks passed, and funny things that
wouldn't be funny anywhere else are
always said,
A few days since the effect Of a tele-
phonic conversation was more serious
in its results than usual on the mind
Of a visitor from the country. The
mar was somewhat interested in rail
road stocks and called on the roads
business head at his residence, in this
city, to get a free pass renewed. He
had not much more than seated him,
self comfortably before the influence
began to work. The effect of the az
ercise was soon apparent by the aston
ishment depicted in the mans coun-
tenanee. The way it happened was as
follows
The railroad man, after welcoming
his visitor, rose to his feet, stepped
to the corner Of the room and raised
the tube ola gutta-percha pipe to his
lips. This action of the dignitary was
noticed by the rural gentleman. Di-
rectly the man of authority was heard
to say
How many bales of cotton did you
say were ready?
No audible reply, of course, was
heard by the rural gentleman, but the
man OF tubes, tongue and ear manipu-
lators again used his gutta-percha and
said in a loud tone:
Can you put the entire 400 bales
aboard by noon ?"
Again no voice was heard as coming
through the pipe, except by the rail-
road man, who, in loud tones, was
heard to say
Clean the yard up thoroughly, put
everything away in good shape and
prepare to move all the cars with the
first train OUT
By this time country had worked
himself toward the doorway of the
residence. Surprise and to some ex-
tent alarm was fully illustrated in his
race. lie saw a friend passing, beck
oned him near and said, as he pointed
to the t~ube-talker, isn't that Mike?"
Certainly it is" was the reply.
Are you sure of it? | thought so
myself, but thought l might be mis-
taken
No mistake about it, sir it's
him"
Well, sir, then he's plumb crazy
And the countryman made tracks
down the street, asking no more ques-
tons, and not deigning to say goodbye
to the railroad man or any other per-
son thercabouts.