The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-10-05
Sending q Telegram.

It was just after railroad accident. I
amused myself by watching my fellow
passengers. Presently one man reached
q long arm over the little crowd clus-
tered at the operators window, and
asked for "blank telegraphic FORM" ex-
planning that he ''wished to send tele-
graphic dispatch to his family Now,
when a man speaks of photographic
dispatch" 1 always wake up and look at
him, because the cumbersome title is too
long. The use of it betrays the man
who has little use for the telegraph. The
more a man uses the wire, the shorter
his terms. The more nearly he can come
to saying "m's'g" the more content he is.
And be doesn't call it Geographic
FORM" he asks for ''blank," black or
red, as the case may be. And he never
'telegraphs" anybody. He "wires"
them. So watched this passenger write
his photographic dispatch" First he
asked the operator:
s'What day of the month is this?"
There was nothing unusual in that.
All men ask that. You may know what
date it is before entering the Office; you
may even have it impressed on your
mind by having note fall due on that
day; but the moment you poise your
pencil over the blank, that date flies
from your mind like the toothache from
. dentists stairway.
The man was tall, with thick hair and
thin neck. His trousers we're Just
about as much too short as his hair was
too long, and he wore a shawl. That
settled him. He spoiled three blanks be-
fore he got dispatch written to suit
him nj tb
A man always uses stationerymore extrav-
does at home. Then he wrote every word
fully and distinctly, but scrambled hur-
riedly over the address as though every
body knew that as we'll as he did, and
dashed off his own signature in q blind
letter style, as though his name was as
familiar to the operator as it was to his
own family. tn even this il not uncor-
mon. A man will write "Canningham"
30 that no expert under the skies can tell
whether it was Covington, or Darlington
or Cummagen, or Clarendon, and when
the operator points to it, and asks: "What
is this?" the writer will stare at him in
blank amazement for moment, and then
snswer:
"Why, that's my namel'
well, yes, know that" the operator
will cay; but what is your name?'
Then the man will gasp for his breath,
and catch hold of the desk to keep
himself from falling and finally shout:
why, Cunningham, of conrse!'
And look pityingly upon the operator,
and then glance about the room with
panied, shocked expression, as one who
should say:
Gentleman. you may not believe me,
and do not blame you, but heaven is
my witness-here is man who does not
know that my name is Cunninehamr
Well. my tall man with the thin neck,
handed the operator the following OK
plicit message:
Mrs. Sarah K. Follinsbee, Dallas Cen
tire, Iows.-My Dear Wife: left the
city early this morning after eating
breakfast with Professor Morton, live
man in the temperance cause. 1 ex-
pected to eat dinner with You ct home.
But We were delayed by terrible rail-
road accident ON the railroad, and mar
rowly escaped being killed. One passen
esr We tsfribly nauglod, md hes since
did, but "a alive The conductor
aays I esn not naks eonnsetion - = 70