Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-05-02
TWO OF EDIsON's JOKES.
How he Ratified Telegraph Operator
and Provoked Profanity.


81 reckon Thomas A. Edison was one
ofthe finest men that ever handled the
keys" said a telegraph operator to
reporter.
az knew him when he was one OF the
bows, and he was no ham you can BET"
The reporter looked at the speaker in
credulously, and the latter, perceivlng 1t,
observed:
what am telling you is true. Fact
is, Tom, as we used TO call him, amt old
by any means. As was saying, L knew
him wears back. About my first work
was in Cincinnati in tie same office with
Edison. was fresh, then, and the fell
lows laid for me. One night i remember
that was Just through, and about to go
home. There had been rush that cay,
and l was mighty tired. Just as l was
putting the few blanks that l had leit
on my desk in my drawers, some one
called me. Hello! Who is that? l
asked. 'Pittsburg. Get ready to take a
lot of press matter was the reply.
81 guess there were fifteen instruments
in the room, and every one was busy
sending or receiving. l could take pretty
well even then, but swear l never had
such a hot wire before or since. l was
whole sentence behind copying by the
time the first one hundred words were
in. | broke to catch up. The sender
wanted to know what was the matter,
and when | was up told him l had
been getting more blanks. He started
off harder than before. He wasn't send
ing less than fifty words minute, and
it seemed to me nearer seventy. Ibroke
again and he began to get mad. said
i was putting in a new pen. He swore
and fired away. l broke every hall
minute, sometimes oftener. By the
time had received six or seven hun.
dred words we were both lighting mad
Iswore that he wasn't sending plain
He maintained that he was, and finally
after dozen breaks in almost as few
words, he got furious.
"sTell the operator to come there
You'd better try shoe maxim he said.
81 didn't like to give up, but at last
turned around and asked for some body
to relieve me. You never saw buslel
crowd. l kept on the best L could, thu
Pittsburg fellow keeping up an incessant
g-owl all the time. He wanted me tC
get a messenger, or brakeman On 6
freight train, or the janitor to take my
place. l had taken 1900 words before
he let up.
"'Sign,' said l.
"'R,' he answered.
"The BOYS howled. 1t was Edisoni
signature. He had switched on tes
instrument and had sent me column
from one ofthe afternoon papers. HI
had not been twenty feet away from me
but of course ] did not notice that HI
was sending the dispatch, because ther,
we're so many tickers going all arounC
me. IT cost me good many drinks be
fore heard the last Of it, and | was no
so fresh after that.
81 recollect one election night New
York was sending a great deal OF pres
W NiliCdSOs ~ Woo law az iti- a
and the wires were crowded. All q
once Edison jumped up, put on groun'
wire and cut Chicago of. He began talk
ing, and every few words he would as
New York to repeat. The New Yor
fellow raved. Suddenly Ellison cut Me-
York off and called Chicago. He ser
what he had received as hard as he coul
90, and in minute Chicago was swea
ing. Then he switched New York an
Chicago together, and the former, hea
ing Chicago swearing. let loose himsGl
For two or three minutes there SCENE
to be sort of sulphurous smell abo'
that wire. They got to working a
right, though, pretty soon, and dor
expect that they ever found out the trio
chat had been played on them" Ne
York Mail and Express.
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