Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-05-13
ALWAYS PLACID.
The Receiving Telegraph &lerk who Refused
TO show Any Interest
Detroit Free Press.

The Receiving Telegraph 6lerk who Refused
to show Any Interest.
Detroit Free Press.
The receiving clerks behind the desks
at the telegraph offices are cool, placid
fellows. They take your message of life
or death with perfect Indifference mechan-
ically count the words, and look bored "a
they reply:
1T viii be 65 cents, please"
l had my eye on certain chap for
several weeks before l humbled his pride.
/ He insulted me. He insulted me by
softly whispering to himself as he count
ed the words in the following sad mes
sage:
%Grandmother died last night sudden
ly. How many of you can attend the fun
erals"
When l handed in that message / ex-
pected him TO exhibit little emotion.
While he could not have been personally
acquainted with my grandmother, he must
have suspected that she was a nice old
lady, and that her sudden death had great
ly overcome me. Why didn't he look mp
with bit of sympathy in his eye, and
say:
TOO bod! know just how you feel. 1
am sorry for you"
But no. He whisted and counted, made
scratch or two with his pen, and re-
marked
"Tmee words over seventy cents
please"
And as he made change he told one of
the boys behind the counter that he'd be
- if he wasn't going TO the dog fight
that night. Then he picked up my dead
grandmother despatch and banged it on q
hook, showed me over some change, and
turned away to resume the pernsal of q
sporting paper.
The next week went in with dispatch
announcing that my grandmother's will
had been opened and that | came in for
/ $4,000. That man must have seen by
my face that / was highly elated Hang
him, he never had the fifth of that sum,
and his salarf had just been cut down $40
/ per month, but when he had read the dis
/ patch he calmly announced;
/ Forty cents, and you forgot TO put a
date to it,"
| And then he began talking to one of
of his fellow clerks about n smuggling
match. and how he won 50 by betting on
! by betting ON the right man. / don't say
he ought to have swung his hatand cheer
ed over my good fortune, but why could
he not have extended his hand and said;
"Eh, old boy! In luck amt you! Well,
| I'm glad of it. Send around the cigars
and wen smoke to your good health.n
made up my mind when l went out
/ that ! would upset that mans equanimity
or lose leg. I'd tumble him off that
/ pedestal of placidity If II cost thousand
dollars. I'd upset, unhalance and unhinge
him or die trying. gave him two weeks
to repent. 1t isn't right TO rush tele-
graph man out of the world on Il day
notice. ] went back one evening, and |
felt bit sorry for him as be glanced up
and then let his eyes return to the Police
Gazette. knew that his wife and child
were in Ohio on visit and | stepped TO
the desk and wrote:
DETROIT, June g. 1885,
j. H. Smith, Columbus, O.:
Please telegraph Us full particulars of
the accident 10y which Mrs. George Tay-
lor and daughter of this city were in
stantly killed this afternoon.
S.P.
l felt bit sorry as / handed il in, not
knowing but the man might faint deat
away as he read the terrible news. Still
| had vowed revenge, and / would MOI
forego il. He received the despatch
whistled softly as was his won't, clattered
the point Of his pom along the words as
he counted them, and then he drawled
OUT
a dollar and twenty cents, and where
shall | send the answer"
Did you read that despatch:h ] asked
after looking at him for about half a min
ute.
Yes"
do you know the partiesl'
Yes, sir"
Isn't your name George Taylor"
yes, sir"
Aren't the parties your wife and daugh
teri"
NO. They returned home this morning
; Here's your change"