Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-13
ALWAYS PLACID.
The Receiving Telegraph CLERK who Refused
to Show Any Interest.
Detroit Free PrasS

The Receiving Telegraph CLERK 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 as
they reply:
ut will be 65 cents, please"
had my eye on certain chap for
several weeks before 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
~. How many of you can attend the fun
eral?,'
! When 1 handed in that message I 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
~ overcome me. Why didn't he look up
with bit of sympathy in his eye, and
say:
Too bad! know just how you feel.
am sorry for you
But no. He Unlisted and counted, made
a scratch or two with his pen, and re-
marked:
"Three 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
hook, showed nae over some change, and
] Il - I.
sporting paper.
The next week went in with dispatch
announcing that my grandmother's will
had been opened and that l 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 salarH had just been cut down SO
per month, but when he had read the dis
patch he calmly announced:
Forty cents, and you forgot to put q
date to it,
And then he began talking to one of
of his fellow clerks about smuggling
match, and how he won So by betting on
by betting on the right man. I don't say
he ought to have swung his hat and cheer
ed over my good fortune, but why could
he not have extended his hand and said:
Eth, old boy? In luck amt you? Well,
I'm glad of it. Send around the cigars
and We'll smoke to your good health
| made up my mind when 1 went out
that L would upset that mans equanimity
or lose a leg. I'd tumble him off that
pedestal of placidity if it cost thousand
dollars. I'd upset, unbalance and unhinge
ham or die trying. I gave him two weeks
to repent. It isn't right to rush tele-
graph man out of the world on a days
| I nd T
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 a visit and I stepped to
the desk and wrote:
! DETROIT June 6, 1885.
j. n. Smith, Columbus, O.:
Please telegraph US full particulars of
the accident by which Mrs. George Tay-
Tor and daughter of this city were in
| stantly killed this afternoon.
felt bit sorry as 1 handed it in, not
knowing but the man might faint dead
away as he read the terrible news. Still,
[ had vowed revenge, and / would not
| forego it. He received the despatch,
whistled softly as was his won't, clattered
the point Of his pen 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?" asked,
| after looking at him for about half min
ute.
eyes"
$40 you know the parties?"
eyes, SIR
isn't your name George Taylor?"
eyes, sir"
aren't the parties your wife and daugh-
| teri"
mo. They returned home this morning.
Here's your changed"