The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-06
TELEGRAMS.
characteristics of People Who Daily Send
or Receive Wired Messages.-
The Sad and the Gay.

Inc SAo anu Lne Uay'
One of the busiest places in this city,
says the Denver Iribune-Repu6lican, ii
the Office of the Western Union Tele-
graph company. Its visitors during the
day are many, and from morning until
midnight the throng continues to come
and go, and the street door opens and
closes with lively clatter every few
minutes. They come in all styles, tho
old, the young, and middle aged. They
come in garments of wealth, in the rags
of poverty, and in the seediness of hard
luck, which soon may change.
Faces pale with sadness, furrowed
with care, bright with anticipation, or
radiant with happiness; all go through
the not overwide portal, and all upon
the same sort of errand, either to get OF
send away messages.
Hope and despair jostle with careless
ness and selfish joy, and each seldom
notes the other. Often the face which
comes smiling goes away dark with
trouble, and many times the dull look
begotten of hope deferred becomes trans
formed, and the owner goes away with
buoyant step and peace which has not
been experienced for long time
A glance around the Office will giva
the student of human nature a good
chance to guess at what is being written
by those who prepare their messages
right on the spot, and the manner of
the writers will often show something
of the characters and business habits q
them.
A commercial drummer will run into
telegraph office, slamming the door
and making the papers fiutter all oven
the place He will push his way to the
desk, seize blank, dive pen into the
ink, and write message in Just thirty
seconds. Before he begins he will push
his hat high on his brow, and turn his
head to one side.
Then he will stride up to the desk and
looking familiarly at the clerk, will push
the dispatch and a big silver dollar to-
ward that functionary, remarking5
.'Send that away d-n quickr'
A man who has not been accustomed
to sending kilograms will take more
time about it, sometimes taking as much
time about it as it would take book,
keeper to balance cash account He
will carefully count the words, and
study and re-study the message in order
to decide that he hasn't got too manE
words, and to be sure that the message
will be clearly understood.
Ladies generally write their messages
at home and then take them carefullV
folded to the office, where they will ask
many questions. They will want to-
know how much the dispatch is going
to cost, and then if the address and sig
nature is to be included in the cost OF
the transmission. Then they will want
to know how soon it will reach its .desti-
nation. Then they will carefully lay
down their parasols or satchels and
count out the price for the message, and
when the cash is about half counted
they will stop to look around and smile
at whoever is standing behind them
waiting for a chance to talk with the
clerk.
Finally, when the money is paid and
the clerk has been carefully made to
promise to send the message immedi-
ately, they will then gather up their
property and depart. After they get
out upon the sidewalk they will fire.
quently return to ask the clerk If he can
read the dispatch. as they wrote 1t quite
hurriedly. When lady happens to
write the message in the office the pro-
cess is doubled, as . similar style of per-
formance is carried on at the desk,
where they will want lots of elbove
room.
OF those who enter or send away the
announcement of death to relatives
far away their manner is always quiet,
and new father coming in to let the
grandparents know that a baby has ar
rived, will go in smiling all over his
face. Not infrequently the sender will
go to the extra expense of a dime or SO
to add a sentence which is intended as n
Joke.
People sending for remittances gener-
ally look anxious. and not infrequently
write with a rush, and spread the ink
on thick and black, as though to thus
express the exigency which compelled
the sending of telegraphic message
for funds.
And so they 60. Unconscious panto-'
mimists, all of them making, without
knowing it, mimic, sketchy picture OF
the lights and shadows. the heeting joys
or the sudden and more lasting griefs
which go to make up the dream called
life.