Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-11-06
Always Placid.

NOinllR ouh Icuctmlnk iofts
Always Placid.
The receiving clerks behind the
desks at the telegraph offices are cool.
placid fellows They take your mes
sage Of life aud death with perfect
Indifference, ,echanically count the
words. and look q bit bored az they
reply;
1T will be sixty-hye cents, please. y
had my eye on a certain chap for
several weeks, says a correspondent
Of the Free Press, before ] humbled
his pride. He insulted me. He i'm
suited me by softly whispering TO
himself as he counted the words in
the following message
Grandmother died last night very
suddenly. How many Of you can at
tend funeral?"
When | handed in that message |
expected him TO exhibit a 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 greatly
overcome me. Why didn't he look
up with a bit Of sympathy in his eye
and say:
TOO bad. l know just how you fec!,
and I'm sorry for YOU
But no. He whistled and counted,
made a scratch or two with his pen,
and remarked;
Three words Oycr-Scventy cents.
And as he made change, he told
one Of the boys behind the counter
that he bc-if he wasn't going 10
the dog fight that night. Then no
picked up my dead grandmother
dispatch and banged it on hook.
showed me over some change, and
turned away to resume the perusal OF
a sporting paper.
The next week ! went in with
dispatch announcing that my grand
mothers will had been opened and
that came in for S25. 900. That
man must have seen by my face that
! was highly elated. Hang him, he
never had the fifth of that sum, and
his salary had just been cut down $40
per month, but when he had read the
dispatch he calmly announced:
Forty cents, and you forgot to
date it,"
And then he began talking to one
Of his fellow clerks about smuggling
match, and how he won 50 by betting
on the right man. | don't say he
ought to have swung his hat and
chccred over my good fortune, but
why couldn't he have extended his
hand and said:
Eth. old boy? In luck, amt YOU:
We'll, I'm glad on It, send around
the cigars and well smoke to your
good health.
made up my mind when ! went
out that | would upset that mans
cquanimity or lose leg. I'd tumble
him off that pedestal Of pacidity if it
cost thousand dollars. I'd upset.
unbaauce, and unhingc him or die
trying. gave him two weeks to TO-
pcnt. It isn't right to rush a tele-
graph man ont Of the world on a days
notice. went back one evening
and | felt a bit sorry tor him as he
glanced mp and then lot his eyes re-
turn 10 his Policc Gnictte. | knew
that his wife and child were in Ohio
on q visit. and | stepped to tn" desk
and wrote:
DETROIT. June IS. lSS'.
!. " SMITH. COLUMBUS. o:
Please telegraph rs full particulars -
tho accident BY which Mrs George Taylor
and daughter Of this city we're instantly
killed this afternoon. ; T.
felt a hit sorry as 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 re-
ceived the dispatch, whistled softly
as was his wont, clattered the point
If his pen along the words as he
counted. and then he drawled out:
a dollar and twenty cents, and
where shall send the answer"
Did YOU read that dispatch?' |
asked, after looking at him for half a
minute.
Yes.
DO you know the partic>?"
Yes, sir"
Isn't your name George Taylor"
Yes. sir.
Aren't the parties your wife and
daughter?'
No, sir They returned home
this morning Here's your change"