Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-11-09
THE MAN WHO STAMMERED.
fun When He Tackled a Telephone-ssd
Scene In the Hospital


It's great fun to be around when
man with an impediment in his
speech tries to talk through a tele-
phone. AS a rule, he doesn't try It
often, but sometimes he can't help
himself. Such was the case with a
clerk in a railroad Office down South,
where L was employed some years ago.
Like many Others similarly afflicted,
he stammered most when he tried
hardest to stop 1t.
The superintendent happened to
1rop into the office one morning
and asked him to telephone to a cer-
tain firm of stock dealers who had
been making inquiries about the
matter that they could ship certain
quantity of mixed stock In the same
car, provided they double-decked the
car.
please sir" said John-that was
the name by which everybody
addressed him I'm afraid
c-c-ca-ca -"
Whats that?" queried the super
inte ndent somewhat harshly.
Its all right, sir, responded John
meekly, convinced of the uttes futility
Of trying to explain to stranger that
he generally got stuck on words be-
ginning with a I'd" worse than on
anv other kind.
John succeeded in establishing con.
| nections through central" all right,
and then the trouble began.
THAT stock will go all right" he
shouted, "if you d-d-d-d-d-"
Then he paused to take a fresh
start and the man at the other end
Of the wire evidently said nothing.
''It's all right began John again,
, 'if you d-d-d-d-"
His breath gave out and he stopped
| to take a fresh supply, while the
! other man probably inquired what
sort of an idiot was trying to talk to
him, or something of that sort, for
| Johns face grew very red.
"Blame it," he yelled at the instru-
ment, put a b-b-bulkhead in the
car"
/ But evidently the intending ship
per was not up in nautical terms and
must have implied as much, with the
| addition of sundry reflections concern
Ing the s.ate OF Johns intelligence.
Whatever it was made John madder
than ever.
With a supreme effort he again
tackled the telephone and shouted:
odd dan it! put f-fence through
the car, and il that don't do ocean
lick you!"
John was good fellow, though.
under strong provocation, slightly
disposed to be pugnacious. 1 shall
never forget the last time | saw him.
! 1t was in st. Luke's Hospital, this
city. The head of the department Of
! the railroad in which he was employed
was a selfish brute and made him
work a great deal OF overtime with
out any extra pay. In consequence
his health gave way and he came
North to get welksbut got worse and
had to go to the hospital. He was
without a penny, and those who had
been his associates in the railroad
office made up little purse for him.
found his wife by his bedside
when | called to see him. She was a
sanguine little body, and began to
talk about how she intended, when
John got a little better, to start a
small candy store with the money that
had been subscribed for him and thus
support him until he was able to &c
TO work again.
John listened in silence for a time,
and then said sadly:
| "Y-y-es, 1t will do to b-b-b-"
lie was unable to finish the sen,
tence; but he made downward gest,
ure with his finger and burst into
tears. 1t was painfully plain what
he meant. Buried he was few day:
later and with the money that had
been subscribed by his former com
panions. New York Herald.