Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-04-11
PRICE ONE CENT
a VICTIM OF SPEAKING russs.
Sad Fate Of Man OF Peace Who A. stu
ated midway on a Vocal Ro,,t..

sad Fate Of a Man Of Peace Who A. stu.
ated midway on y Zeal Route.
There rs a man in tins town whose
work keeps him sitting at his desk ell
day. he thinks himself fortunately sit.
uated, for his employers are considerats
IN their requirements and liberel in the
matter of pay. and his work is enjoya.
BILE. The others who work In the same
room are busy men, They seldom speak,
but when thoy do have something &C.
say It Is of a pleasant nature. His mod
est home has been all that heart could
wish, SO far as comfort aud contennnent
go. All these things are sources of
grateful satisfaction 90 him. FOR he Is a
man of middle age and 4 no longer CON.
sumed by youthful ambition To possess
the unattainable. lie S Of a placid dis
position and Is, above everything else. a
lover of peace. Thus situated he ought
to be one Of the happiest Of men. but ne
Is not. He is wasting away, the helpless
victim of continuous and violent conten.
tion.
Close TO his desk, inclosed by a thin
wooden sheathing, are some tin speaking
tubes that run from an upper story It
the building 90 lower story. These
stories contain departments of the same
business, and the tubes are in almost
constant use. The tubes are cracked at
about the altitude of this mans desk.
and the wooden sheathing is split in
places. The cracks in the tubes give
curious querulous sound 10 every voice
that ascends or descends through them.
A feud of long standing exists between
the Office boys and others who speak
from the upper floor and those who
speak from the lower story. A pleasant
word never ascends or descends. All tho
harshness of infection that accompanies
the harsh words is strangely multiplied
by the cracked condition Of the resonant
speaking tubes, and this man of natural
ly peaceable inclnations has 10 sat and
hear it all.
Unfortunately his is a somewhat sensi-
tive and sympathetic nature. II is im-
possible for him to remain undisturbed
when this continuous war of words is
going ON through the speaking tubes.
A provocative voice from above causes
him To side with the floor far beneath
him, and the reply that comes up pgrieyes
him, and he thinks that the upper floor
has been assailed with objectionable yi-
olence. Then there isa rattling exchange
OF warlike expressions in angry tones
made more angry TO the ear by tho
cracked speaking tubes--and the man Of
peace groans and sighs for the quiet Of
lodge in some vast wilderness. He has
heard these savage exchanges SO long
and so continually that his conception
as 10 the sound of the male human voice
is like that which comes 10 his ears
through these diabolieal speaking tubes.
This has been going ON year after year.
and the feud shows no signs Of abate-
ment. Its effect ON the helpless man Of
peace is deplorable. He feels constantly
as IL he were party TO a never ending
quarrel. He goes out 20 his luncheon
feeling like man who has just been en-
gagged in a riot, and he does not enjoy
his food. He scolds his most obhging
waiter without cause and gives him an
increased tip by way of apology. When
he goes home, he kisses his wife and chill
dren IN a perfunctory way and is irrita-
BILE at the dinner table. His wife says
sadly, MY dear, you are working too
hard" He is not working too hard, but
he is ashamed 10 tell what ails him, for
he knows that it would be difficult for
even his considerate helpmeet to under
stand the effect of the continuous speak
ing tube strife on his nervous system.
So he changes the subject and endeav-
ors to make amends by his best behavior.
His wife notices that his playfuIness is
forced and is sorry imitation Of the
genuine arti 'e, and this is more alarm
ing to her thin his irritableness.-New
York Sun.