The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-05-24
A VICTIM or SPEAKING TUBES.

- StNiHW vt O6ES.
Sad Fate of q Man Of Peace who Ts Sftur
afed Midway on a Vocal Route.
There Is a man in this town whose
work keeps him sitting at his desk all
day. He thinks himself fortunately sit
uated, for his employers are ~considerate
In their requirements and hberel 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 they do have something to
say tits OF a pleasant nature. His mod
est home has been all that heart could
wish, 30 far as comfort and contentment
60. All these things are sources Of
grateful satisfaction TO him, for he IL q
man Of middle age end Ia no longer ON
summed by youthful ambition TO possess
the unattainable. he Ia Of q placid dis
position and is. above everything else, Q
lover OF peace. Tins situated he ought
to be one Of the happiest Of men, but he
In not He is wasting away, the helpless
victim OF continuous and violent conten-
ton.
Close to his desk. inclosed by q thin
wooden sheathing. are SOME tin speaking
tubes chat rua from an upper story OF
the building to a 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 sheathirr is split In
places. The cracks in the tubes give q
curious querulous sound t. 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 the
harshness of infection that accompanies
the harsh words is strangely multiplied
by the cracked condition Of the resonant
speaking tubes. and this mar of natural
" peaceable inclinations has to sit and
hear It all.
Unfortunately hls is a somewhat sensi-
tive and sympathetic nature. 1t Is inn
possible for him to remain undisturbed
when this continuous war Of words is
going on through tie speaking tubes.
A provocative voice from above causes
him to side with the foor far beneath
him, and the reply that comes up grieves
him, and he thinks that the upper floor
has been asssiled with objectionable vi
olence. Then there ia rafting exchange
Of warlike expressions in angry tones
made more angry to the a by the
cracked speaking tubes and the man of
peace groans and signs for the quiet of a
lodge in some vast wilderness. He has
heard these savage exchanges so long
and SO continually that his conception
as to the sound OF the male human voice
is like that which comes to his ears
through these Giabolical speaking tubes.
This has been going on year after year,
and the feud shows no signs of abate-
ment. IT'S effect on the helpless man OF
peace is lerlorable. EIe feels constantly
as ii he were u party to a never ending
quarrel. Ee goes ont to his luncheon
feeling like a man who has just been en-
gagged in a riot, and he does not enjoy
his food. He scolds his most obligine
waiter without cause and gives him ar
increased tip by way OF apology. Wher
he goes home, he kisses his wife and chill
dren in a ~perfunctory way and is irrita
BILE at the dinner table. His wife say.
sadly, My dear, you are working tot
hard" He is not working too hard. bu'
he is ashamed to tell what ails him, fol
he knows that it would be difficult fol
even his considerable helpmeet to under
stand the effect of the continuous speak
So he changes the subject and endeav
ors to make amends by his best behavior
His wife notices that his playfulness i
forced and is a sorry iT:tation of tn,
genuine article, and this is more alarm
ing to her than his irritablenes s.-Nev
York Sun.