Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-08-18
A VICTIM OF SPEAKING TUBES.
Sad Fate of r. Man of Peace Who Is Stu
ated Midway ON a Vocal Route.

Sad Fate of r. Man of Peace Who Is Stu
ated Midway a Vocal Route
There is Il man in this town whose
work keeps nm sitting 1T his desl, al
day. He thinks himself fortunately sit
mated, for his employers are consilerate
in their requirements and iiberel in tile
matter of pay, and his work is enjoya-
bic. The Others who work in the same
room are Busy men. They seldom speak,
but when they do have something to
ray it is of a pleasant nature. His mod
est home he's been all that heart could
wish, so far rs comfort and contentment
so. All these things are sources Of
grateful sal isfaction to him, for he is a
man OF middle age and is no longer con-
sumed by youthful ambition to possess
The unattaina ole. He is Of a placid dis
position and is. above verything else. a
lover Of peace. Thus situated he ought
to be one Of the happiest of men, but he
is not. He is 'asting away, the helpless
victim of continuous and violent conten-
ton.
Close to his desk, inclosed by :. thin
wooden sheatlling, are some tin speaking
tubes that run from an upper story Of
the building to y lover story. These
stories contain>departnents of the same
business, and the tubes arc in almost
constant use. TIE tubes are cracked at
about the altitude Of this mans desk,
and the wo den sheathing is split in
places. The cracks in the tubes give
curious quer 1lous sound to every voice
"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 I'M lection that accompanies
the harsh words is strangely multiplied
by the cracked condition of the resonant
speaking tubes. and this man of natural
ly peaceable inclinations has to sit and
hear it all.
Unfortunately his is q somewhat sensi-
tive aud sympat aetic nature. It. is i'm
possible for him to remain undisturbed
when this continuous war of words is
going on through the speaking tubes.
y provocative voice from above causes
him to side with the floor far beneath
him, and the reply that comes up grieyes
aim, and he thinks thai the upper floor
has been assailed with unpardonable Vi
olence. Then there is y rafting exchange
of warlike expressions in angry tones
made moro angry to the car by the
cracked speaking tubes--and the man Of
peace groans and sighs fo- 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 cars
through these abolical speaking tubes
This has been going on year after year,
and the fcud shows 40 signs Of abate-
1nent Iss effect on the helpless man of
peacois deplorable. He feels constantly
rs il he were a party to never ending
quarrel. He goes out to his luncheon
feeling like Il man who has just been en-.
;saged in a riot, and lie does not enjoy
lis food. lie scolds lis most obliging
waiter without cause and gives him an
increased tip by way Of apology. When
he gees home. helisses his wife and chill
,lren in q pert netory way and Is irTita-
bic at the dinner table. His wife says
sadly, My dear, you are working too
hard he is not working too hard, but
lie Is ashamed to tell what ais him, for
&c knows that it would be difficult for
even his considerate helpmeet to under
stand the effect of tho continuous speak
ing tubo STRIFE on his nervous system.
SO he changes the subject and endeav-
ors to mako anlcnds by his best behavior.
his wife notices that his playfulness is
forced and is Il sorry imitation Of the
genuine article, and this is nero alarm
ing TO her than his irritableness.-New
York Sun.