The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-10-02

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der us all superhous, and | am not sure
but that eventually will be the case, for
the long distance telephone is only in its
infancy What on earth caused you to
learn telegraphy r
II will confess the reason with a frank
ness | ought to be ashamed of, = said the
girl, with a real smile this time. II
learned it because my father oldest friend
is manager of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company in this city.
oh. see. said the manager, with a
twinkle in his eyer You thought |
would give you a situation p
II knew you would, Mr.. Sandys, re-
pliend the girl confidently. Her certainty
did not seem TO be shared by the manager,
who knitted his brow and drummed nery
ousIy on the desk with his fingers.
You said moment since that this was
business visit. Now, Miss Elinor, do
you want me to talk to you as business
man would talk to an applicant, or am |
to treat you as the daughter of valued
and regretted friend 2
From now on, cried the girl eagerly,
this is straight business. | only relied
on your friendship for my father to gain
me admittance here
Very well, then, | will begin by say
ing that the woods are full of telegraphers
Up to a certain point, it seems to me that
telegraphers are as common as the sands
on the seashore; beyond that point tele-
graphers are few. 1t is like shorthand,
and, | presume, like a great many other
things Telegraphing, that is expert tel
egraphing, is very difficult art, Miss
Elinor
Il know you will excuse me for con-
tradicting you, exclaimed the girl with
animation, 'and it ism bit polite to do
50, but telegraphing is the easiest thing in
the world If you had ever played Rob
ert Schumann or List on the piano you
would know what difficulty is
Really 2 said the manager dryly.
You are the first person have heard say
that telegraphing was an easy accomplish
ment However. there is nothing like a
practical test Do you think You know
enough of telegraphing to fill situation
as operator if had one to offer your
II think so, answered the girl conf
IDENTIFY
"Well, we shall see. Would you mind
sitting over at this table 2
The girl rose, peeling off her gloves as
she approached the table. The manager,
placing his finger on the key of tele-
graph instrument, ratified off, quick, nerv
Gus call. which was answered Then he
proceeded to chatter forth message to the
operator at the other end.
.'Oh, no, no, no, no :! interrupted the
girl Don say that.
Don't say what 2 asked the manager
in astonishment, forgetting for the moment
that what was mere instrumental chatter
to the lay mind was Ineligible to her.
s'Don tell the operator to begin slowly,
but ask him to send the message as fast as
he can.
The manager smiled.
'Oh, very well, - he said.
A moment later the sounder was dinning
away its short, brazen monotone, as if it
were a clock-work mechanism that had
gone wrong and was rapidly running down.
The fine, firm, pretty hand of Miss Nc
Clintoch flew over the paper, leaving in
its train trail of writing, the letters heav-
lily made, but as plain as print to read,
the style of the writing being that now
taught to girls in Europe, which is as diff
ferent as possible from the hairline, angular
hand which ladies wrote twenty years ago.
The manager stood by with folded arms,
watching sheet after sheet being rapidly
thrown off. The silence of the room was
unbroken save by the Standardization OF
the jabbering machine. At last he reached
forward his hand and interrupted the flow
of dots and dashes.
Miss McClintoch looked up at him and
said, with some trace of anxiety in her
voice
"Of course | could write faster if had
a fountain pen. | always use style, and
the dipping into the inkstand delays me, as
| am not accustomed to it.
The manager smiled, but said nothing
He examined sheet after sheet in silence,
then put them on the table. Taking up
one of the newspapers that lay on his desk,
he folded it once or twice, and, placing his
hand on the key, he rapidly transmitted
an order to the unseen operator to write
out what was about to be telegraphed to
him, and bring the sheets to the manager 5
room.
Now, Miss Elinor, he said, would
you mind telegraphing part of this column,
and do ii as fast as you can 2
The girl placed her right hand on the
ebony knob of the brass lever, holding the
folded paper with her left in such man
ner that she might read clearly the small
type on the sheet before her. Under her
expert manipulation the words flew over
the wire until there came break
"Hold on, jabbered back the man at
the other end of the wire ''Don' be in
such hurry.
'Oh, dear = exclaimed the young
woman with shade of annoyance in her
voice, as if she feared the pausipg would
/ = oP 1lo