The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-08-13
"MINUTE! BEAR IN MY LAP"
Origin of an Extraordinary Excuse
for "Breaking" on the Part OF
Texas Telegraphers.

1T is an operators pride" said an
old telegrapher the other day, ito re-
ceive press reports without breaking,
that is, without delaying the sending
office. About ten years ago in Ar
kansas and Texas the work was done
by hand instead of with typewriters
as at present, and where newspapers
now expect 10000 or $4,000 words, they
were elated to be furnished with 5000,
and especially so on the circuit ex-
tending from Galveston by way OF
Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Waco,
Fort Worth and Dallas to Fort Smith,
Ark.
THE manager of the Fort Smith
Office was confirmed hunter, and in
variably after completing his monthly
reports he would shoulder his rifle and
start for the Cherokee nation, where
abundant sport was afforded at that
time for both large and small game.
On one of these trips after q long
chase extending to the lair of bear,
he managed to kill the mother and cap
ture two of her cubs. These latter he
took to Fort Smith and essayed to
raise. They were placed in a large
box in the battery room, which was
connected with the operating room
with swinging doors. In few months
they had reached aweight of about rs
pounds each and were quite tame, al
though tricky.
"One morning about two o'clock,
while Galveston was making the usual
supreme effort TO clear up for the
night, one of the bears escaped from
it's confinement, and noticing the light
in the front room, proceeded to in
vestigate. The manager had pet dog
which was rather affectionate, so that
when the cub came marching up to
the press operator and climbed into
his lap no particular attention was
paid to him. In fact, the sending OPP
orator was an extraordinarily rapid
one, and the receiver had his mind
concentrated upon the sounder. While
writing with his right hand he tried to
push what he supposed was the dog
from his lap with his left.
THE effort was futile, however, and
it became necessary to break, with
the surprising statement of fact, both
to himself and to those on the wire:
There's bear on my lap bothering
me. Minute Not every excuse for
"a delay to the report was accepted,
but with the remark: That's a new
one his was. and he got time to re-
store the bear to its place.
The report was resumed, and the
sender was endeavoring to make up
for lost time, when the second cub es,
capped, and, entering the operating de-
partment, proceeded to take the place
so recently vacated by the other. The
operator was determined, however, not
to stop the sender again. but bears
have great proclivity for being med,
dlesome, and, after few minutes OF
minor efforts at being at home in the
operators lap, he tried to show his
appreciation of friendship by a good
old-fashioned hug around the neck
| This was too much for the operator
who, opening the key. remarked:
Here's that d. bear again and re,
quested second stoppage SO that he
! might put him out and nail the door
| shut. for which he was numerically
| guyed, as the plausibiity of bears in
a telegraph Office was too much. even
| for Texans.
This operator, at last accounts
was employed by press association
in New York, and the sender recently
won the fast sending prize in tourna'
ment. Furthermore, it may be stated
that up to the time of the installation
of leased wires in Texas favorable
excuse for stand-offs was: Min; got
a bear in my lap N. Y. Sun.