New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-31
THE TELEPHONESGIRIS EAR.
SHE AsToNIsHEs A CHICAGO CITIZEN BY
HER MEMORY For VOICES.
From The Western Electrician.

From The Western Electrician.
There is a man in Chicago who relates Curl
Gus experience. Some time ago ne had occasion
to talk to a business acquaintance erthe tete-
phone. He called up the central office and asked
for his friends number. In moment there
came back to his ear in a soft feminine voice
the familiar murmur: Lines busy now; please
call again.
The man at the Telephone was really anxious
t. communicate III his friend-whO was val
ued customer without loss of time Accordingly
he called up the operator again in two or three
minutes, with the same unsa tisfactory result
This procedure repeated several times, the
girl invariably protesting in calm, even tones
that the desired connection could not be OBJ
tanned.
From growing irritation the impatient man az
the instrument passed to a complete, though
momentary, loss Of his temper, and he soundly
berated the girl at the switchboard for what he
thought simply careless inattention 70 her
duties. The girl returned a soft answer in
few words and thus the brief dialogue termi-
mated.
This wascas very ordinary incident. but the
sequel as told BY the narrator OF the story, was
surprising About a week after my colloquy
with the telephone girl" be said,s in continuing
his veracious relation IT had OCCASION to take
an elevated railway train.sand stopped for half
q minute to exchange a word with the ticket
seiier with whom / have slight acquaintance.
1t was only a word. however, Tor there vas
young, woman behind me awaiting her turn to
pass through and 50 hurried out TO the plat
form anu INTO the train.
"The girl behind me entered the same car and
took seat across the aisle from me. | noticed
that she was prepossessing I'm appearance and
neatly dressed but as | have grown up family
Of my and have passed the age Of youthful
fOllies. my glance toward her was merely one Of
casual benevOence. moment later. however,
was conscious that she was regarding in
tcntly. She evidently reassured 10y my ma
ture and unassumng exterior. for, TO my aston
ishment. she quickly arose and took the vacant
seat beside me- Before l could imagine what
up, she began To- speak.
Please pardon me for my presumption she
said. but you not the gentleman who had
some difficulty in getting Harrison Ninety-nine-
doube-nne on the telephone last week"
Il was completely mystified. but remembered
the number very well. and ! said | was the man.
Well she said, 1 the girl at the central
office. ] remember you by your voice
You may imagine my surprise. OF course.
, was profuse in apologies when l recovered my
self a bit. The young woman. evidently regard
ing me Trustworthy. fatherly sort Of per-
son, then proceeded 10 tell me a great many
things | had not known about the arduous
, telephone girl. She spoke with dignity and self
possession, and her earnest. ladylike manner
made me doubly ashamed ot my trivial impa-
| tence. But before ! could again express my
regret the train had reached her station and
she was gone. ] am still wondering however. at
her wonderful ear memory She had heard my
voice but for instant at the ticket sellers
| window, and yet she remembered II from among
! the thousands II others that come to her over
! the wire"