The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-08
THE TELEPHONE GIRHs EAR.
She AstOnishes Chicago Citizen by
Her Memory for voices.


From the Western Electrician.
There is man in Chicago VINO relates
curious experience. Some time ago
he had occasion to talk to a business ac-
duaintance over the telephone. 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 to communicate with his friend
who was a valued customer, without loss
of time. Accordingly he called up the
operator again In two or three minutes.
with the same unsatisfactory result. This
procedure was repeated several times, the
girl invariably protesting In calm, even
tones that the desired connection could
not be obtained.
From growing irritation the impatient
man at che instrument passed to a COM
plete though momentary, loss of his tenn
per, and he soundly berated the girl at
the switchboard for what he thought was
simply care ess inattention to her duties
The girl returned a soft answer in a few
words. and thus the brief dialogue terIni.
mated.
This was a very ordinary Incident but
the sequel, as told by the narrator of the
story, was surprising. About a week af-
ter my colloquy with the telephone girl, p"
he said, In continuing hts veracious rela-
tons II had occasion to take an elevated
railway train and stopped for half a min
ute 10 exchange a word with the ticket
seller with whom l have a slight ac-
quantance. 1t was only a word, now
ever for there was a young woman be-
hind me awaiting her turn to pass through,
and so hurried out to the platform and
into the train.
1.-THE girl behind me entered the same
car and took a seat across the aisle from
me. | noticed that she was prepossessing
in appearance and neatly dressed but 8
l have a grown up family of my own and
have passed the age Of youthful folies, my
glance toward her was merely one of cas-
ual benevolence. A moment later, how
ever was conscious that che was re-
garding me intently. She was evidently
roassurred by my mature and unassuming
exterior, for, to my establishment, she
quickly arose and took the vacant seat be.
side me. Before ] could imagine what
was up, she began to speak.
Please pardon me for my presump-
ton she sad, but are you not the gen.
tleman who had some difficulty In getting
Harrison Ninety nine-double-nine on the
telephone last week.
81 was completely mystifled, but re-
membered the number very well, and l
said l was the man.
Well she said, I was the girl at the
central office. / remember you by your
voice.
''You may imagine my surprise OF
course. I was profuse in apologies when
l recovered myself a bit. The young wo-
man. evidently regarding me as trust
worthy, fatherly sort OF a persons, then
proceeded to tell me a great many things
In, a hon Ia Inf
strict discipline and perplexitles of a tele-
phone girl. She spoke with dignity ana
self-possesion, and her earnest, ladylike
manner made me doubly ashamed OF my
trivial Impotence. Bur before / could
again express my regret the train had
reached her station, and she was gone I
am still wondering however, at her won
derful ear memory. She had heard my
voice but for an instant AT the ticket sell
ers window, and yet she remembered 1t
from among the thousands Of others that
come to her over the wire"