Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1901-07-13

uoHRTsHTP BY WIRE.


have often been asked whether We
telegraph operators in busy Offices ara
able to pay attention % the sense Of
the messages which we are all day re-
ceiVing and dispatching, or whether
(as Us said TO be the case wikh copying
cJerks) we fail IN the habit of perform-
ing Gt like machines, without any con-
scious apprehension of the meaning
OF the words which wetransmit. Sp> *
ing tor myelf, and for those of y fell
low operators with whom have dis
cussed the matter, should ay that all
ways the truth lies in the latter alter"
native.
Sometimes, however, one is able to
read between the lines fmessagesless
interesting than mere business dis
patches. Amy number of amatory feLe-
grams are sure to pass through your
hands. Most of them las 1 have al
ready said) will be received, or dis
patched, by you with calIous uncon-
seriousness. But once perhaps in so
times your mind Will condescend tom
herest itself in one of these romantic
messages. a case in point (ttoccurred
TO myself) is before me now; and as L
think you may find it both amusing
and instructive Will make bold to re-
late st.
I was then employed as telegraph
clerk in one of the larger offices. One
morning young man came up to the
counter and handed in message.
He was wen dressed, good looking
ypung fellow, with "a pleasant, dngenu-
Gus face. He handed me his message.
with AN elaborate, though hopeless fu-
tile, affection of nonchalant inddHer-
ence. Poor young gentleman! his
voice distinctly trembled as he said:
81 wish to pay the reply"
I took and read the message. My
mind, as it CHANGED, was then very
much awake. This was his Telegram:
''Aliss Maud Hampton, 21S Regency
Terrace, st. Johns Wool-Meet me, 1
Emplore you, Albert Memorial, six this
evening. Wire reply to this P. o.
REGGIE"
zone and six ha1f-penny," I re-
piled, docking up at him through.Ithe
wire screen. His boyish face fresh
and good to look at, and his embar-
raised bushes did not i'll become him
by amy means.
He handed me a coin and gave him
his change. Then raising his hat po-
htely went away. In "a minute, how.
ever, he was back again.
81 say, you'll-you'n send that wire
ait once, won't you?"
I assured that it would be dis
patched without delay.
When he returned at the end of an
hour had just received the answer.
It was addressed TO Reginald Peel,
care of our Office, and was extremely
| short and sweet:
''Shant. MAUD"
When he came handed it to him
of course without amy comment. He
1T open eagerly. He turned pale. He
crushed the telegram in his hand and
in his mortifc cation and disapp ointment
he was not forgetful of his politeness.
Again he raised his hat to me and
hastily quilted the Office. I did pity
him very much indeed.
1t was three OF four days before I
saw him again, and then he brought
another message addressed to the
same lady. 1t ran thus:
won't you ever wTIte2 REGGIE >
| SCI will pay the answer he said (his
expression of face was quite prainfnlly
doe-begone), land I VIII call for it
here later on"
Every well,'' I replied.
He did not, this time, go away quite
immediately, but leaning his elbows
| on the counter, and casting furtive
| glances ITO his tight and left TO make
sure that no one was near enough to
| hear him, he murmured, with. nervous
rapidity:
81 say, I'm glad it's you, and no1
any OF the others, who have taken
my message again. You're not the
sortho make fun of fellow over am
an affair OF this kind, are you?''
Indeed, mol" I assured him. "O1
the contrary, 1 am very sorry-I mean
it is no business of mine, and I SEE
nothing whatever to make fun off,
Thanks, awfuly," he murmured
with a grateful look, and speaking
even faster and more nervously thar
before 81 spotted you as the right
sort. II liked your face, YOU know
I will call by-and-by for the answer
| The answer, when it came, made me
really very angry with the unknown
Maud. 1t ran thus:
"No, won't. MAUD"
He called soon afterward and hand
ed 1T to him. He read ut. I saw hin
set him teeth tight, as if repressins
some explanation of pain or chagnn
did feel dreadfully sorry for him. 81
was such a boy, and he took it adj s.
90 heart! I suppose I must have ex
pressed my sympathy by my locks
At any rate, he said to me in his ingen
uous, natural way:
Il say, it's awfully good OF you, wht
are perfect stranger, toto feel fol
me. They-my friends, mean-al
laugh at me about it. They call me ,
fool Tor persisting in hopeless alta Oh
ment. But don't care [ shall never
love any girl but her. You-you mus
think at rather strange he went OIL
hurriedly and with artless confidence
my telegraphing to her Like this; blu
she won't see me when call, and sh
won't answer my letters. So the onl7
way of getting her TO notice me wa!
ITO send her a reply-paid wire. But i
doesn't make any difference. Low.
her just the same, and would rathel
have cruel reply from her than n,
reply at ALL would, upon my soul.''
Then this ingenious boy lover hftel
his hat to me and was gone.
Two days later he came again. H
handed me in another message Z
Maud. noticed that his face was Sc
determined, as of one who has takes
a desperate resolve The wording o
his telegram confirmed this dmpTess
ion.
4