Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-12-04
JOYS OF THE TELEPHONE.

| The telephone is not a nuisance.
On the contrary it is blessing in dis
/ guise. Time was when / was irritat-
ed it disturbed in the middle of long
! column of figures by a bossy, insist
ent ring of the bell. Time was when
swore softly and stood on one foot
upon being asked to hold the wire.
That was before / had fathomed out
the possibilities of the apparatus-be-
fore | had learned to grasp the oppor-
tunities always lying so close to my
elbow.
Then there are telephone users who
burst with the sense of their own i'm
portance. You can detect this class
the moment they reveal their identity.
WHO is this?' repeat.
Smith, Smith," he says, Smith
| keep quiet for bit and then say
Spell it please | chuckle quietly
as | hear him Tuning.
i 'S-m-i-t-h,'' he recites
1 S-m-What?' / ask.
Smith. Smith"
''S-m-i-t-what?" l inquire.
TIL
ZAP"
No, H-A b 6 D EFF G H.
4 y
sure Then I wait until Mr. Smith is
exactly in the. middle of his sentence
when | interrupt him.
| Who is this, please
Smith, he yells back, ttSmith,
Smith, Smith, Smith Smith,
! keep quiet for bit and then L
say Spell it please
Then | can hear him at the other
end OF the wire trying to climb up the
wall in vain endeavor to get at me.
Plenty Of pleasurable excitement
can also be derived from the telephone
by philosopher. I remember one
time | was called up by man who
wanted 8,766. / was about to close
my Office for the day and therefore in
formed him that was S.766.
King off, he snarled. While I was
washing my hands the bell rang again.
Stlil the man was seeking for S,766. /
again pointed out to him his mistake.
Rlng Off, he shouted, Ring off, can't
you? Ring OFF, just as if it was
my fault! I was putting on my hat
When the bell rang for the third time.
Is this Steer yelled the same voice.
Yes! Hello" said l.
ASK Mr. Jones to come to the.
phone.
- repeated that phrase about 200
times in the next five minutes.I work
ed lt every time he asked Mr. Jones to
come to the phone or what was the
matter with me, or whether I could
hear~him or if Mr. Jones was in. set
lt 20 music all the way from a high
soprano to basso profundo, and /
could hear my interlocutor dancing
around on one leg. The man finally
tumbled to my little pleasantly "Oh,
l wish | had you here!' he moaned,
I'd fix YOU till your folks couldn't
identify you ~
Would your yelled. '.WelI. now.
II that's all you want here's nv name
and address," Then / gave him the
name of my friend Henderson. in tha
next office, who always sends the War
Cry girl in to me with paid for COPY.
THAT'S my name and address,
shouted, '.and III wait for you. You
OLD chump! You old bIatherskite! You
futile old cuckoor' These eDithets
added, ito warm him up a bit and make
sure of his coming. Then L went in
TO my friend Henderson's Office to
talk 70 him about the weather. T
didn't have to wait long. Pretty soon
heard a heavy body disrupt from the
eleYaIor and in he Waltzed. Stout
old party with a walking stick and an
apopleetic cast of countenaf1ce.
Are you Mr. Raymond Hender-
sonw he hoWled crafty at my friend.
L am said Henderson wonder
ingly.
He didn't have time to wonder long,
however, as the storm broke right
then and there. To this day Hender-
son believes that saved his life that
afternoon. | never knew before that
there was so much dynamic energy in
tat men. When we had the old gen
tlelnan down somewhat, and taken his
stlck away from him, explanations
were in order. Henderson tried hard
to clear his good name but he clearly
saw that neither of us believed him.
All in all the telephone is without
doubt boon to business men. IN
fact. ! don't see how | could get along
without it.