New-York tribune., 1902-10-19

must he trying to sit and listen to the incessant
tick, tick" OF the instruments hour after hour.
This is so 20 a great extent most of the time. for
very often they are required to send or receive
from thirty I've 70 forty words minute, and TO
good op ra',r this is the average speed when the
wire is in good working condition. 1t often hap
pens, though that serious trouble occurs. in the
case Of wires crossing or of stormy weather any
where along the line either of which renders a
wire practically useless
The up to date operator uses a typewriter.
mill as they term it among themselves to write
the message while receiving. which is great help
when speed is required
Nevertheless, although kept busy during their
hours on duty. they find considerable leisure I'm
which to have fun among themselves in the Office
and with the operator the other end OF the wire
and they employ universal code familiar TO all
operators throughout the country. and various
phrases which might be termed slang in com
municatins Jokes, etc, to each other.
Il often happens that good operator gets on a
wire at the other end of which is one who is
green and makes mistakes for which he is told
To send Morse which IS equivalent to the term
Many couples have be ONE lovers. and afterwsrd
married through getting 'acduainted' in the
of the wire. The affair usually starts with the
This means my compliments ana regards" BY
and by il Is my q 10 YOU" which mean love,
kiss and unless these advances are resented by
one or the The otheT s It SS Is TO be expected that the
bols combined. travels frequently through space
ranged which in due course of time ends with
visit the minister.
A rather peculiar thing that happens quite un-
consciously with all telegraph operators is that
If they hear joke while at the Instrument which
causes them to laugh. their finger will invariably
seek the key, and tick off, the letters III A.
which mean laugh
Much enjoyment is had at times in small offices
(of which great many are usually on clrcuiD
by the operators listening a pair OF lovers
talking" 10 each other, and a favorable
ment breaking in with remark that causes the
lovers much embarrassment.
The following is sample of how this really took
place not long ago: The young man said, We'll
my dear, suppose you will soon be going homer
Yes answered the girl. "and II Is iust raining
in torrents and | have no Fubbers here"
Il wish could send you mlne," replied the young
man Il have them here IN the office" What size
they?" asked the girl
At this jHnetnTe % the listener. who also girl,
Instances are on record Of prisoners signalling
TO each other by means of the Morse alphabet,
the dot and dash" being made by tapping on the
wall or rattling a lock or bolt and many daring
escapes are said TO have been planned by this
method OF communication.
A story about party OF telegraph operators Of
the gentler sex and man who was the possessor
of very red nose Is worth repeating here. This
pany, and his duty was to travel from place TO
place and see that everything went well with the
system. and. OF course he was Thoroughly con-
versant with the entire business One day while
on trip to remote station, he compelled TO