Evening star., 1903-08-01
IT WAS HARD TO REACH

THAT little story in The Saturday Star
a week or so back about what conven-
fence the telephone has come to be to
folks out in the country, especially to the
agriculturfsts OF a rubbering disposition.
was all right as far as it went. but I'll be
burned if the telephone out in the coun-
try is any kind of convenience to the
in the city who wants to hold con-
with folks out in the country, said
the man who never leaves Washington
during the good old summer time, for the
reason that. having more or less of a pear
shaped head he considers Washington the
finest summer resort in North America.
II tried it last night and guess ought to
know.
My wifes spending a few weeks On
farm four or five miles from Bel Air, Har-
ford county. Md. She has been mourning
d whole lot because I refused point blank
to run out-'run out is good-four or five
times week to the farm to see her.
four or five miles from Bel Air. Hartford
county. Md. You take the train from
Washington to Baltimore. and when you
get there you ask about eighty seven peo-
pie where the Maryland and Pennsylvania
railroad station Is situated and how to get
there. None Of 'em has ever heard Of the
Maryland and Pennsylvania railroad or
the station thereof. The eighty eighth
lem. however pokes at his forehead for a
minute or so and then he bursts out. oh.
you mean the old narrow gauge. l guess
that's tt, you say, just to encourage and
egg him along. and then he gives you a
whole lot of directions as to how to reach
the old narrow gauge station. You get
there after a few hours. and then you find
that the train has just gone. and that
you've got to walt two hours and four
teen minutes for the next train that'll con-
vey you to Bel Air. Hartford county, Md
You wait because you've got to. and the
train undertakes to pull you the twenty
five miles. It's hard work for the train,
on account of the serpentine. spirally.
curvy character Of the road and the num-
Der Of wood piles and hayricks at which
the train Is scheduled to stop: but after
yourself In Bel Air. Then you take the
bus to the Eagle Hotel. about half mile
away. and the Eagle Hotel people.
after thinking 1t over for long
takes you out to your delighted wife. Ine
trip sets you back about eight hours and a
half. and that's why I haven't been run
ming out to see my wife since she went out
to that farm four or five miles from Bel
Air. Hartford county. Md.
Yesterday morning I had letter from
my wife. in which she said that 1t was
funny that she'd never thought Of 1t be-
fore. but that there was q telephone right
in the farm house. and that 1t would be
just the delightfullest thing ever for me
to ring her up two or three evenings
week. or even oftener. and talk to her
Well. was just a leet1e lonesome last
evening and thought Of that telephone tip
she had given me. l went over to long
distance station in a hotel and had the
young fellow look up and find If there was
communication with Bel Air and the tariff
thereon. There was Bel Air communica-
ton all right and the tariff was 45 cents
for three minutes conversation and 10
cents minute after the first three. So
infn ha hat, Iy%tIa
up and told the young Woman-I imagined
that she looked as warm as I feIt-that
wanted Bel Air. 1 heard heap of buzzing
and clucking and cultural exclamations for
the ensuing ten minutes. and then the
young woman told me that Bel Air was
busy and that she'd ring me up when Bel
Air got through being busy. / put the re-
ceiver up and went outside of the smoking
little booth and had the cigar counter cleo
tric ran blow some of the heat away from
me After about half an hour. concluding
that the young woman at telephone head
quarters had forgot all about me and Bel
AIT rang her up again.
Hello. l said to her, is there anything
doing at Bel Air yet"
Still busy she told me, bit acridly
l thought.
Real busy little place. Bel Afr said 7
mostly to myself. 1 started to put up
the receiver
There's no necessity whatever for -e-
marks of that character. SIR, said the
young woman to me through the phone
ana then. a-plenty crushed. just for that
unintentionally frivolous little remark. l
hung up the receiver again, and waited an
other half hour.
Then there was a fierce and Drotrs o. ed
ringing.
You want Bel Air don't you?' the young
woman said. to be sure of me. All right
wait a minute. and then she hellod Bati-
more. and Baltimore hellod back at her
and there was tn" most Internal rumpus
and racket In the phones like the dropping
or big basket of stage glass back in the
wings during low comedy scene. and then
l heard deep bass voice say:
This is Bel Air Who dye want to get
in Bel Air.?
Nobody in Bel Air proper. said I. but
l want to have you switch me to the Rail-
fences farm, that's about four or five
miles out from your busy, thriving little
community
Nothin doin'. can't make it. came
back the deep bass voice in what stru k
me as rather triliing tone. considering
that Id been on pins and needles for about
an hour and a half. trying 10 nall that farm
by telephone.
Cant make it. hey?' said I. What's
the reason you can't make it? Are you
tired?'
Nav came back the voice. but this
isn't any hanky- -panky telephone line that
you're talking through now. The line that
runs out to the farms around here is 4
jerkwater. switchback outfit, and we
haven't any communica ton with 1t what
ever
There exists-er-then no other alter
native for me except-er--to ring of? said
l. in tone Of horrible calm
You're in right at laSt-that would be
nice said the deep voice at Bel Air and
then I hung up the receiver and went
away. MY wife's little suggestion had cost
me nearly two hours time and about seven
pounds that had got away from M in tina,
little 145 degree hot room of a telephone
booth / wrote my wife a somewhat ca
loric letter last night. detailing this expert
ence and she received the letter this morn
ing. I've just got telegram from her in
reply. How dye suppose it reads? This
way:
We have a cute little wireless outfit
installed for you Immediately. and she sent
the telegram collect at THAR