The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-04
LUXURIES IN SMALL TOWNS.
New Yorker Finds that His City
Lacks Some Advantages.

Spectator" in the Outlook.
The Spectator occasionally feels that there
are many advantages missed by living in
large city, as far as keeping up with the
progress of civilization is concerned. When
he views the New York horse-car jingling
along on it's antediluvian way and remem-
bers the country trolleys, this feeling can
not be suppressed; and when he visits a
small town and finds telephone in almost
every house he enters, and electric lights
rather more common than blackberries, it
becomes intensified. In a large city there
are telephones without number, of course,
but the average householder never dreams
of having one, and even those who indulge
In a telephone of their own have a limit OF
calls per year, which makes them think
twice before using the instrument once.
The Spectator has recently been staying In
a small town, in household where the tel
ephone is used without stint and priced to
the full, and he feels that city people miss
great deal in this respect.
The Spectators hostess, after breakfast,
sinking into the depths of most comfort
able chair placed before the telephone desk,
ordered her groceries and home supplies at
ease, and then issued invitations for an
afternoon tea and held veritable SYM
postum with various friends as to club lee
lures and the servant question. AS the
wire was not on varied circuit but De-
ceedingS incommOded no other poSSeSsor OF
telephone and could be kept up indefinite
lly. The. instrument gave all the advan-
shopping trip; and ii was considerably less
than half the price. annually, of city tele-
phone limited to five hundred calls a year
| IL must be acknowledged that they DO
| these things better In the progressive prov
! inces than in the arrogant but backward
metropolis.
The Spectator heard some good telephone
stories in this same town. Every housewife
| had had her amusing experiences in in
| Producing her new maid-servants to the
| instrument. One cook, fresh from the En-
| erald isle. stood in great awe of the thing
| for weeks, and always hurried on clean
apron before answering the CALL to do
| honor to the occasion. Another, not six
| weeks landed, and trifle slow in her wits,
| electrified dozen guests at dinner by APP
pearing in the door of the dining room and
| asking, distractedly, of her mistress, rs
| this Mr.. McGinnis's grocery store?"
| why, of course not, Bridget" responded
the amazed hostess; what do you mean?"
well, shure, they asked me over the tilly-
| phone this minnit, ma'am' was the reply,
| as Bridget, her mind evidently still doubt
full on the subject, retired in confusion:
Some maids, however, learn to use the
| instrument as well as the mistress can,
and even excel in their clear and pleasant
telephone voice" One lady, telephoning
her invitations for an informal gathering of
the Colonial DANES. called up an acquaint-
ance, mistook the maids voice for that of
! the mistress. and invited her cordially to
the affair. without calling her by name
| at all. This same hostess was one who
| easily became furried at the telephone,
and she told the story on herself of how
she strove to invite friend to a card
party over the wire, but could not make
her name understood. who is calling?'
asked her puzzled friend. Mrs Blank
Blank" spelled out the lady, but In
vain. II can't get the NAME" was the
| reply; upon which Mrs Blank, after
| other useless effort to identify herself went
on impetuously, "Never mind my name;
won't you come to my card party on Fri
day afternoon" She said, in telling 1t,
that at this she could feel her friend at
the other end of the wire drawing herself
| up with dignity as she replied, freezingly,
that she really would not be able to come.
"And then L realized said Mrs. Blank,
| laughing, that she could not be expected
| TO accept an invitation from she did not
| know whom; and | sent a note by special
messenger, explaining the thing, and re-
! ceived a cordial acceptance at orce."