The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-09
Etiquette OF PHONES
WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY
1T OVER THE TELEPHONE
A Correspondent Wants to Know if
"HaiIoa" Isn't VuEgar-Types of
Takers and Their Peculiarities.

Dear Marie: 1 read with much inter-
est what you wrote some time ago
about telephones, and there are a few
things l would like to say on the sub
jeCt and also want to ask you some
questions. Do you not think there is an
etiquette of the telephone that obtains
among we'll bred people just as in
everything else. Is it not vulgar to
say "HallOa!" when who is it?" or
''Well?" will do just as we'll. Do you
not think the person ringing you up
should be the one to ring off, and is
it not rude for the one you have call
ed to cut you oft in the middle of what
you are saying? There is really a
great deal of rudeness over the phone,
and so many betray their ill-breeding
plainly in these conversations. l wish
you would lay down a few rules about
this important matter, for now that so
much business is transacted in this way
1t is important. l wish you would also
scold some men who are impertinent to
women over the telephone.
"A Victim.
There is, of course, a code which
should obtain in talking over the tele-
phone. but it does not differ much
from that which holds good when two
well-bred persons are talking anywhere.
Our correspondent is right about the
one who calls up being obliged by po-
likeness to give his name before de-
handing that of the one called. For
instance the writer has been much an
nOYed by persons calling her, and upon
taking up the receiver a voice says:
''Who is that?" This is a case of bad
manners. He should say, 81 want to
speak to Mrs. So-and-So," and then if
it is she, to give his name. Another
thing which is absolutely unpardona-
BILE and is sometimes done, to call up
someone, ask some questions and then
refuse to give the name. The one so
called should refuse to answer anything
before knowing whom she is talking to.
You would not answer questions Of
someone you met on the street, that
is personal questions, without knowing
to whom you were speaking.
We could hardly say that ''Halloa"
is vulgar when used over the telephone,
as it is in a way the official manner of
opening a telephone conversation, just
as "good-by' is a sign it is closed.
But Who is it?" or "'Well?" does just
as well and is perhaps a little more ele-
giant
Disposition is very we'll shown up
sometimes over the phone, and there
are telephone characters whom one
learns to know. There is the woman
who pours out a flood of talk with her
mouth pressed close to- the phone, only
little of which can the person catch
at the other end. It is almost impossi-
bic to stop the elOquence of this wOm-
an. and after your arm is aching and
you have mentally decided to have the
phone taken out the next day, she will
say, But, dear me, have 1 kept you
standing all this time? Well do come
up soon," etc, etc" Then there's the
man who shouts so that if he opened
the window it would do as we'll: he
really doesn't need phone at ALL Also
the man who seems to regard the ring
ing Of the bell as a personal insult and
bangs the receiver and saws he
doesn't know d BANKED thing about"
whatever you want to find out. The
latter man really can't help it: it's a
case Of the telephone bell getting upon
his nerves.
The only rules we can think of are
to try to speak slowly and distinctly:
announce yourself when YOU call some
one up before demanding to know who
1t is, and don't try to be witty with the
central girl. She has troubles of her
own. Don't shout; the telephone is in
tended for that very thing, to save YOU
LOUD talking. When someone calls Won
up and then discovers it is the wrong
number, don't ask him chow he dared
10 call you up" remember that it is
central who rings the bells Let IFS
nope that all impertinent men will con-
slider themselves sColded by