The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-11-30
INTRUSION BY WIRE.
PREVENTED BY HAVING ST.
cRET TELEPHONE NUMBERS.
Privats and Business Phones That
Are Not Listed-Efforts Made
by Outsiders TO Discover
Than

Yes, they call me Sapphira," cheer
fully admitted the operator Of the tele-
phone switchboard in large business
house, reports the New York Sun IT'S
because I'm such an accomplished liar.
you know.
But, then, that Is one of the things
I'm paid for; so II really isn't my fault
and | don't let 1t worry me. Perhaps the
most frequent lie have to tell Is when
am asked about dozen times a day
II the president has private telephone
call-one not In the regular telephone
directory, you know.
"Of course he has. he'd be In the in
sane asylum II he hadn't; but he doesn't
want everybody to know H. The tel
ephone was getting such a nuisance to
business men that a lot of them have
had to do this
: Now, when a mans private tele-
phone rings he knows II really is per-
sonal call, as only few people have
his number. IL is a direct call from Cen
trail and does not come over the regular
Office switchboard at all
Every operator of private switch
board, and of course, every central. is
charged with keeping these private tel
ephone numbers strictly confidential
People try lots OF different ways to
worm this information out Of us. but
they don't succeed"
1T saves my time wonderfully--this
having private call. 4" said lawyer II
really think this plan saved me from
nervous breakdown last year.
MY private secretary has charge OF
the telephone supposed by the unini.
tiated TO be the only one by which can
be reached personally. Nine times out
of ten the questions can be settled with
out referring To me. Occasionally, OF
course. have to speak to the person my
self.
But there was time few years ago
when | could not dictate so much as
note 10 my stenographer without being
interrupted half a dozen times That ex-
asperating little ting-a-ling has been
tho death knell TO many finely phrased
letter AS for important documents.
when debating anything that required
serious thought was obliged to have
an entirely separate room where was
as absolutely out as though in my home
uptown,
While. of course. did not pretend
to speak TO every person who called for
me on the telephone, still | was called
very often. 1t Is very different now.
Only a dozen or 80 persons know my pri.
vate call, and sometimes my telephone
does not ring more than once or twice
a day
'The telephone is a mighty good serv-
ant but with ones name In the public
telephone directory it soon becomes u
hard master"
Yes, our house number is private, A"
said woman who has many social du-
ties, and we guard it as we do the fam
lily jewels Only our own direct circle
OF friends are able to reach us by tel.
ephone
'As some one said TO me the other day,
quite the height of modern Intimacy is
reached in the interchange of private
telephone numbers. And it is true.
You would be surprised to know the
lengths some people would go to discov-
er the number of a private wire Why
would you believe IL, our stable is often
called up, aud whoever happens to an.
swer is asked for our house number
Yes. our telephone is now Just what it
originally was and just what II should
be--a convenience and not a nuisance. /"