Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-31

eggs are selling. A civil service ex-
animation isn't in 1t with the questions
that are asked me. OF course they're
all right If one happens to know the
answers, but I don't generally.
One of the funniest things we have
to do is to play Santa Claus. That
has come to be quite a custom down
at the telephone exchange, and / did
1t a number of times at Christmas this
year. Since phones have become so
common, lots of children want to talk
to Santa Claus instead Of writing him.
SO am never surprised to hear a
voice say to me, Central, one of the
children wants to talk to Santa Claus,
When he rings you up in a minute, be
ready to answer
Then it's up to us to make our
voices as masculine as possible, and to
answer without laughing. Sometime
we are instructed by the grown-ups to
when Santa Claus is asked for. That
Kind OF work is lots of fun.
or course telephone operators are
just like everybody else in this world
they have some good times and some
bad. There are lots Of my subscribers
whom l have never seen in the world,
and never expect to see, but who are
my good friends. working for them
is a delight. But there are others, UNI
fortunately. And when I get hold Of
q swearing man or a nagglng woman
| often wish that l had entered a con-
vent instead Of becoming a telephone
operator"
Roscoe Conkling and James q.
Blaine were in congress for many
years together.
These two men were among Ameri-
cas- brightest lights, but owing to
cpy, HI $50
OF fate, they continuously grated on
other. They never could get along
together, and had many tits on the
floor of the house. These little spats
were the subject Of much comment
after the days session was over. for
both these men were past masters of
the invective and their slaps at each
other required the effort Of the quick
est mind to answer. Conkling was al
ways the stumbling block in Blaine's
road to the White House.
In a debate in the house one day.
Blaine went after" Conkling good and
hard, and in the course Of his speech.
made the following remarks. and the
turkey gobbler strut attracted much
attention. Mr.. Blaine said:
AS to the ~gentleman's cruel sar.
casm, l hope he will not be too severe.
The contempt of that large-minded
gentleman is SO willing; his naughty
disdain, his grandiloquent swell, his
majestic, super-eminent overpowering
turkey gobbler strut has been SO
crushing to myself and all the mem.
bers of this house, that | know it was
act of the greatest temerity for me
to venture upon a controversy with
him. But sir, l know who is D
sible for all this. I know within the
last five weeks as members Of he
house will ~recollect, an extra strut has
characterized the gentleman's bear
ing. 1t is not his fault. 1t is thef fault
of another. That gifted and satirical
writer. Theodore Tflton of the New
York Independent. spent some weeks
recently in this city. His letters pub.
ished in that paper embraced. with
many serious statements. a little ia.
;ose satire. a part of which was the
statement that the mantle of the late
Davis had fallen upon the
member from New York. The gentle.
took 1t seriously, and it has given
MS strut additional pomposity. 1t f.
striking. Hyperion to a satyr, Their
to Hercules, mud tc marble
lung hill to diamond, a singed cat to
! Bengal tiger, a whining puppy to q
lion. Shade of the mighty
Davis, forgive the almost profanation
Ut that jocoSe satire"