Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-21
TELEPHoNlNG IN PARIS.
Some of the Pleasures Of Talking Over
the Wire.

Telephonlng in Paris bears as much
resemblance TO that peaceful pursuit in
New York as a dance of bowling Der
wishes bears to a conventional waltz.
When 4 Partisan goes to his telephone
either to ring some one up Or to answer
a call, he always has the interest of
game OF hazard in which very often he
is the losing party.
The Partisan does not merely ring up
on the telephone; he has a habit of
aSitating the button with desperation.
He knows by experience that five min
utes may elapse before he gets an an
swer from those mysterious quarters
where the girls of the central Office
hold their revels. Then possibly he may
receive the curt reply, Pas hbre'-
Not frte'-tnd Immediately be cut
off. \ friend of the writer rang him.
self up and was promptly met with a
fiipDant Pas libre," with the Commun-
ication cut off SO quickly that the fam
tastic young lady in charge did not
ever hear the language he employed.
But when the communication is OBJ
tanned the excitement really begins.
Instead OF having, as in New York,
system or localities with numberS-aS
1000 Beckman, 1925 Morningslde-in
Paris the localities are indicated by
numbers. Thus, 590--75 and the girl in
charge at the Central calls out each Of
these numbers in turn to her assistants,
who also are designated by numbers.
Moreover, the French language Is the
worst of all for this numerical system.
for many Of the sounds indicating num-
bers are like those indicating other
numbers. dix for ten being often con-
fused whit six for six, and vingt for
twenty with cinq for five. The call
"590-16" in French is ICING cent quatre
vingt dix; soiX auto quinZe." In order
| that he may impress upon the operator
that it Is dix and not six" which he
| wants. he emphasizes the dix" and
| adds "DeuX fois cinq." meaning twice
five" All OF this is repeated to the as
sistant, and the unfortunate client
hears over the wire: $685.: two times
five, on the 40; IS on the &C." Then he
hears the answer returned from the 40:
"190, two times five, not sO?' And while
the Central is yelling out, mo. no, not
190; $50" No. 26 is bombarding her with
IS. But SO many numbers have been
! must come to the rescue and begin all
over again. 1t happens accordingly that
every unfortunate possessor of tele-
phone in Paris Is rung up at all hours
Of the day by people who have got on
the wrong lines, and he hears such
demands as Have You sent the baron
ess her Shoes" or Don't forget, my
little dear, after the opera, Cafe de
! Paris
Evon when one is fortunate enough to
! obtain communication it is a weird
thing speaking through French tele-
| phone. Mysterious voices, hints of
stray conversations of others, madden
ing buzZings as of gigantic bees or
hisSinaS Of exasperated serpents are
heard. Suddenly there are breaks of
complete silence and perhaps nothing
more. 1t is like rowing across North
river in a fog. Sometimes the voice
al the other end OF the telephone comes
in a good round baritone. then sudden
ly it changes and becomes a thin alto
| f"r the rest Of the sentence. It Is
| like q fugue of Bach. Or. again in the
| middel Of Il word some other persons
| take possession Of the line, and both
| conversatonS are interpolated, linked
| i'll charming confusion.
Il one demand the superintendent q
calm and gentle voice is heard. SUSPECT
ously like that of the tapricious being
| who has obtained the communication
=. and who by II few soothing phrases
| Gains anger as one would calm a fret
| fui child. If the subscriber be tempt
Ell to make formal complaint to the
authorities lie receives no END OF Of
ticiai papers, the replies TO which
| waste his time; he is rung up at ali
hours Of the day by persons. who as
| sure him they were only trying his
| telephone, and d workman is sent
| around. who loosens various keys, just
| by way of showing that he must do
| something for his money. These are by
no means all the accidents that may
| happen 10 the pCssessor of the tele-
| phone. When. for instance. in an
swcr to 4 furious ring, one rushes to
| the telephone and hears the solitary
word ".Nlo!" and by no manner of
means can obtain another sound, it
| makes one ponder. And when at last,
| Tuning and fretting before the Sphinx
| like mask of the apparatus and des-
perately REFRESHING bad language, one
hears the light. ripping laughter Of
| the joyous demoiSelles. the cause Of it
all, one rubs ones eyes for a moment.
| the Thester des Varieties?
FREAK OF CLOCKS.