The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-14
RULES TO USE TELEPHONE.
Patient and Long Suffering Subscribers
Would Help Others.

The following rules were submitted
to the State Journal for publication by
a Topeka man who has had many
years experience with telephones:
ssrThe use of the telephone has
changed from a luxury to necessity
and within q few years they Will De
come as common as COOK stoves. Al
the present time it is almost lmpossl-
BILE to find a man, woman or chllo VINO
does not know how to use it, but very
few people do so properly, and for that
reason I take the liberty of submitting
some plans and easy rules which shoulu
be memorized and practlced by ever
person who has occasion to talk over
the wires. The rules are very simple
and a great many already are using
them. but for those who have never
been blessed with receiving 1nstruc-
tions, assure them that after a little
practice they will soon acquire the
proper style.
ION the latest phone, you do not have
to revolve around the room-I mean
turn a crank-in order to attract cen
trail When you lift the receiver from
the hook strong current of electricity
connected with the operators chair
wakes her up, and in a few minutes
she becomes quiet and says, Num-
ber?' in an excited tone of voice By
this time you should have the receiver
firmly attached to your southeast ear
This is done by placing the threaded
end of the receiver firmly in the ear,
and twisting it until the threads enter
the orifice and hold. You should al
ways twist it until the cord is we'll
kinled, as this improves the service
very much When central asks Num-
ber?' the third time, you say, Is this
central?' And then she says, OF
course-number, please?' By this time
you have forgotten the number, but 1t
won't take you but a minute or so to
oil e1r-r NJ cd
alphabetically. It's always best to not
forget the number, however, because in
the meantime central may resume her
nap and you will have to give her the
second shock. Then you simply repeat
as above, and then hang up the phone
and go back to the book for the second
time, for numbers are awfuIly hard to
remember. Finally you get it all right
no chance to forget tits 71l-MrS.
Feeasy-on Twenty-third street. Then
you take down the phone, screw it in
your ear and listen. Central then
mildly inquires-'Well, for the love Of
Mike, who do you want@ Then you
tell central, It's 711-Mrs. Feeasy-on
Twenty third street-you needn't snap
my head off,
while it's not necessary to tell the
party's name and street number, you
ought to do it, as it shows you are not
ashamed to tell Central won't snap
your head off, though she would be de-
lighted to do so, and in a moment Mrs.
Feeasy will answer, and then you can
tell her all about it, and also state
that the telephone service is simply
horrid and central is. entirely too
| 'prissy.' 1 don't know what prisSy
means, and neither do you, but it
sounds well. In an hour or two, when
you get through talking, hang up the
receiver and give Mrs. Feeasy a chance
to finish bathing the baby throw out
the beef roast that has burned to 4
crisp while you gabbled over the wire,
and also express her opinion of a wo-
man who can stand and talk 1877 min =
utes without saying anything. If you
| live on a party line you will find it a
| considerable task to keep up work and
| listen to all the conversations that are
passed over the wires. Some women
do it, however, because they are ener-
getic and attend to business.
1.-The phone should be conveniently
| located. When the phone rings, make
a break for it. If your number is thre ,
rings, and central rings six, go anyhow.
Central may make mistakes, so don
take any chances. Apt as not the per
son ringing may be lonesome and had
as soon talk to you as anybody. After
you find out they want some one else
stay and listen anyway. They might
be talking about you. If you are on d
party line and discover that two Wo-
men are gOssiping over the wire, don't
attempt to make them stop, even if you
are in need of a doctor, for you can't
do it. My experience is that when two
good old windy sisters on a party line
once get on the wire, nothing short of
a streak of reinforced lightning will
snake EN- loose under an hour. I had
| rather try to unite a knot in a wet
ope. with a bone felon on each fore
finger