The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

From the New York Sun.
Trials and tribulations are constant
companions OF the man who has charge
of the Pennsylvania railroads informa-
tion bureau at the new Seventh ave-
nue. station, as may be judged from the
following:
Telephone bell rings. Sweet, dulcet
feminine voice queries.
my friend wishes to go to Auburn;
will you kindly tell me when the train
leaves?'
pennsylvania road doesn't go to Au-
burn
well, I thought the--the-what's
that road Mr.. Roosevelt rides on when
he goes home to oysterville; I mean
"The Long Island"
"Yes. that's it,
The Long Island doesn't go to Au-
burn either Maybe your friend wants
to go ITO Arverne."
wait and I'll ask her. Then the
voice would be heard: "Oh Helen, isn't
1t Arverne you want to go tor and
the response: Maybe it is--it's down
again: Yes, it's .Arverne. She wants
to go on the first train in the morn
ing"
"First train leaYes at sos a. m.
Thirty third street side of the station,
Then the voice turned to Helen: "IIe
says something; that's too early. Why,
Morris folks don't get up till ~ And
Helen, after thinking it over, decided that
she wouldn't go. But the voice had an
inspiration. Maybe there's a later train.
I'll ask Mr. Informer.' Then into the
telephone again. I'm awfully sorry, Mr..
lnformer to be such bother, but my
friends brothers wife where she is go-
ing likes to sleep in the mornings and
would not be up as early as something.
SO she wants to know if there is a later
train-I mean one that doesn't leave so
early
'Yes-6:l5, 1895. 7:2o, Sill, 9:14, 1920 and
another near noon"
The voice turned again to Helen: "He
says there is a whole string of trains all
forenoon, but | can't remember the times
he said. You go get a pencil. You'll
find one in my writing desk; and you'd
better get sheet of paper and I'll have
Mr.. Informer read them all off again and
you can write them down." And then to
the telephone: wait minute, please, till
my friend gets a pencil and some paper.
just know this must be an awful bother
to you, but we have all tried to tell by
time tables when trains go and we never
L
some day and get you to teach me to tell
time on a time table.
Say why do they put all those stars
and funny marks on time tables? l have
thought that if they were just plain Eng
lish / might understand them. 1t always
seems to me that when find train that
want there a note saying 1t doesn't run
except on Sundays and doesn't stop any
where but Pittsburg or Chicago, or some
ot her foolish MIA 90 That nohody ever wants
to 60"
Then to Helen "The pencil is in the
drawer, l think, and the paper is in the
box with the red ribbon bow on the side.
How do you like the lavender sachet in
the drawer? just love lavender. 1t isn't
popular perfume any more, but it's so
delicate and always makes me think of
| the things you read in old books. Here,
Helen, you come hold the telephone and
! I'll get the paper and pencil
! Again into the receiver: Excuse me a
minute, pelase: my friend can't find the
pencil but she'll hold the telephone"
| In five minutes the voice returns. NOV.
Mr. Informer, If you'll read off those
trains again my friend will write than
] down. I'm SO sorry to keep you waiting,
Dbut my little sister has been in my desk
and has turned everything topsy turvy,
| so | had to borrow a pencil out OF ma $
desk and then had to get my brother TO
sharpen it. Now, are you ready, Helen
You can't write with the paper up against
the wall like that; go over to the window
| SILL that's it: fine,''
morning trains had been transmitted.
called back one at a time, repeated to
Helen, called back to the voice and
thence to No. 8 for Notifications and
finallys set down. Then the paper was
brought to the voice, read to No. ,