The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-06-26
Telegraph
Joke !.
By SARAH BAXTER

comic episodes that have occurred be-
tween telegraph operators. refer more
particularly to those Of the opposite
sex. I have been a telegraph operator
for twenty years, and l 4 a count five
marriages between operators that I
know of personally. And three OF
these began by the sending of mes
sages between persons who had never
seen each other. ~
When l was a young man l was To-
Gated at a railroad station In q quiet
place where there was no recreation
whatever. 1 spent most Of my time
in the office, and in order to get away
with the time when L was not busy
kept books there. read everything
l could get to read and even then
there were times when l was hungry
for something to do. One evening l
was called on for some information
about a train by an operator some dis
lance down the road and, being par
ticularly lonesome, asked If there was
anything going on "at your station"
I was dying for something to break
the monotony of my existence, and If
there was a ball OF a barn dance l
would run over by the next train.
My correspondent replied that there
was nothing on hand for that evening,
but there would be a dance in Aeolian
hall in a few days. I asked If he
would get me an Invitation. but he re-
piled that it was a pay dance, the
tickets being for sale to any n who
could pass the committee, and he didn't
think l would have any trouble.
l had said nothing yer the wire
about whether ! was man or woman,
nor had my correspondent. assumed
that he was a man. and he talked to
me as though he supposed me to be a
man also. But presently he said some
thing that sounded feminine. and l
wondered If l was not talking with a
woman. 1 asked to which e he belong
ed, and the reply came, "a man." But
there was a hesitancy between the "a"
and ''man" which led me tOTbelieve that
my suspicious were correct. Then it
occurred to me to say that 1 was a wo-
a
Upon this my correspondent began
to say some very gallant things to me.
Some of them were without a manly
ring and couched in phrases that a wo-
man rather than a man would use. l
replied, using as feminine language as
I could command. and I flatter myself
I was veHF. successful. Then came a
request for my photograph, and I con-
scented to an exchange. I have a num-
Der Of pictures Of relatives and friends
and sent one Of my sisters, who had
the name Of being a very pretty girl.
1 received one of a fairly good looking
young man. Then my correspondent
and I INDUCED in any quantity of fat
terry, he telling me that I was pretty
enough to kiss and I telling him that
he was 'just too handsome for any
thing"
After several days. with occasional
chats over the wire, l was still uncer-
tain whether I was emitting with a
man or a woman. As. to my CORE
spondent, l couldn't infer from any
thing he said that he didn't believe me
to be a woman. He invited me to 60
with him to the dance in Aeolian hall.
and l accepted the invitation with
thanks. He asked what train | would
come on and promised to have q CAR
riage at the station to take me to the
dance. I took a lady friend into my
confidence. and she wrote out a num-
Der Of questions for. me to ask my
correspondent as to how l should ar
ray myself.
When the evening came round .t~got,
myself up in the best clothes I had and
provided myself with a bouquet. II ms
correspondent should turn out to be a
man our episode would have little sa-
vor; II he were a woman 1t would be
interesting. / wondered If he were in
doubt about my sex and how. IL a wo-
man. she would receive me. My train.
arrived at the station at = p. m.. and
the dance was to begin at $50. AZ:
the train drew up to the station I saw
from the window several girls in their
best dresses standing together on the
platform. One in the center OF the
group held a bouquet. I made up my
mind at once that my correspondent
was a girl and the one with the bou.
quet. II she expected a girl she would
not be looking out for one. I alighted
from the train and walked right past
the group. none Of them taking any no.
tice Of me. but still on the lookout.
It was evident to me that they ex-
pected one Of their own sex upon
whom they would have the laugh. l
stepped up to them, my hat in one
hand and my bouquet in the other. and
asked the center one II she were ex-
pecting me. The look Of surprise on
her face gave way before I twinkle
in my eye to one Of defeat; then the
whole party broke into q laugh. ]
handed the center figure my bouquet
and accepted hers. !.
you've lost, Kit!'' cried one. Of the
girls, and the rest followed with good.
natured .tauntA S
II have carriage for you. - ! prom
ised,' = said KIT Gomez