Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12

we do not realize the trihing
annoyanceS that we are in
flicting upon others.
It's particularly apparent in
the use Of the telephone. one
of our modern inventions
which can be most useful and
at the same time the most
infuriating of them all.
I receive a deluge OF pet
peeves" to do with this instru-
ment. Let's pick a few at ran
dom and let whomever the
shoe fits. wear it.
You dial a number; you may
be pressed for time. You hear
the receiver come off the hook.
it's probably dropped once or
twice in the bargain. Finally.
a small voice comes over the
wire with what only a doting
mother could recognize as
Hello" At long last. when
your evaporation is almost
beyond control. the mother
comes to the phone to explain
sweetly, THAT was Junior;
wasn't he cute?" What you
are thinking is best left unsaid.
Excuse Yourself
Do you punctuate q phone
conversation with side remarks
to children or others in the
room with you? 1t Is some
times unavoidable to ask
please excuse me for q mo-
ment while I get Susie out Of
the refrigerator" but don't
try to do both things at the
same time. Hang up and call
back rather than leave q per-
son dangling on the line while
you rescue Susie.
Are you a telephone comic?
Do you ever telephone and be-
gin with Guess who this ISL"
Or do you try to be funnier
still by assuming someone
else's name or accent? l am
sure you don't, but whenever
you're the victim of such a
telephone pest. even if it's your
best friend. I think you have
every right to hang up in his
ear. It's an inexcusable af-
front to the recipient of the
call.
Are you guilty of any Of the
following time-wasters?
The person who never has a
paper and pencil handy to
write down a message?
The one who pulls away
from the phone and can
scarcely be heard and has to
be asked repeatedly to speak
louder, or even worse, the one
who bellows into the mouth
piece?
Do You Slam Receiver?
When you accidentally get
a wrong number, do you slam
up the receiver on the poor
person on the other end who
is courteously trying to give
you the number you have called
so you won't make the mis-
take again?
Do you save time by giving
your name as soon as the
phone is answered, saying
This is Mrs. Green calling,
may I speak to Mrs. Smith,"
Do you ever answer the in
quiry. "Is Mrs. Jones there?"
with the answer. yes, do you
wish to speak to her?" This al
ways makes me furious. Why
would I ask for her If I didn't
wish to speak to her?
Do you ever CURLY say who
is this?" to the unfortunate
who happens to answer your
call? If you do, you shouldn't.
Not only is it a very annoying
approach but its downright
rude.
Summing it up, it all boils
down to thought Of the other
fellow, and I am afraid we are
all a little inclined to censure
some of the telephone habits
Of our friends, not realizing
that perhaps we carelessly are
guilty of some Of the same
irritating faults ourselves.
@. Will you kindly discuss
In your newspaper articles the
proper etiquette on ANNOUNCE
ing engagements to persons
who are already married. Re-
Gently it was announced that
a famous television star was
visiting his fiance in Holly
wood. 1t stated that their
marriage was to take place
soon. AS she is still very much
married to someone else (Won't
be divorced for some time to
Gomez I thought it rather Pc
culiar that she should be re-
ferred to as a "fiance." Maybe
I am old-fashioned or some
thing? What do you think?
MRS. M. B.
A. If you are old-fashioned.
so am I. 1t would seem to be
extremely poor taste to an
nounce the intent to marry
someone who is still married
to another person. Much bet
ter to wait until divorce
disolves the first marriage.
Waiting a decent length of
time, too. ! might add.
@. I am attending a lunch
con next week at which one of
the woman Representatives
will be present. How do speak
to her? Do I call her Rep
resentative Dow" or Con
gresswoman Dow"?-MRS. j.
L. N.
A. Neither. She is spoken
to simply as Mrs. Dow" or
Miss Dow" whichever the
case may be. Only when pre-
senting someone to her would
you say, for example, Repre-