Year: 1877

! The almost miraculous inventor o1


the telephone has naturally given rise to


numerous telegraph stories. The latest


and most interesting of these is told by


the Operator, concerning the sending OF
| a dog by telegraph. Norwalk, Connec-
| ticut, is credited with being the locality
! One day last week gannt, slab-sided


chap, with particles of hay-see on his
coat and in his tow-colored hair, stepped


up to the telegraph Office at the depot


and asked if the boss was in The ope-
/ ator assured him that he was, and his
| rural friend went on to relate that he
! lived up in Danbury, and had come
! down from there that morning, and in
! tended bringing his brothers dog, which


man in Norwich wanted to buy, but
| had forgotten it, and wanted to know if
the dog could be sent from there by
| telegraph. The man of lightning see
| ing good chance for a little fun, at


once answered


Certainly, sir that is a matter of
| daily occurrence. All that is necessary
for you to do is to give me description
OF the dog, so that no mistake can be


made call again in about half an hour,
and the dog will be here"


at is yellow dog, with small ears,
and is about so high" said the granger,
placing his hands 1S inches from the
floor. He then took his departure with
the remark that he would call again
soon. The operator then sent his messen-
ger boy to look for dog as near the de-
scriptiOn as possible. which he soon sue
ceeded in finding. 1t was at once
brought to the operators desk and Sc
cured by means of q piece of telegraph
wire. After a little coaxing the dog
was made to lie quietly down, and ev-
erything was in readiness for our rural
friend. Punctually to the time appoint
ed he made an appearance, and asked
if the dog had come.


II will see," said the operator, and
stepping up to the instrument he tapped
n few times on the KEY, at the same
inserting his legs under the desk, he
managed to step on the dogs toes, which
caused the canine to yelp. "Ah! he's
coming" said the operator, and then
tapping more furiously on the key, he
at the same time kicked the dog clean
from under the table, who not relishing
this kind of treatment, barked furiously
ran around the office with the wire at
tached to his neck. Fifty cents, SIR"
said the operator, turning round to the
countryman. uncommon NICE dog
must he worth $50 but he is the hard
est dog l ever received over the wires
he is so muscular, you see, that he broke
the wire, in fact d piece of it is now at
tached to his neck, which he broke off u


During the whole of thiz operation
the cOuntryman gaZed on with eyes wide
open and tull of surprise; but when the
dog came from under the table and was
seen by the countryman, that was the
eliminating point and he was struck with
amazement. After looking at the dog
a moment or so, he said: ''Say, mister,
he amt so big as he was, and he is dark
er; how is that ~


'Oh, that is easily explained" said
the OPERATOR; you see the chemicals
employed in making electricity of
course darken his original color, and
the velocity with which he passed over
the wire caused him to contract in size;
but after you expose him to the air for
a short time he will soon assume his orig
nal size and color"


''Du tell p said the countryman, and,
placing so cents on the counter, picked
up the dog, and walked out of the office,
that 1.-THE man who invented
them telegraphs must be very knowl
man."