Year: 1872




! Pepper.


From the San Francisco Post
Many amusing stories have oees
told of the festive freaks of telegraph
operators, who, whenever afforded al
opportunity for the display of thei1
penchant for good joke, rarely fai
to improve It. Almost everybody has
heard Of the operator in an eastern
city, who, on hot summer day, de-
sired to borrow q chew Of tobacco from
one Of his fellows in the same room
instead Of making known his request
by word Of mouth, chose what he
deemed the least exhausting measure
Of inditing a dispatch, which, travel
ing over circuit of upwards of a
thousand miles, in abont two minutes
reached the identical Office whence it
started much to the surprise of tile
other chap, who blandly SHE'D his to-
baccO box at the head of the irrenres-
sible jokist.


1t often happens that the telegraph
ers are called into service at the rep
resentation Of stage play, in which
occurs what is known as " telegraph
scene," such as the one shown in By
ron's "Across the Continent" or
Boucicault'd "Long strike," and it is
then that the operator behind the
scenes manages to amuse himself by
talking" to the fraternity" in the
audience, unknown Of course to most
Of those present, who find no meaning
in the click /" of the instrument.
As an evidence that the operators
Of our city are not behindhand in the
matter Of having their fun, the follow
ing is related of Jim-,a well l-known
attatche of the Western Union:


During the theatrical season of last
year, the drama of "The Long Strike'
was produced at one of the theatres,
and the manipulation of the telegraph
instrument, which plays an important
part in the most important act Of the
play, Jim was engaged. His position
was such that he could see the audi
enee without being seen, and when,
upon taking his position, discovering
in the auditorium a brother operator
from Memphis, by name Pepper
who had that day arrived in town-
he determined to have a little sport
on his own account. Accordingly,
when the time came for sending the
first dispatch, Jim loudly sounded on
his machine the words, Chow are you,
Pepper 2"


The quick professional ear of Pep
per caught The words instantly, and
wondering "who the deuce it was,"
Strengthened up and stared at the
stage as if he would have given two
dollars and half to have known
something more.


"Pepper, " how's your mother
came from the instrument, and Pep
per, thoroughly mystified, turned CON
fidently to his fair partner to express
his utter astonishment at the most
singular circumstance.


AS luck would have it, the audito-
rum held quite delegation of tele-
graphers, who by this time saw Jim
was up to one of his old tricks, and
with one accord they began to look
about the theatre for Pepper.


Jim saw the effect of his expert
ment, and enjoyed himself hugely.


Pepper hadn't got through telling
his girl all about it when there came
another message.


"That won't do, old Pepper,
know you well, and you hadn It better
be fooling that confiding creature
with any soft nonsense"


This roased the telegraph boys to
the very pitch Of curiosity, and many
of them stood up, gazing longingly
about them as if their only object in
life was to discover Pepper.


Pepper felt that they knew him, and
the confusion which had been gradually
covering his handsome features, grew
into modification when he saw so
many eyes evidently leveled at him,
and at last eliminated in his with
drawal from the theatre. But Jim
was bound to give him parting shot,
and as he faded from view he heard
borne to his ears: "Good bye, Pep
per. Put your trust in Providence,
and keep your powder dry"


Those who appreciated the affair
were very much amused, and so, in
deed, was the victim himself, when,
on the following day, he learned who
had SO neatly captured him.