Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1889 — Too Slow. [ARTICLE]

Too Slow.

The first electric telegraph was put in operation between Baltimore and AX ashington, in 1845, Congress having appropriated eight thousand dollars to keep it running for one year, as an experiment. Of the many amusing incidents of those early days, one of the best is the following, which used to be related by Professor Morse himself: A pretty little girl tripped into the XX ashingtou office, and after a great deal of hesitation and coloring, asked how long it would take to send to Baltimore. Mr. Morse looked at the pretty questioner with much interest as he answered : “One second.” “Oh, how delightful!” exclaimed the girl, her eyes glistening with rapture. “One second only! Here, send this even quicker if yon can;” aud Mr. Morse found in his hand a neatly folded, gilt-edged note, the very perfume and shape of which told a volume of love. “I cannot send this note,” said Mr. Morse; “it is impossible.” “Oh, do, do!” implored the distracted girl. “I have had a quarrel with William, and I shall die if he doesn’t know in a second that I forgive him—l know I shall.” “As Mr. Morse still objected to sending the note, the girl asked: “Will yon send me on?” “Perhaps it would take your breath away to travel forty miles an hour,” said a clerk, trying not to smile. “Oh, no, it won’t—no, it won’t, if it carries me to XX’illiam.” “You could go by train to-morrow.” “But the cars are so slow.” Mr. Morse now comprehended the girl’s mistake, and attempted to explain the process of carrying words along the wires. The girl listened for a few moments, then rolled her burning note into a ball and thrust it into her pocket. “It’s too slow, too slow, and my heart will break before William knows I forgive him; and you are a cruel man, Mr. Morse, that you won’t let me travel by the telegraph to see William.” “I am very sorry.” The girl left the office in tears.