Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1910 — DIFFICULT CONVERSATION. [ARTICLE]

DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.

The American! traveler, as a rule, la well Informed as to all that concerns a stranger far from his own country; but he sometimes finds it difficult to understand why any other language than that of his native land should be used. Two Americans traveliiig in Germany wanted to send a telegram, and went to the office. The operator could not sepak a word of English, the Americans were ignorant of German, and after a conversation in which each party politely explained matters to the further mystification of the other, one of the Americans turned to his companion and said: "Well, Jim, take one of those blanks and write out the message. Then he’ll understand it well enough.” This "Jim” did, but the operator pushed back the paper with an amiable smile, but a convincing shake of his head. The travelers looked at each other, puzzled, but “Jim” had an idea. “I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll spell it out to him. The lunkhead can’t help but understand if the words are all spelled to him, letter by letter.” Fortunately the message was short, and the clerk listened politely, but without a sign of comprehension. He evidently considered it another peculiar development of a strange language. Seeing no signs of understanding, the men went in search of a friend who could write their message for them, and explained to him that the telegraph operator was evidently ig stupid person. “I don’t blame him for not understanding English,” said one, “but what I do blame him for is becaues he can’t tell what a word is after you’ve spelled it for him. That’s what I call more than ignorant!”