Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1898 — BROUGHT TO TERMS. [ARTICLE]

BROUGHT TO TERMS.

Teaching a Boorish Operator a Le** ■an. A lack of ordina.-y courtesy is one of the most troublesome things a traveler can encounter, and It would be well, perhaps, if all travelers were as pleasantly persistent in insisting upon their rights as the man In this story, which is taken from Every Where; A commercial traveler wanted to know if the train was late, and ventured to ask the operator in the' ticket office. “Dawnaw,” replied the gentleman of the keys, meaning, probably, ‘T don’t know.” “But I am told it Is an hour and a half late,” persisted tin* traveler, smiling. “You surely can teU me if that Is true.” “Dawnawnathawnboutut,” r e plied the knight of the sounding board, turning the back of his head to the questioner. “But it Is highly desirable that I should know,” said the gatherer of orders, still more pleasantly. “I can make three business calls in that hour and a half, and still have fifteen minutes’ margin. Don’t you think you had better find out for me? It will take you only a minute or two, you know.” “Flnownothn,” replied the lightning manipulator, probably meaning, "Find out nothing,” and he began reading the advertisement columns of a daily paper, paying no more attention to his questioner. “This Is a commercial as well ns a rniroad telegraph office?" asked the traveler. stUl in the blandest tones. “Yah,” replied the operator, meaning “Yes.” “A telegraph blank, please.” The document was half thrown at him. He wrote a message and handed it back, with money to pay for It. The operator commenced reading It, hitting the words one by one with his, pencU to count them. Before he was 1 half done he ceased hitting and looked up at the writer. “Good sakes, man, I can’t send this!” he exclaimed, giving this time each word its full sound. “I’d lose my position.” “And you’ll lose it if you don’t send It, I fear,” replied his amiable tormentor, syinpathizingly. “Y'ou have no right to hold it back a minute.” The operator read it over again. It ran; “Superintendent Railroad: Will you kindly teU me how many minutes late train No. - is? It is important that I should know, and your operator here refuses to inform me.” “Look here, now!” exclaimed the operator, ignoring his newspaper and everything else except the traveler. “I really wish you wouldn't insist on sending this. I think I must be somewhat in the wrong, and I—l—beg your pardon. I Can find out for you in two minutes.” “Yes; I thought perhaps you could,” replied the other, returning the money to his poeket and putting on the sweetest smile of the day, in which he was joined by several bystanders, while the operator fairly exuded information.