The Telegraph Operator’s Story

Very few people know much about telegraphing, how it is done, or what strange things sometimes happen over the wires. So strange that I often wonder that no one ever writes a story about them. Such a story could be written, a true story, but a very thrilling one nevertheless. People like you, who live in cities, only see down stairs in an office, and know nothing of the actual operators. All you see is an office with a couple of clerks, each of whom has a pen in each hand, one behind each ear, and another in his mouth, to show you how busy he is, telegrams going up a miniature dumb-waiter and coming down the same, and small boys, more or less dirty and noisy, who, on receiving these telegrams, start off with deceptive haste, which moderates as soon as they are fairly out of sight. A messenger never walks unless he has an important message. On all other occasions he arrives at an awe-inspiring trot, which impels you to bestow sixpence upon him. But of the actual operator you know but little. He is of all men most mysterious. His name is generally Mac, occasionally Jim. No one knows where he lives. He knows a fellow called Bill in Chicago, who gets a hundred and ten dollars. He carries a photograph of a female with him, but he always calls her a “gal.” If he does not wear a slouched felt hat, he luxuriates in a painful beaver.

I couldn’t explain so that you would understand me how it is… Read More