A TALE OF A TELEPHONE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXV, Issue 1942, 19 June 1905, Page 2

A TALE OF A TELEPHONE.

-There is no doubt that sometimes the sensitiveness of the telephone is attended by some slight inconvenience. For instance, the other day a person complained that he heard too well through the telephone He had sent word to his banker that he was coming to the city, and wished to inspect some securities which the banker had in his keeping. He was standing at the telephone having sent the message through, when he heard the manager say quite distinctly, 'that fellow ! he is always bothering us about his securities •!' 'And such observations as these,' he said, 'are rather unpleasant to hear.' "But, of course," continued our informant, "these are slight inconveniences which are inseparable from the fact that by the telephone you virtually place your ear at the extreme end of a wire which may be five or a hundred miles distant from your head. Everything that a telephone hears it transmits with the fidelity of the ear itself. Sometimes this is very convenient. For instance the other day a subscriber wished to purchase a. large quantity of sugar. He telephoned to a well-known firm to inquire the price. 'Twenty-seven shillings,' was the reply. 'No, I will give you 265. 6d.' said he, and then listening he heard one of the firm say to his partner, 'Shall we take it ?' 'Yes, said the partner, 'but t-ry to screw another threepence c*t of him.' Then loudly through the telephone : *My partner says 2<3s. 9d. is the lowest we can afford.' 'lndeed,' came the answer? 'why I heard him say trv to screw another threepence | out of me. No, no ; 28s. Gd. ia the i price,' and so it was."