German Empire 201 



movable hook, as otherwise the bell cannot be rung ; but this is not in the 

 specific directions for obtaining a connection.] 



Operation 2. A turns the crank of his magneto ' slowly and 

 at most once.' 



[The instructions are emphatic as to the necessity of ringing slowly and 

 only once, 'in order not to hurt any officers or subscribers.' It seems that 

 some of the instruments are arranged so that people handling them are apt to 

 get their bodies into circuit, and that when the magnetos were first put in, 

 divers subscribers were unwittingly almost electrocuted by their friends. One 

 is said to have gone to answer a call from a debtor whom he was pressing for 

 payment and received a shock, which for a time he persisted in regarding as 

 intentional and designed to close the account even more summarily than he 

 was proposing to do.] 



Operation 3. A takes off the second telephone and applies it 

 to his other ear. 



[The Berlin telephones weigh nearly two pounds each.] 



Operation 4. Fraulein (answering ring) : ' Here office.' 

 [The operators are habitually addressed as ' Fraulein. '] 



Operation 5. A (who has all the time kept both phones to 

 his ear) : '9014, Verwaltung des Ritterguts.' 



[The subscribers are directed to state the number and name of the person 

 they want.] 



Operation 6. Fraulein : ' Please call.' 



Operation 7. A hangs up one phone, keeping the other to his 

 ear. 



Operation 8. He turns his crank 'slowly and at most 

 once.' 



[As it is the left phone he must hang up, and is instructed to keep the 

 other to his ear, he is necessarily compelled to turn the crank with his left 

 hand.] 



Operation 9. B : 'Here Verwaltung des Ritterguts; who 

 there ? Please answer.' 



[Subscribers are recommended to close every remark with the words 

 ' please answer ' until they reacn the final one, which should be followed by 

 ' finished.'] 



Operation 10. A takes off his second phone and commences 

 talk. " 



