the Editor of the "Nonru-Cuixa Dairy New:
Sim,—To an independent observer it would seem as if some people jin Shanghai had a slight tendency grouch against their...... Telephone Ca.
T can recommend the dissatisfied jones to come to Hangchow and Practice there with the local telephone concern. They will return to the metropolis in a chastened mood.
Take for instance the case of a fire: you want naturally to notify those directly interested, but the Joperator has the joke on you. As /soon as there isa fire ina senior Jail telephones there are disconneetfed. to avoid the bore of answering silly "queries from excited subscribers.
Happily fires are not so frequent since the insurance companies have become @ little shy or have simply suspended payments. Hence let us jeast_ a glance on normal every-[day friendly relations:
You want to talk to Number 4600
Hrek! Ni men shih na i" repeated at least five times at each end; acjeording to the rites you are then permitted to ask for the number, which is boomeranged back to you for a few minutes. At last you get a reply in the shape of @ question: "And to whom may you want to speak at this number?" You give the information as politely as you feel but get another query "And what may you have to say?" [In the most unctuous voice you deliver the particulars and you may if luckly get a well deserved connexion. All complaints are covered by unpublished regulations, Enclosing my card, Tam, ete, Com AND Tay.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.