AN AWKWARD MISTAKE WITH THE TELEPHONE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1477, 22 June 1881, Page 2

AN AWKWARD MISTAKE WITH THE TELEPHONE.

" All is not gold that glitters," says an old proverb ; and it would appear, from an alarming venture recontly undergone by a young married couple, that even the telephone, benefactor to mankind as it is generally acknowledged to be, has its drawbacks. The union of Edwin and Angelina, although it lasted nearly 12 months, had been one of unmitigated happiness ; and a few weeks ago its felicity had been enhanced by what is conventionally termed " an auspicious event." The baby, however, proved inveterately vocal during those hours of the night which, in wellregulated households, are usually devoted to repose. Edwin and Angelina, after some experience of thiß infantile peculiarity, resolved to relegate their too wakeful blessing to a remote apartment, where, under the care of a trusty nurse, it might scream comfortably, if sach were its pleasure, from sunset to snnrise without disturbing its parents' slumbers. In case, however, some emergency of paramount importance should call for Angelina's preseoce in the nnraery during the night that room was connected with the nnptial chamber by a telephonic apparatus. Peace, as they fondly believed, being thus re-

stored to their coach, Edwin and Angelina were sleeping sditrtdly dn the very first night after this arrangement had been completed) when baby's piercing shriek?) seemingly produced ih imnle° diate proximity to their ears, suddenly aroused them. Looking round in terrified astonishment; they perqeived their treasure to be conspicuous by its absence, and hurried off to the nursery* where they found baby crying with all its might into the mouthpiece of the telephone, which nurse, unfamiliar with tile capacities of" that ingenious transmitter of sound, had handed to the irritated infant « to play with," in the hope of pacifying its untimely emotion;