Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/385

 Popular Science Monthly

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��Why You Could Not Get Your Man on the Wire

���The Books in the Illustration Are Holding the Receiver Off the Hook, Indicating to "Central" That the Line Is Still Busy

IT is a generally conceded fact that the telephone operator at "Central" is a \ery necessary evil designed to teach us patience; but a study of the accompany- ing illustration from a photograph by \'ai. B. Mintun, of Kansas City, Mo., may avert a few anathemas from her unsuspecting head. The picture tells its own story most effectively. It may not be invariably the reason why you cannot get in touch with the party you desire to reach by telephone, but it very often happens that carelessness in hanging up the receiver leaves the circuit still closed, as it is when the telephone is in use, indicating to Central that the line is busy. The receiver must suspend its full weight from the hook in order to leave the line open.

��A Typewriter Made Especially for the One-Armed

IX all of the belligerent countries the effort is being made to find ways and devise means by which the war- cripples may be able to support them- selves when once more well. A German has invented a t\''pcwriter that can be worked with one hand and one fool. Nor is a perfect hand required, for the writing is done by moving a lever to left and right and the only other hand- movement demanded is the grasping of the paper for insertion. The typewriter has no keyboard and the characters are

��on a type-cylinder. A number of the ordinary movements of a typewriter are produced by pedals worked by the foot. Thus the pa[)er is introduced by means of the hand and foot, and the spacing of the words is controlled by the foot, the moving upwards of the paper after a line is written is caused by the foot, and the shifting of the type-cylinder for capitals, small letters, or figures is also done by foot.

��Catering to the Feminine Patrons of the Bootblack

AX adjustable wooden apron or tray hinged to the seat of a shoe-shining chair is a new idea which will appeal to the feminine patrons of the bootblack. It may be swung from a depending position to a raised position in which it supports the skirts of the woman who is having her shoes shined and serves as a rest for the limbs as well. It also prevents the skirt from being soiled while the polishing is in prog- ress.

���The Wooden Tray Is Adjusted by a Slight Movement and Serves as a Rest for the Legs and a Protection to the Skirts

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