Excerpt from Lightning Flashes and Electric Dashes: A Volume of Choice Telegraphic Literature, Humor, Fun, Wit and Wisdom; Contributed to by All the Principal Writers in the Ranks of Telegraphic Literature, as Well as Several Well-Known Outsiders To the many thousands scattered over the entire country who are engaged or interested in the wonderful art of telegraphy, this book will probably need neither preface nor apology. To the general reader, however, into whose hand it may fall, it might be well to say that the telegraph business of late years has made such rapid progress, and the number of its votaries become so great, that the art seems to demand a literature of its own. The object of this volume is to present articles from each of the principal telegraphic writers, with a few on telegraphic subjects from well-known outsiders. While the primary object has been to make the book of especial interest to telegraphers, an endeavor has been made to avoid all technical terms and expressions not understood by those unconnected with the business. For this reason it is hoped that the book will be welcomed not only by telegraphers themselves, but also find friends among the great outside world as well. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.