A comic illustration shows a woman in a red hat and blue dress holding a horse's bridle at left, a man in a red hat seated at right, and a red calf between them. The printed caption plays on a telephone exchange joke: "Hello Central, give me 711!" followed by "Ring off, the line is busy!" The operator's reply tells the caller to hang up. In 1907, asking a switchboard operator for a number was routine, and shared party lines, especially in rural areas, made a busy signal a familiar annoyance.
Cream stock, two-color (blue and red) print with visible halftone dots; heavy staining, foxing and creases; no border. Postmark: DURBIN W.VA. APR 23 4 AM 1907. Undivided back ('THIS SIDE IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE ADDRESS'). 1c Franklin stamp; light soiling and edge wear; pencil dealer marks '113' and '5.00' at top.
Cite this card
Comic horse and calf, telephone joke, Durbin, WV, 1907, postcard, c. 1907. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/comic-horse-and-calf-telephone-joke-durbin-wv-1907. Accessed November 3, 2026.
