It is generally said that all technology innovation is either driven by sex or quickly co-opted for sexual purposes. Apparently, at least according to this SMBC comic, the telegraph was no exception. Perhaps morse code should be a new mode option for Tens units?
As an interesting but sad historical sidenote – Samuel Morse was actually inspired to explore rapid long distance communication after his wife died and he missed her final days and burial. Heartbroken that he’d not been informed of her failing health, he set himself to create something faster than a man on a horse carrying a letter.
I didn’t know this about Morse – would make a great short story. The herbalist Culpeper actually eloped with a young lady, but she was apparently struck by lightning en route and did not make it to the chapel. You could not make this sort of stuff up.
That must have led to an awkward meeting with the ladies family afterward. They forbid the marriage, she elopes, and the heavens hit her with lightning. That’s a real ‘I told you so’.
I hadn’t heard the Morse story until I was researching this post. Made me want to ream more about his background. Library of Congress has a pretty big collection of his papers: https://www.loc.gov/collections/samuel-morse-papers/about-this-collection/
-paltego