The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-06-10
LOVE BY TELEGRAPH.

had never met, however, except electrl-
cally, and were total strangers to each
other till one New Years morning, when
it occurred to Miss Pearl to send the fol-
lowing telegram to her nearest neighbor
and fcllow-laborer: "To Lucy Lorillard-
n happy Ncw-Year. Pearl Silverly''-
partly because she was idle, as hers was
Il branch route, with very little business
and less pay, and partly because she
was in need of friend and friendly
word. She had lately been in the habit
of amusing herself wondering if this
Lucy Lorillard found life pleasant, had
father, mother, lovers and friends, and
was like herself in nothing but in being
Il telegraph operator.
The answer returned promptly:
Thanks. The same to you, and more
also. If wishes were horses, etc"
"Rathcr slangy," thought Pearl, " but
gool-naturcd. l guess she has broth
or at home" Aud SO the ice, once
thawcd, had no chance to stiffcn again
after this. There was little business, as
l said, going over the lines from Jones'
Station to Ninevch, and, as the operator
at the last-named place seemed likewise
to have unlimited leisure on hand, the
two held frequent electrical tetea-tetes,
and Pearl began to feel as if she had
known Lucy Lorillard from infancy-as
if they had gone to school arm in arm
and learned their lessons from the same
book.
Pearls home, if it deserved the name,
was in her uncle's family, where there
were three cousins and an aunt, but no
uncle now; home where she hardly
felt at home, where she enjoyed no com
panionship, where she was pcrpctually
harasscd and annoyed, where her opin-
ions were ridiculcd, and her sentiments
and tastes received no sympathy; home
where there was no room for expansion
except in the way of ng-sutfering
and bearing all things" She always had
4 dread of returning to this roof-trce at
night, a sort of ecstasy at leaving it in
the morning, especially after this new
friendship had begun to coruscate across
her days. To be sure, she ate her daily
bread and slept the sleep of the just at
prcd and lived at the telegraph Office,
since friendship is as much necessity
to the human being as good dinners and
soft couchcs. She could never exactly
tell how it came about, but gradually,
from exchanging pretty civilities and
peaSantrics and the news of the day
across the wires, she found herself pres
emily telling this Lucy Lorillard, upon
whom she had never set eyes, almost
everything she knew and felt and suf-
tcrcd or enjoyed, and receiving cxpe
ricnCcs and condolences and words of
comfort in return from said Lucy Loril-
lard. Nothing was too trivial and moth
ing too great for the two to discuss across
the lines between Jones Station and Min
evch, which had suddenly sprung into
remarkable activity, and which at one
time caused Lucy to remark, telegraph
ically, "Our lines have fallen in pleasant
places" while Pearl answered: "When
I am here at the office, and can rap out
Il message to you, forget who am, and
feel no longer homesick for home that
doesn't exist, and alone in the world.
You arc in my thoughts, sleeping or
waking. II it weren't for you, dear Lu-
cy, think my heart would break. No
one can tell how grateful am for your
friendship"
Lucy: "You silly puss! grateful to me,
indeed! receive a great deal more than
l give. ! am so happy that you think of
me sometimes. Keep thinking. To live
in your thoughts is kind of immortal
ity.'
Come. who's silly now? Anybody
would think we were lovers"
Lucy: $50 We arc, aren't we? Won
der if we should know each other if we
were to meet by accident"
81 should know vou, of Course-sce if
wouldn't. You've got great dark liquid
eyes, such as poets rave over, with dark
curling lashes, and a Pickering color on
your check, and thick waves of light
brown hair; you're tall and slender,
aud have fatal dimple in your chin.
There"
you've omitted my principal feature :;
otherwise you fatter my poor face and
figure"
"Oh, an aquiline nose; and, let me
add, you arc fond of perfumes and jew
els"
Il am fond of one Pearl, certainly"
" Now 1t is your turn to portray"
Lucy: well, your eyes are large and
blue, like forgct-me-nots."
"Aunt Hidden says they're like burned
holes in blanket. Don't deceive your
self"
"Your nose is Grccian."
"Ithas earned me the name of Pug at
home, however-nOt willing to contra
dict such Daniel as yourself"
"Your complexion is like the lily"
"Pad, by your leave"
"Your hair is skein Of ycllow hoss.''
"Pardon me; they call it unmitigated
red at Jones' Station; but no doubt they
are color-blind."
Sometimes they converscd in this novel
manner about the books they had read
and the journeys they would take when
their ships came in; about the music
they thirstcd to hear; about Now and
Hereafter.
cit struck me oddly the other day, u
tclegraphed Pearl, "that had never
heard your voice. Wonder if should
recognize 1t. When l listen to the
.Iraumerei,' which somebody plays next
door, lseem to hear you speaking to me. "
Lucy: "You shall hear me some day
to some purpose"
81 hope so. Would anyone believe
that a companionship between two who
had never seen each other could be SO
sweet? l sometimes fear that it's too
good to last"
Don't you ever come to Nineveh'
shopping?"
."'No; I'm too poor. don't mind tell.
ing it, because suspect you of the same
intirmity: Don't you ever comet Jones
Station?" % -
"Often-in spirit" -..-.. :
Il used to be so miserable before
knew YOU! fused TO think there couldn't
be anybody SO unhappy. The beggar
woman had her child, the old crones al
the work house were friendly with eacf
other, the humpbacked girl in the alley
had sister; and now I-have friend!
&c Friendship is love without thu
WINGS the poet says. Wouldn't YOU
rather say: I have lover?'"
"Now you're teasing. There's no lovt
worth having without friendshin for
foundation"