Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-25
A LOVE STORY IN NINA
TURE.
Probably the Shortest Romance
Ever Published in u Maya

II
Ever Published I'm u Maya
zine.
Harper's Magazine.
She parted from him with the old
hankering for something better. What
was amiss? Must il always be amiss?
Had all women this hitch, this jar, with
the men they loved? OF course she
loved him. OF course he loved her.
Why could not there be the abandon
and JOY she had always dreamed OF in
her girlhood when she read OF lovep
She was Ruth Lindsay. You would
have called her queen anywhere. Tall.
handsome, oh, go handsome!-and still
lovely; young, but strong; grave, but
cheerful; JOYOUS, but wise; loved by all
her school companions, half worshipped
by half The men. And Ruth had part
ed thus dissatisfied at heart-though
she WAS too proud TO own this from
Alfred Moshler. They had been en-
gagged now seven weeks, since they cross-
ed the ocean on the Parthia.
al will not worry any longer" said
Ruth, aloud. She girt herself for work.
She went down ~ old Mrs. Royals and
washed the baby, who needed it badly,
and aired the bed.r while Mrs. Roy
al sat over the fire. She went to the
FreCch reading, and laughed her best
aud brightest as the professor read
az Ami Inconnu." She come home
and looked around her work room for
something that would take her out OF
herself. 81 will talk with the nevis and
moles," she said. 81 will see what they
are saying"
So she lifted her telephone from the
wall, called Caesars boy Pompey, and
babe him carry the heavy plates, and
went down to her dreaming. place in the
garden. She sent Pompey away, sank
the plates herself, with her trowel, in
the border, and began to listen to the
endless sounds, which came in strange
refrain, as grass grows, and dews distill,
and crystals take form in mother earth.
She was soothed by the unrythmed
music; more aud more did it rest her,
when suddenly,
"Taap, tap, tap, tap, tap, taap-tap,
tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap-taap-
long and short, in tones no mole uses
nor root of grass, sounded the word
Dearest" to her well trained sense.
"Fine ear" himself, in the story, never
listened more absorbed. dearest.
dearest" the taps went on, answer
answer now.-Moshier. More faint,
but perfectly clear, came, 80. h. i am
here-wire open.-Your pet" "My
pet and my darling" said Moshier, in
answer, ooh, l am dead bored-say
something sweet TO me-" "Poor old
boy! poor darling dear! where has he
been?" was the telegraph girls reply.
"He has not been with his hearts de-
light, he can tell you that" tapped
Moshier. And Ruth, or Fine-ears,
threw the listening cup down upon the
ground. She was one too many in this
tetea-tete.
Moshier was an observer in the great
Tsmworth observatory. He was using
the time wire in this disgusting intrigue.
Ruth had hit upon DR.. Trowbridge's
curious discovery, by which you can
take, with the telephone, anywhere from
the ground, the "return message" as
the electricians call it. She sent her re-
turn message by mail to the faithless
Alfred as soon as she reached the house.
Her mystery was solved. He did not
love her. And she-she had been try
ing. from mere loyalty, to love him.
She wrote her proud note OF dismissal
with absolute joy.
She went to the reception at Mrs. Man.
dell's once more perfectly happy.