Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-16
By Telephone.

possessed S1Fl. WHO sIeppeu IIoH III
fancy into discreet maidenhood with
out any intermediate period of
thoughtlessness, though this was
doubtless due in a measure to cir
cumstances. She was the younger
of two children the elder, brother
who was wild, broke his invalid
mothers heart, and ran away from
home many years before. So joan
| ma nuTsed her mother, directed the
household, and then, as her father
gradually became more and more in
temperate in his habits, she grew
into the habit of doing his work for
him. He had been for years the
editor of monthly magazine, which,
though not wonderfully popular, paid
its publishers. well. Mr.. Lisle ex-
cused himself from doing his work
at the office saying his sight was
failing, and his daughter acted as his
amanuensis: and though Mr.. Adams,
the publisher, a shrewd but rather
illiterate man, knew how matters
stood, he forbore complaining, for
he was satisfied with the articles fur
nished. Joanna wrote readily, and
she had for some time the benefit of
her fathers experience. When at
last both parents died, her mother S
decease FASTENED by grief and her
fathers intemperance, she applied to
Mr.. Adams for the position of edl-
tress.
She obtained it at a smaller salary
than her father received; besides,
she was to spend six hours each day
at the office. Mr.. Adams had been
too much confined under the old
regime. His magazine was printed
at large establishment few blocks
distant, and, except on mailing days,
he kept but one boy in his office; so
for the sake of convenience, a tele-
phone connected his sanctum with
the printing office. AT first Mr..
Adams watched Joanna sharply !;
but she succeeded admirably with
her work, for she was capable, clever
and willing and by-and-by he fell
into the habit of leaving her in pos
session of his sanctum the greater
portion of the time, as, except his
advertising, to which he personally
attended, his business was chiefly
transacted by letter and through the
telephone. It was a part of Joanna's
duty to direct the printers through
the telephone. At first she was a
trifle timid, but she soon came to use
it naturally, and to think nothing
about it. Her conversation was
chiefly with the foreman of the print
ing office, but one day when the bell
rang, and she went to answer its
call, she heard strange but pleasant
voice ask:
ssIs that you, Adams p
ssMr. Adams is absent" she re-
piled.
s'Is the editor in p
Eyes, I edit the magazine now"
"sThen you will do quite as we'll.
Is the copy for the next monthly
nearly ready?''
''It is quite ready. Shall l send
it over?"
GAS soon as convenient, please"
''Is that all %
"All, except it may be well to
introduce ourselves, to shorten mat
| ters when we speak through the
phone. am Niven, the printer"
"And / am Joanna Lisle."
II reeollect seeing your name at
tached to an occasional story in this
and other magazines. Are you 8
relative of the former editor?"
Ellis daughter.
'sThanks, Miss Lisle. Good morn
ingp'
Joanna bundled the copy togethel
and dispatched it at once, feeling ;
little interested in knowing wha
manner of man Mr.. Niven could be
He conversed fuently through thu
telephone, and his voice was tina
of gentleman.
AS for Mr.. Niven, he waited 70
the copy in person. Jim, Mr.. Adams
office boy, soon arrived with it.
| "Why, Jim,'' said he, s'you'r
growing to be a prompt messenger
and you are looking unusually It'd,
this morning.
"Oh," replied Jim, pleased t.
hear the improvement in his appear
ance, remarked, II allus look s,
now. Miss Lisle is awful neat, ant
she don't like dirty boys around" :"
but isn't Mr.. Adams neat, too?''
; "Well, I 'spose so; but he's rath
er sassy to me and Miss Lisle amt
I has to do the work the way h
wants it, or he'd bounce me; but a
to keepin' neat, I'm doin' that fe
Miss Lisle.''
Mr.. Niver slipped a coin in th
poy's hand and dismissed him. The
he looked over the copy, curiously q
first !; but growing more interested
. he read several articles to the close
Miss Lisle had clear, sweet voice
she wrote gracefully and well, an
she was not sassy to Jim. Ho
1 strange, he was becoming anxious
know her, when usually he was ratl
t er Indifferent to women. Perhaps
aftar oil cha woe n ulaiu- looEiuU al