The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-16

| QUINN AulbiNC SldECSS dCTOSS the aisle
before she disappeared into q corner of
the tall, green lined box which we
called our pew.
w recollected some "sweethearting"
which had taken place years before, at
an age when sweetmeats were as i'm
pOrtant as love affairs, and we laughed
q little among ourselves. but We
did not mention the Somerindvkes be-
fore mother or aunty; and little Miss
Lulu, though the youngest, had way
OF being let alone, so no aliusion was
made to her bushes. And next morning,
the interdict being raised, we began
again to talk telephone. The man
came, the instrument was put in and
mother sent for 1.-THE girls to receive
instructions.
Missy (she was the eldest, and named
for Aunt Artemisia) went boldly up to
it and took hold of the receiver as she
might have grasped the lanyard of a
loaded cannon Jane, Nan and L
crowded around and listened eagerly
TO the words of the 5rac!e. 1t all
sounded vosy easy, and Missy's first
essay, under the guidance OF the man,
was successful.
Remember" said he. 1.-TWO taps
calls Central Office; four is your call.
When some one is using the wire, the
hammer viii fly back, and one tap
means the line is free again. And,
above all, don't shout"
This was delightful; we now felt we
had link with the outer world. We
sat up late that night discussing it. So
| nice in case of Sudden illness or fire, or
if we had unexpected company and
wanted something from the confec-
toner's in q hurry They'd never get
it here in time" put in Lulu, who
seemed sulky-or to invite any one we
might want unexpectedly. All the time
we were taking we were interrupted at
intervals by the sharp tap OF, the bell,
and VIC would stop and count eagerly,
hoping for our number; but four never
came, and we would begin 10 talk
again, when.-"Harkr' some one would
say, and ting -ting-ting ting-ting
ting-ting" would go the bell. Ting
ting" pause, and the same thing re-
peated; silence for while; conversation
resumed then. with a suddenness which
made us jump, one sharp strUke.
'sAh, the line is clear, SAID Missy.
with an air OF superior wisdom, and
Lulu laughed. They seemed busy that
evening. We sat up late, but the little
bell kept up its rapid strokes, and the
last sound we heard as we went laugh
ing and chattering up to bed was the
single stroke which denoted the close
of a long conversation co. had been
holding with some enc.
We afterward found out that "25''
was Dyke House. That night we could
hardly sleep for thinking of our new
inmate; it seemed like sort of friendly
live thing, and we almost regretted
having to leave it alone downstairs in
the dark. Indeed. auntie suggested
leaving the staircase lamp burning, but
when mother rather sharply asked her
What for?" she did not answer. But
aCe knew, and shared her feeling, Jane
and |, though Lulu went into fit of
laughter which necessitated her sitting
down on the second step from the top,
where we lett her in the dark. She
thought she would stay, she said, to
keep the telephone company. She was
a queer child. Jane and lay awake
long time talking about the telephone
and the wonders of science, until, be-
coming possessed with the idea that we
heard the bell, we got out OF bed and
went tiptoeing to the top Of the stairs.
At the foot we saw another light and
another eager face-aunty's. 80, my
dears." she said, IL thought heard
the telephone call"
Next morning came the important
moment. Mother had decided to do
the marketing by telephone. Missy
came down, and with a reflection of
mothers statelinesS took her place at
the transmitter. Jane, Nan and l
crowded around open-mouthed. Auntie
lowered nervOusly in the background;
to her the thing had something I'M
canny. Her feelings had undergone a
change since the previous night. Not
for worlds would she have been alone
with it in the dark.
Call the Central Office, said mother.
(She could never be induced to say,
''Ring up Central Ofiice.") Missy rang
twice and listened, the receiver at her
ear. Presently her face frightened;
she heard something: "Hellor' she
said as that Central Office? This is
Mccartney of Dannemora" She lis
tened again. WHAT" she said, with
puzzled face. Il don't hear. 4
pause. Hello" said Missy. Pause
again; the bell rang furiously. "HeI-
loco" said Missy.
'sRing again" said mother.
This went on for ten minutes, mother
directing. Missy ringing, helloing,
orot+;,,cr rod IN tho fooa and lOS;no- bn-
dignity, with no result. At last the
hammer few back, the line was blocked,
and wondering and impatient, we sat
down to our work, listening for the
Single tap. When it came, we all
started up, but Missy reIeSted to be left
alone with it-as if it had been a corpse
and we sat down again. Then en-
sued fifteen minutes more of ringing
and helloing. with no, success: ''Do
let me try" ventured Nan, the boldest
of us, except Lulu, and Missy gave
place to her unwillingly. Ten minutes
! OF unavailing efforts on Mans part re-
suited in disgust and Impotence. Jane
tried-in vain. Mother grew angry
and put on her bonnet TO 90 to market.
| Auntie was alarmed and retired to her
room, where she faltered, aalf in and
half out of the door, anxious to hear,
vet afraid to be too close. 1T might
explode" we heard her murmur. Then
l tried. l thought l was cooler. than
the others, who were red aud excited,
and beginning to accuse each other of
not doing it right. SO advanced with
! easy confidence, rang twice and
listened. There was sound as of the
distant sea, and presently a smothered
.'tap-tap-tap-tap," which came on my
very ar-drum, and made me jump.
''Now what's the matter" said Missy,
/ orocSlv-