The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-10-16


came, the instrument was put In and
mother sent for "the giYls' to receive
Missy (she was the eldest, and manned
for Aunt Artemisia) went boldly up to
it and took hold of the receiver as she
have .grasped the lanyard of q
loaded cannon Jane, Nan and Il
crowded around and listened eagerly
to the words of the oracle. It all
sounded very easy, and Missy's first
essay. under the guidance Of the man,
was successful.
Remember" said he, .'two taps
calls Central Office; four is your call.
When some one is using the wire, the
BANNER will fly back, and n tap
means the line is free again. And,
above all, don't shout"
This was delightful; we now felt we
had a 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 hurry-"They'd never get
it here in time,n put in@Lulu, who
seemed sulky-or to invite any one we
might want Unexpectedly. All the time
we were talking we were, interrupted at
intervals by the sharp tap of the bell,
and we would stop and count eagerly,
hoping for our number; but four never
came, and we would begin to talk
again, when-"Harkr!n someone would
say, and 'ting-ting-ting-ting-ting
ti~ng-ting'' would go the bell. "Ting-
ting" a pause, and the same thing re-
peated; silencefor a while; conversation
resumed; then, with a s~uddenness which
made us jump, n sharp stroke.
"Ah, 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 1923" had been
holding with some one.
We afterward found out that ..23n
was Dyke House. That night we could
hardly sleep for thinking of our new
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
.sWhat forpo she did not answer. But
,1e knew, and shared her feeling, Jane
and I. though Lulu went into q fit of
laughter which necessitated her sitting
down on the second stop from the top,
| where we left her i'm the dark. She
thought she would stay, she said, to
keep the telephone company. She was
oE-s 1l1IE 49, Il .-.I1
a 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. 20, my
dears.n she said, I'll 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, q reflection of
mothers stateliness took her place at
the transmitter. Jane, Nan and 1
crowded around open-mouthed. Auntie
lowered ~nervously in the background;
to her the thing had something un-
cannys Her feelings had undergone a
change since the previous night. Not
for worlds would she have been alone
with it in the dark.
tsCall theG Central of1iee.n said mother.
(She could never be induced to say,
aRing up Central Office. n9@Missy rang
twice and listened. the receiver at her
ear: Presently her face frightened;
she heard something: .tHello!" she
said. sis that Central Officer This is
Mccartney of Dannemora." She lis
| tened again. ssWhatp" she said, with
a puzzled face. 81 don't hear.".eA
pause. Hello" said Missy. Pause
again; the bell rang f~uriously. "Hel-
io-o-o.' said Missy.
; "Ring again." said mother.
This went on for ten minutes. mother
directing. Missy ringing, helloing,
getting red in the face, and losing her
dignity, with no result. At last the
hammer flew 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 reqested to be left
alone with it-as if it had been a corpse
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 go to market.
Auntie was alarmed andsretired to her
room, where she faltered, half in and
half out of the door, anxious to hear,
yet afraid to be too close. sit might
explode" we heard her murmur. Then
/ tried. l. thought / was cooler than
the others, who were red and excited,
and beginning to accuse each other OF
not doing it right. So | advanced with
easy confidence, rang twice and
listened. There was q sound as of the
distant sea, and presently a smothered
.'tap-tap-tap-tap,'' which came on my
livery ear-drum, and made me jump.
"Nowwhat'st the matterpp saidMissy,
Grossly.
Nothing" said I, Indignantly.
"Hello!" said a voice in my a al
the same instant.
.Ehp o, hellor"I cried to the trans.
mitter. gE &aiass 9&
"Nothing?" said the voice again.
"G~ood-by.7 -
The roaring recommended. I rang
again, despairingly, and heard a faint
hello. But it was no use. As I began
to talk again, Mrs. Orme's unmistak.
able shrill tones informed me family
that '.Mr. Orme had gone to m-m.
m-m-" The line was occupied. ]
gave up in despair; was met by sneers
recriminations ensued; tears followed
Missy fiounced; aunty gently closed hel
door.
Just then Lulu entered, rosy and
radiant from a walk on the cliff in the
sharp October wind. For a wonder she
did not laugh at us. but spoke in un'
usually gentle tones.
what! going up to town, motheri
| IVhu don't Won uSa the alenhQn 2N