The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-18


cross "Bother" she said, when aunty
gasped out, "Firen'
i insist upon knowing what this
means, said mother.
Hello said Lulu to the transmitter.
whom do you want? What is it? Who
Inc ringing went on fast and furious
"a string of fours, string of twenty
shrees and twos, and then hundred at
least at breath.
Terhaps some children have got
nolu OF It, suggested Lulu, sulkily.
children! at two o'clock a. M"
sala mother, in whitening tone.
"Perhaps our house is on fire." said
missy, land they are ringing to warn
ITO and see" sid mother.
Nan and Lulu started on q round
through the cellats. Jane and 1 went
round the house outside looking for a
glare. All was calm, still and pitchy
dark; the unseen surf scarcely Kissed as
1t sid oil the rocks, which it struck
with a little velyety thud We re
entered the house; the telephone was
stlll ringing furiously, increasingly.
Mother had placed herself on the sofa
with the air of one who means to stay.
Aunty had reiterated to the top step,
where she sat with an eye on the open
door of her room. In voice faint
with terror she reiterated her belief in
supernatural agency. We all sat down.
For an hour, one dreary hour of bitter
:, Sy:aEember night, we sat and listened to
4 \ fii6sssS-rwSul bell. Then it died away
}gradyally, with q few spasmodic taps.
"Tks settles it," said mother; ''tO-
morrow We get one of the other bells,
which onlyrepeats our own call"
We crept Up stairs cold and cross, and
| Just as we cosed our doors final tap
made us all sart.
The new bill was put in next day,
mother experimenting the operation
with much interest, making many in
quiries, and fimlly with great dignity
sending the fist message. We were
all much moed Lulu especially
watched her with a startled face and
looked unaccounably grave. Indeed,
we soon noticed ,change in the child.
All that day and he next she was very
nervous, red anC pale by turns, and
flying to the telelhone every second,
imagining continual calls. Two more
days passed. Lulu would not 90 out,
though mother told Ter, as she had now
learned to use the telephone, we were
independent Of her. lulu "did not care
to 90 out" she said. She took book
and sat in the hall, bu no one saw her
read. She could scarcely eat her meals
for flying up to listen at the telephone.
She was the first up il the house and
the last to to bed. She grew pale
and thin.
That awful night preys upon her, "
said aunty.
On the fifth day mother sent her out
on an errand. Lulu, usually 20 glad of
an excuse to 90 out, tried to shirk it:
she begged OF For days she had lost
all her pretty bushes, but she now
blushed furiously. Mother was index-
ible, and Luluwent.
About half an hour after she left the
telephone bell rang. Mother rose in
her peculiarly dignifed way and went
to the instrument. This was a novelty
to us, SO we all followed her; and as ]
have since learned exactly what She
they heard, will put it down here il
Icv~ng5t place:
''HelloG' said mother, gently. '.What
is itP'
SIS that Mccartney of Dannemora"
said voice.
''Yes," said mother.
The VOICE. Il knew it was, but
just wanted to hear your sweet voice
say Yes, you darling! l love the word
because Pm always dreaming of hear
ing you say it to a more important
question"
| Signs of establishment and horror OF
mothers face.
The VOICE. "You never will NEE
me anywhere, and can't ask you tC
marry me through this old telephone
though 1 don't know what l should
have done without it"
Mothers face grew stony with hor
ror, but she clqng to the receiver DIES
perately.
THE VOICE. "But, dear, dear Lu
lu--n
"0n' gasped mother
The VOICE. 'Did you speak?'
| MOTHER Gin a Uery tOO t0ne). NO
The VOICE ''My own darling, yor
have acknowledged that you love me
and if you do, not all the undying en-
nifty of all the old women in the worlC
can keep US apart. Our love vii
bridge the Dyke"
"What!" shrfeked mother, finging
down the receiver in a sudden frenzy,
'does a Somerindyke dare to make
love to one of my daughters?''
The VOICE (tO Missy, a0ho 'tOiM
great presence of mind had Snatched
The receiUer as 1t fell and clapped IL Il
her ear). "The mischief! What have
l doneP It's the old LADY,"
The widest CONSERVATION prevailed
Of course, at the moment, all this wa;
Greek to us, as we had only hearC
mothers fragmentary CALCULATIONS, anG
seen her face of wrath. Mother cried
TOM nor Lulu; she raved; she stormed
Bit by bit we pieced the story together
Frank Somerindyke had been making
love to Lulu through the telephone
We had a mauvais quart d'heure be-
fore Lulu came in, breathless, painting
by the back door. No wonder the
child was so eager to get back to The
telephone.
'LuluH' began mother, in an awful
| tono D,,A l,afo,,o / al, 10 4 t;,..o a., l.,