Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-06-20

no one in the city knew of her existence
no one but Agnes! l rushed to the
instrument. 1t was the same clear girls
voice. How could any one have known
that Cretia possessed some idiotic lines
l had once written her-any one but
Agnes? Yet now l heard them re.
peated:
"Oh, Cretia! fairest valentiDsI
Wilt thou accept this hand of min02
But tens tn g humber Of my iiidsl"
I ierked away in anger and surprise,
only to meet old Grudt's grim glance.
eff this thing goes on, Mr.. Dixon, it
might be we'll for you and Mr.. Clarkson
to change desks!"
knew what that implied and my
heart sank to my boots.
II do not understand it myself" l
replied. 81 assur you, sir, that l am
exceedingly annoyed. 1 will not an
swer it again"
II will myself, SIR" he grow1ed, and
1 went back to my desk to upset my ink
bottle, to make mistakes in my accounts,
and torture myself with the conviction
that since no n but Agnes could have
sent the message, she was teazing me
without realizing the fatal consequence
to our happiness. And all day MI.
Gruff1and would answer that con-
founded telephone. That some of the
messages were meant for me I could
tell, and that they must be utter non
sense l could conjecture from his occa-
sional comments: BY jimminy John
son!' is a remarkable expression for q
vouno lady. Mr.. Dixon.h .
1t would be too long to tell the story
of these days in detail. Sometimes
there would be respite, and the the non
sense would begin again. It was larks
for Clarkson and the rest, but to me it
seemed as if the bell of the telephone
was ringing the knell of all my bright.
hopes. Agnes assured me of her inno-l
cence, and Miss Peyton was ready with
explanations; they had been shopping, or
calling or practicing duets. Bull could
see that a GOODNESS had come between
Agnes and me. She feared that 1
doubted her, and What could I think?
Again and again the message referred to
what l had said to her when quite alone.
Could she have repeated my conf
dences?
At the Office preparations for the new
business were being hurried on, and not
one word had been said to me of pro-
motion. To crown all, Agnes informed
me one evening that she was going to
shorten her visit; she had heard of
friends going directly to Aiken, and
thought it best to secure their escort
l passed a wretched evening, but left.
determined to make a desperate effort
to clear the mystery, Agnes had told
M that they were all to be out the
next day, so 1 begged off at the office,
reached the house at ten, and persuaded
the servant that l wanted to rest, and
would let myself out when l was ready,
1 managed to conceal myself in a closet
in the hall, where l waited four mortal
hours. At last 1 was rewarded. A
light step came through the hall, a chair
was drawn to the telephone, and a clear
voice, wonderfully like Agnes, called:
s'Please connect with Grufiand &
Col"
Waiting only long enough to let him
actually begin conversation in his usual
style, / rushed out, and catching the
culprit by the arm bestowed a resound::
ing box upon the ear of the astonished
MIR. Raphael. The little imp! This
was his revenge for his well-deserved
snubs. 1 have no doubt he had heard
every word of my conversations with
Agnes.
OF course the Peytons were distressed
and apologize, and Agnes was per.
suaded moi to hurry away, and Ole
Grutf relented and l got the promotion
in due time, but I never could endure
the sight of that cherubic boy. I verify
believe that the box I bestowed upon
him was his only punishment, and l re.
joice to think it was such a singer!
If this story has a moral, it is a short
one. The more innocent and guileless
a boy looks, the less is he to be trusted.
-Gretna Linton, IN The Continent.