Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-17
quickened to a run as the storm

were quickened to q run as the storm
burst in all its fury. I wondered If
Miss Floyd had seen the storm coming
and ..cut out" the instruments. Then
l wondered if she had seen me coming
what nan can look dignitled on a
dead run with drops of rain as big as
marbles pattering pleasantly on his
shirt-front-and laughed with Julius ut
the engaging spectacle. A second
thought proved r~eassuring, for, having
grasped a faint idea of feminine nature
during my late apprenticeship, 1
strongly suspected that at the first
crash of thunder she had fled to the
furtherest corner and was nowengaged
in saying: CHOW I lay me down to
sleep" backwards.
AS / passed the window a hasty
glance showed me she was doingsome-
thing infinitely more Notwithstanding
by the instrument table-and then
there came a crash and a glare that
blinded me a moment and sent me reel
ing against the wall. When I had re-
covered a few of my scattered senses I
found Edith motionless on the floor
with Julius believing Justify at her
side. 1t was he. I suspect, who had
been engaged in prayer in the secluded
corner.
Well, I acted like a fool, Twill admit.
julius, l am glad to state, supported
me- in my accustomed role with q pro-
hciencY that was largely due to his
natural talents in that direction.
Dead? No. she wasn't! just catch
a woman dying when she has got the
upper hand of a fellow! If I was not
afraid OF the possible consequences to
my back hair l would remark that I am
almost positive she came to her senses
long before l had run Julius out on q
time order for a doctor; and, with the
malice natural to her sex, lay in my
arms and laughed in her sleeve to see
me make such an idiot of myself.
After awhile the doctor came. I
fancied he looked mildly astonished
when l greeted him with nothing moro
encouraging than a frown; and when
he began to apologize for not coming
sooner I'm afraid / said something that
gave him the impression that l had had
a shock, too, for he insisted on exam
ming my pulse. l believe he thought I
was light-headed. Perhaps 1 was. l
remembered I felt buoyant all over just
then.
Dot went home. the storm passed
over. everybody 'cut inn again, and l
astoniNhed one of the most notorious
plugs on the local wire by congratu-
lating him on his improvement in .'re-
ceiving." I had just succeeded in send
ing him a message of ten words in
twelve minutes-and prophesied that
we should hear of him working a
''press' wire in less than six months.
It may be well for me to explain that I
had never caught him talking nonsense
to Dot over the wire. A young man OF
this stamp should be encouraged re-
gardless.
1t only remains for me to add that
Dot and l agreed to sever our connec-
ton with "XD" and set up a ~'.local"
of our w where the circuit of true
love never has been. never will be,
broken-a fact Dot openly attributes to
her w %amiability. We revisit.
ed "XD," but I understand that Julius
is the operator. When last he appeared
to our mortal vision he was dejectedly
mailing to the ofice-door as a peace Of
fering to the betrayed conductors a DO,
of my best cigars bearing the legend:
I'm a happy man. Take one.
Me, too. Take another.
Isabel J1mison, in CHICAGO Tribune.