Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-08
VIA THE TELEPHONE.
The Way by Which Love and Mar.
rage Came.

The Way by Which Love and Mar.
riage Came.
/ am a physician, and, weary with
my round of professional duties had
thrown myself one evening upon a
lounge in my private office too tired
even to light the cigar that l held be-
tween my lips. A winters twilight
was setting gray and somber over the
city; the tramp of many feet upon the
stone pavement was borne to my ears
in wearying monotony; car bells jih-
gled, carriages rolled by, and the thou
sand and one things that go to make up
the noises of busy street throbbed and
thrilled through my aching head. Ihad
been ION the go" since early morning;
two accidents had followed each other
in quick succession, and difficult OPP
Grafton had to be performed after each;
then, one call after another had kept
me going from one side of town to the
other, until now. my first breathing
spell, found me almost exhausted. l
soon fell into deep slumber, from
which | did not awaken for several
hours, and which would have, in all
probability. continued until morning,
but for the loud ringing of my telephone
wakefulness. Muttering something
.more forcible than polite l CROPPED
my way to the instrument and gave the
customary hello" | waited a full
minute for reply. and, none COM
ing, l was just about to repeat my
challenge, when, sweet and soft, a
woman's voice echoed through the
wire, singing a quaint melody. tremb-
blingly at first, but gradually growing
purer and stronger, until | stood spell
bound listening to the liquid, meltin q
notes. Never had been so moved by
a human VOICE; my whole being thrilled
as it fell upon my ear; now joyous and
triumphant, now almost 4 sob Of
despair. My heart beat wildly; my
blood bounded through my veins. and
l almost held my breath. SO fearful was
| of losing one word or one note. At
last it stopped, but stood long after,
listening, in hope of catching again
those de licious strains.
At length called: .Who are you?'
and although repeated again and
again. | received no reply. Somewhat
dazed and bewildercd | went into my
bedroom. and. hastily undressing. was
soon in BID, only to hear that voice
singing although the restless, troubled
sleep that followed.
The next day was also busy one,
and did not have time to think of my
strange experience of the night before.
1t was quite late when | came in.
had just lighted the gas, and proceeded
to cut the leaves OF a new magazine.
when "ting-a. ling ling" went the
telephone. and, to my response. that
SINE voice began to sing again. l
good and listened as before, and again
my heart beat wildly and my whole be-
ing thrilled to the melody; again it
ceased. and again l failed to receive
d. y response to my inquiry. What
could it mean? Who could the vocal
list be? Was the victim of an hallu-
cination or of practical joke? What
ever it was, l mentally voted it pleas
ant experience. and began to picture
10 myself the being who possessed that
wonderful voice. She was a woman,
/ thought to myself-no girl could sing
IN such round, full tones-and fair.
Yes, she must be; it was impossible to
fancy the poSSesscr of such voice as
any thing but beautiful. l paced back
and forth. with the silver tones echoing
through my brain, and it was away
along in the '.wee sma'" hours that l
sought my couch. and then only to
dream of deep. dark eyes, heavily
1idded and fringed with dropping
lashes, ripe, red lips, revealing pearly
teeth and raven trcs>es. 1t is needless
10 add that all these charms belonged
to iny unknown enchantresS.
a month passed away. and night
after night that voice came TO me over
tie wires, with all the pathos and
passion of which the heart is capable,
and gradually looked forward with
almost feverish eagerneSs to the time
when l could hear it, and if | hap
pened TO be called away during the
night and missed the hour it came to
me, it seemed as if something was left
out Of my day that could not be re-
placed.
Gradually l became nervous and
pale. and people began making in
4uiries in regard to my health, and one
old friend of mine in the PROFESSION
grabbed my hand one day, and with
his finger on my pulse, looked at me
gravely, and suggested a tonic. did
not tell him the cause of all this lest he
should take me for a lunatic.
cultivated the acquaintance of mu-
sicians and singers, became regular
church attendant all in the hope of
finding that ''voice," but in vain. l
would have given worlds to have found
Its possessor, and the ideal l had
formed of her took possession of my
heart Me-a staid old bachelor, who