News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-04-03
THE TELEPHONE.

/
/ ton of the r solitude was an occasional
visit to one of their nearest relatives,
or walk. In the unutterable joy of
finally possessing each other the prose
of life was wholly forgotten.
Many of my readers will declare
that in our time ten days devoted eX-
clus:vely TO love seems improbable
since true love oftener seems to lead
to suicide than to the altar. And
| assent to this, too, in the main; but
the marriage of young 5. had been en-
tered into upon two substantial
grounds: reason and fancy. Reason
is indeed an important factor in matri-
mony, yet it must necessarily be re-
enforced by fancy TO make ten days of
unalloyed happiness possible.
1t is twilight. Mr.. and MES.,
clasped in q tender embrace, and sit
ting on couch. The discreet land
lady is aware that it is quite time to
take in the amp, but know NC she will
not be scolded for the delay, omits to
light it. The disturbance, however,
which the sympathetic hostess would
gladly have saved them is to come
from another quarter. The bell rings,
and letter is handed in. The good
woman feels obliged to take both letter
and lamp to the young couple. The
letter is from the friend and partner
of Mr.. S. They are the owners of a
large and important mandatory. Mr..
III. explains to his friend, with all due
consideration for his honeymoon, that
his presence and advice in the business
are imperatively needed, and begs him
to drop into the factory for at least a
few hours each day, ''because other
wise" he adds, al cannot hold myself
responsible for the losses which may
ensue."
This was the first faint touch of
prose that had come TO cool their poetic
enthusiasm, and Mrs. s., who, glancing
over her husbands shoulder, had read
the letter with him, exclaimed most
ungraciously that she thought Mr.. ii.
frightfully inconsiderate.
The tender husband quiets her, and
after a little while they agree that Mr..
S. shall divide his time between his
love and his business. But he could
not have succeeded so quickly in win
ming her consent to these separations
had they not lived in an age of pro-
gress. Not his persuasions, not his
explanations as to the necessity would
have induced her to yield, had not the
idea suddenly occurred to him that a
telephone could be set up between his
dwelling and the manufactory-whic
would enable them to speak with each
other at any moment of the day, even
if they could not see each other.
The next morning the telephone was
arranged. In the afternoon the hus-
band, after innumerabie kisses and
embraces, went for the first time to
the mandatory. And certainly he
was not more than half wav there
when Mrs 5. already stood before thr
telephone and had connected with the
office.
From this moment on, the poor girl
in the central station had TO connect
the factory and residence of Mr.. S. in
cessantly. 1t seemed that this JOY per
telephone would never end. How
many tender messages were intrusted /
to the cold wiresl If the little birds
sitting on the telephone wires had
known the art of shorthand writing,
hey would certainly have given us a
owe poem such as the so-called .
''poets" of to-day have never dreamed.
Two weeks sped away before Mr.. S.
perceived that everything has two sides.
''He's got himself into pretty fix this |
timeI" These words he overheard |
one day whispered by a clerk to his
when he was called for the /
fifth time in the course of the forenoon |
to the telephone.
AT first he felt hurt by these words, |
but soon the absolute truth of them |
struck him. This cons ant ringing of |
the bell disturbed him when in CONVEX
sation with customers, in the adding |
up of his accounts, in the writing of |
letters, and, what was most !
of all, it chained him to
the mandatory. He often wished to
go out for half an hour, but just as he
was on the point of doing so ring
from the telephone warned HIM of the
danger of the step. People already
began TO make fun of him, AID TO say
that he was tied to wire.
One day an old uncle, who had q
position in the factory said to Ir.S..
"Listen, Alexander, it won't do that
you should show such unlimited respect
for that telephonel | can understand
perfectly that your love for your dear
little wife will not allow you to refuse
her the resource this trifling thing
affords her, but / cannot conceive why
you should not be allowed to go into a
restaurant fer an hour, from time 10
time. Business interests even demand
this many times, and women are on
this point so unreasonable"
''You exaggerate, dear uncle" STAN
mered Mr.. S., confused.
"'Oh, don't talk to me. know you
have already had more than enough of
this telephone business. But you will
not acknowledge it to your wife,
which is to your honor. Women are,
in the main, injudicious, this | know;
still, we can arrange the thing in some
way"
" How? In what way?"
90 In very simple way. From this |
day on don't trouble yourself about the
ringing of the telephone. I'll answer
it .or you"
" WHIT"
1" You are astonished, Int what is
there so remarkable in this? Do you /
believe, dear Alex, that you alone |
know how to speak tender words? At
any rate, besides, I've heard them so |
often and so much from you of late |
that know the whole We vocabulary |
by heart; and certainly you cannot fear
that | shall ALLEVIATE your wife's alice
tons from you"
mons nse! but wouldn't she recog-
nize the voice?"
Well let It's try it'-and his uncle
went to the telephone.
" But uncle" still feebly resisting, |
continued Mr., S. The uncle, however.
paid no attention. Mr.. ). took his |
place behind and soon began 10 fake an
interest in the play, rs the dialogue
went on.
After one most successful expert
ment was ended, the dignilied nephew
threw his arms around his uncle's
neck and thanked him for the ex-
cellent suggestion.
From this time on, the ringing of
the telephone no longer disturbed Mr..
s.; indeed, often he did not so much
NO baop II Ha LunNv tbot b;s ,,uoIo