Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-02-08
ENGAGED BY TELEPHONE.
Tho Professor Popped the Question Just
Few Minutes Too Late.

Tho Professor Popped the Question Just
g.. .. . Few Minutes Too Late.
1t appears, says the New York Trib-
une, that there is a young lady living in
Detroit who for some time h as been tho
recipient OF the attentions of two young
men, one a professor in the State Uni
Verslty at Ann Arbor and the other
travelling salesman for New York
Wholesale hardware house, whose route
extends through Michigan and parts Of
Canada. One day last week the New
Yorker arrived in Detroit late in tho
afternoon, and, of course, Immediately
started making the rounds of the retail
hardware dealers, with the laudable
purpose Of selling each good stock for
the winter before the representative of
any rival house should put i'm an appear
ance. Ho had hoped to call on the OBJ
ject of his affections in the evening,
but business was good, and eight o'clock
found him busy trying to induce a
Woodward avenue dealer to take six
dozen axes, four dozen grindstones and
half carload of wooden pals. At this
stage of the proceedings younger
brother of the young lady dropped in
to buy new jack-knife, and mentioned
casually that tho Ann Arbor professor
was up at the house. It instantly oc-
CURED to the enterprising hardware
and cutlery salesman that tho professor
had come for no other purpose than to
lay his heart at the feet of the young
lady he himself adored. For a moment
thore was struggle in his breast, but
he speedily got control CT himself and
decided that he could not possibly leave
the store, as the dealer was just on the
point OF. deciding to take the pals.
But the thought of giving up the lady
who had been for months constantly in
his mind, waking and sleeping, was I'M
bearable. Light suddenly dawned on
him. Handing the dealer a circular ex-
planning the merits of his now double
bladed chopping-knives, he requested
tho use of the merchants telephone for
five minutes, stepped to it and rang up
the central office.
A moment later the telephone-bell at
the residence of the young lady rang
sharp and decisive. The professor had
been there for an hour talking pleasant
ly OF tho grand educational work thoy
were doing in the department of fossil
ology at Ann Arbor. When tho bell
rang, the lady's father being absent Che
was physician), she excused herself
and went into tho adjoining room to an
swer it. The professor heard her step
to tho telephone and say eyes," make a
short pause and say "Yes" again. Then
there was short pause and he heard
her say: "Why-why-really, this is
sudden" Then there was a still longer
pause and he heard her say "Yes," soft
ly, then "Good-bye," and she hung up
the receiver and came back into the
room. Tho professor moved closer to
tho fire and remarked that it was chill
~ evening, and he thought it was going
to snow, and then resumed his talk
about the great work at the university.
Fifteen minutes later there was a ring
at the front door-bell. The lady an
swered 1t and district messenger boy
handed her plain gold ring, which she
Slipped on her finger and returned to
the parlor. "Miss -" said the pro-
lessor, five minutes later, ~ want to ask
you an important question this evening. 5.
Excuse me for putting it bluntly, but
will you be my wife2" But we need 20
no further with this. Two minutes
later the professor went down the front
steps, shook his fist at the telephone
wire and took the s:45 train for Ann
Arbor.