The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-03
AN ASSUMED NAME.
BY PAUL CARSON.

1t was hot August day. One could have
borne the heat, but there had been no rain
for weeks and the dust was intolerable |
leaned back In my chair and looked out of
the open window. observation-disclosures of
1t everywhere. The river danced in the
sunlight a couple of blocks away, but it
only served to tantallze me, for could not
Teaca it.
was a telegraph operator and nothing
but Illness OF death would excuse me from
duty until a certain number of hours mad
elapsed.
Chatter, CHATTER, went the nickel-plate1
"sounder," and l awoke from my dusty
revery 10 realize the fact that Harlem was
calling my Office vigorously. 1 answered,
and the kilograms began to pour in. l
prided myself on my ability to put down
the fastest sending without any trouble,
and ] was always anxious to distinguish
myself when working with Harlem, because
a lady manipulated the instrument at that
point. But this time fate was against me.
A b z blue bottle fly seemed bent on a tour
of investigation over my head and face.
He crawled succrSslvely into both ears, and
then attempted my mouth; i'll desperation,
said. Geographically, "Fly-wait." Hav-
ing murdered my tOrmentor, l said Go
ahead
''What was it doing?" came tapping
quickly over the wire.
Trying to get into my mouth" / replied.
"DUn't see how he could help it." flashed
back, and not giving me time to retort, the
saucy mink began rushing" me again.
leaving me to wonder if she meant to
"allude to insinuations regarding the size
Of nv mouth.
We had become very well acquainted.
"by wire" as operators do. She had
worked the Harlem wire year, and when
business was dull we had sometimes chatted
n Iiff1a law. oh Va b11
but had an idea that she was young and
pretty. l knew she was go0d-tempered and
ladylke, because during the many brushes"
Of business aud the annoying incidents that
take place on all wires, had never known
her to manifest the least Impotence. She
was always courteous and obliging, but n
little sarcastic SO far as | was concerned l
knew her name-AlisS AliisOu-and she
knew n.ine-ArthuT Brent. Beyond that we
knew very little of each other; but for
months had been growing more and more
Interested in her.
When the work slackened up a little to-
ward light, l called the Harlem office.
Operators know each other on the line by
letters taken from their Names rather than
the names themselves. l was known as
"B" and Miss Allison as "SN."
Having received a response from Harlem,
said
ais it 'SNY"
ayes"
would you think it impertinent for me to
write YOU letter."
Certainly not" came back instantly
Wright as many as you please"
III l write, will YOU reply?"
ION! that's different thing--can't prom
se"
'If you won't promise to answer there's
10 use in my writing"
Shall have to forego the pleasure of see
ing your chifography, then. for | could not
hTFnl- . FT.trr TO
met"
Just then some office broke in with bust
ness, and l went home feeling decidedly
sDubbad.
The weeks went by; the lovely September
weather replaced the torrid heat of August
There was Oiness between Miss Allison
anu myself. She was just as courteous as
before l ventured and lost, but she DID not
incline t. talk, and l did not trouble her.
In my heart | respected her all the more,
but my vanity was wounded none the less
One morning sent a message to Harlem
and received 20. k-M"
"Nho's Mp"
''Ne~ man here-78." '7$'' being inter-
preLed means compliments"
where's SN?"
been transferred to San Francisco folks
moved there"
was utterly SURPRISED, and angry, too.
10 be sure We were strangers in one sense
OF the word, but in another sense we were
Oih az 4s'fAl+ttdlANtS. anu 10 LUllk I0kL she
had gone across the continent without even
saying 'gOod-by!"
Do you think il strange that l. should have
been so interested in one whom | had never
seen? Well, such was the case; but having
deserted me u this manner | resolved Ia
think no more about her. But l missed her
serely. The man who relieved her had
soureu IN the business, beside being a
poor operator, and often when trying to
drum an obscure message into his head, or
lfCf ni-sfyt c hi IN,,--. e.
Ism 4-'NA WV ''1 genial disposition OIL
Nearly year passed away Then came
the terrible yellow fever sconrge at New Or
leans, and four lives that had stood between
me anu fortune were ended, and / only
an operator in the ranks, found myself the
possessor Of half a million,
/ resigned my position and went South in
the 1ail u look a ter my property. | dis
liked New Orleans, and was not willing to
settle there; so l sold the estate, bought q
lovely place in New Jersey, invested the
balance IN Government bonds, and started
west l had no near relatives, but few
friends, and somehow the notion chung to
me that L should like to meet Miss Allison
Accordingly, one raw November morning, |
presented myself at the San Francisco of
nee aud asked for work. Usuallyimanagers
require references, but as | had chosen TO
drop my last name and be known by my
middle name, Wentworth, of course | cOuId
give none. However, certain Presidential
election was coming Oh, operators were
very scarce, and l was given work without
references; the manager knew | could easily
be discharged il did not suit
Operating tables are usually divided by
glass partitions foot high into four COM
partments, thereby enabling four operators
TO work at one table, the glass serving TO
separate the sound Of the instruments,
which would otherwise be confusing.
was given wire at such a table, and found
myself vis-a-vis to the most beautiful girl
had ever seen. delicate white hand with
beautiful nails sent the dots and dashes
living over her wire, while marvellous pair
OF gray eyes, glancng an instant through
tile glass, caught me staring at her. They
were instantly dropped, and feeling the
Di00d mounting to my temples, / devoted
my attention to my work, which was not
light. Tor had been given very fast wire
In order to test my ability. AT noon we ate
our luncheon sitting at our tables, and dur
ing a half hour We were allowed to con-
verse. The chief operator sauntering down
the aisle, remarked:
Miss Allison, let me present MIR. Went
worth; as you are neighbors L hope you will
be friends"
.At lastl at lastp kept saying TO my
sell, my pulses bounding, while outwardly L
was cool and polite. Having secured the
lODg-coveted introduction l fancied should
have plain sailing; but | was sadly mis-
taken. She treated me exactly as she did
any one of the fifty men who, with dozen
ladies, constituted the day force.
had determined To win her love without
revealing my identity, and explain after
ward. 1t was no easy task. | learned that
her father was a civil engineer; that her
mother was living; that she had a half
dozen little brothers and sisters, and that
they all lived in a modest house in a most
respectable part of the city. Beyond this
learned but little. However, after having
known Miss Allison perhaps six months, /
secured her permission 10 call; this advan-
tage l followed up
found her father and mother Intelligent
and refined. and the handsome piano and
one or two choice pictures in their little par
lor gave evidence that they had at some
time been wealthy. But as to that did not
care. Edith knew TO be beautiful, refined
and good. More than this, | loved her.
should have loved her regardless Of any sur
zoundings.
There came a day at last when deter
mined to try my fate. 1t was Sunday, and
10th reT .t,,N,, Il