Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-07-16
A TELEPHONE RIDE.


his cigarette ut has always been my ex-
perience that women with musical voices
are good looking"
They were talking about their telephone
girl-she who flirted with them so naively
over the wires.
''She it'll quite young, too, y know" con-
tinued Mr.. Potter, picking n carnation to
pieces, "becauthe she confded to me that
she walnut out yet. Just fanthyi'
"You fellows ought to warn your Diana
Of the crosswires' to be more careful"
growled Barker, head clerk and general
Diogenes in the famous law office of Last
will 81 Testament. "When his majesty
the senior partner called up the law
courts this morning, she helloed back and
wanted to know if that wasn't Charlie.
The old man turned purple and threat
ened to see the superintendent"
'She must have thought il was Charlie
Dennison," said Gubbins sThey are get
ting TO be great deal too thick of late,
and last night heard him ask her to go
out driving this afternoon"
bah Jover' calculated Simpkinson Pot
ter ''Of courthe she refused"
mo, she didn't" replied Gubbins, 'be-
cause he said: NO. 1900 Smith street. All
right, Miss Mellerby, I'll be there on time
speak for himself"
Mr.. Charles Dennison entered, arrayed
in clothes Of bewildering cut and wearing
an eloquent box coat, in the lapel of which
reposed a royal gardenia.
"My dear Charles" said Barker, II
trust you are not going to do anything
rashY"
Dennison glanced around the office with
i'll concealed triumph. 81 am going to take
our telephone girl, Miss Mellerby, out
driving" he observed, giving every syl-
liable full emphasis.
To his surprise no one made any COM
ment on this intelligence. Gubbins looked
out of the window and Simpkinson Potter
placed his carnation stalk between the
leaves Of law book.
81 do believe" he said at last, that you
knew all about it beforehand"
"All about whatY" queried Barker. "Oh,
yes. You have TO take some girl out driv-
ing. Pm sure we all sympathize with
you"
"Yeth, indeed, Charlie" exclaimed
Simpkinson Potter; ''it'th a beathtly nui-
thance, old boy, but never mind. 1t will
soon be over"
"Be sure to get on Miss Mellerby's good
side" said Gubbins MY experience is
that telephone girls are always deaf In one
ear"
Dennison waited to hear no more "You
fellows are just Jealous, he said and few
minutes afterward they saw him drivinga
roam mare and a smart dogcart around
the corner.
Arrived at 1,600 Smith street, Charles
Dennison found the house to be a model
suburban cottage, looking sunnily south
ward and overrun with Towering creepers.
Just the place for young love-" he TO
mantically exclaimed, as he hitched his
roam TO a fantastic green dragon on one of
the gate posts. 81 wish to goodness Cub
bins and that lisping idiot Potter were here
to watch my meeting with Laura. / had
better not call her Laura at first, by the
way. Things that sound all right over a
telephone wire may be quite startling
when one is brought face to face" Here
Charlie opened the gate and strobe up the
short gravel path. Everywhere in the
little garden he noticed the traces Of a
woman's tender care. And yet," he muir
INJURED, "they talk about telephone girls
only caring for chewing gum and flirta-
ton"
His ring brought pleasant faced matron
to the door.
"Mrs. Mellerby, is it notf' asked Char
lie, taking off his hat with his best air.
He had reputation for astuteness and
was much gratified when the lady nodded
smiling assent to his question.
"And you are Mr.. Charles Dennison,
supposeY' she said. eve did not expect
you quite so soon, but earliness is an ex-
cellent fault. Won't you come in?"
OF course Charlie went in, remarking to
himself that Mrs. Mellerby seemed much
u. Il > a.
ers She could not be more than forty, he
thought, so that the fair Laura was prob
ably not yet twenty. Moreover, Mrs.
Meilerby's plump figure and distinct
traces of past beauty promised well for
Laura's appearance,
They entered the pretty little parlor and
sat down. Then Mrs. Mellerby laughed
gayly and said, "Well, Charlie, which
shall we talk about first, the weather or
your dogcart?" Charlie laughed like
wise, although he thought the use of his
Christian name a little odd.
LET us talk about the dogcart," he
said.
Every we'll" replied Mrs. Mellerby.
"Under those circumstances fear shall
have to begin with a disappointment.
The fact is, dear boy, the girl who was to
have taken my place is sick and l am
obliged to go to the Office this afternoon.
am very sorry to break off our engage
ment, but you see it is impossible for me
to 20 out driving to-day"
To say that Charlie Dennison jumped
fully a foot from his chair at this speech
would be no exaggeration.
IL beg your pardon" he exclaimed.
II Mrs. Mellerby noticed his startled ex-
preston of countenance she mistook or
pretended to mistake its cause.
II know it's a shame" she said depre-
catingly, 'but what can ] doi They are
very strict at the central office and am
obliged to go. When you called me up
yesterday, Charlie, felt sure Of getting
off this afternoon. Now am compelled to
answer 'hellos' from all parts of the city