News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-11-16

L
Jones plaintively. 81 was rung up
half an hour ago and asked to come
and tell you that your daughter
wouldn't be at home tonight on ac-
count of the storm"
And do you mean to say that
you stand ready to turn out at all
hours and deliver messages free of
cost?" cried Goodson.
at looks that way"
"Well, you are an ass"
"Don't compliment me too freely,
Goodson; can t take in much more;
I'm soaked, as it is"
Mrs Goodson stood thinking.
"Who could have been meant? ?" Oh,
I've just thought 1t must be that
Mrs. Goodson who sews for Mrs.
Jones and me. And she has a daugh-
ter-a typewriter down town-and
she has friends living in the suburbs.
She has doubtless gone there to din
ner and concluded to stay al! night.
But she lives just around the corner
from you"
Goodson laughed loudly and bru-
tally. "a funny sort of night for
a respectable family man like you,
Jones, to be skylarking aronnd, car
rying messages for type-writing
maidensr'
"Oh, come now, that's a little too
much ~
"Well, old man, I'll show my graf
itude for your friendly intentions
toward me by going around to the
telephone people the first thing in
the morning and complaing of you.
You've no right to he running oppo-
sition to the public telephones in this
way"
"If you only wouldr' and Jones
wrung his friends hand while tears
of thankfulness welled up in his eyes.
Once in the street he longed for
cOntemptuous enemy to kick him to
the door of the widow GoOdsOn. The
latter was evidently about to retire,
as it was a long time before she re-
sponded to his ring When, finally,
she did come, she heard him calmly
through and then answered languid-.
ly: Yes, | didn't much expect Della
home tonight, for she said ifi come
on to rain she thought she'd stay
with her cousins. Good night. Quite
drizzly, isn't it?" peeping out into
the darkness.
Full of bitterness, Jones returned
homeward. 1t seemed to him that
his cup was full, and so it was, for it
refused to hold more. As he entered
his home, chilled without but hot
within, he was greeted by an un-
familiar voice coming from the re-
gions of the telephone.
"Give me Blair's," it said. "Is
that air's-B-l-a.i-r, do you un-
derstand? Oh, yes, it is you, is it,
Mrs. Blair? Well, say, l want to
speak to Miss McCrea-Oh-pshawl
you must know her-she's the young
lady that works for you. Oh, she's
out, is she? Well, when she comes in,
tell her Miss Doolan told you to
say that Mr.. brennan has broken
his leg-she'll know, he drives Jud-
sons horses-and me and Mrs.
Judson want to know whether he is
to go to the hospital or to his
friends. You can send your answer
to No. 999. They'll let me know.
Give Miss McCrea my love and tell
her not to worry about Mr.. Brennan.
Goodbye"
Jones confronted a stately creature
as she stepped into the hall.
Look here, young woman, who
are your"
"I'm Miss Doolan, and I'm stop
ping at Judson's-as housemaid,"
she answered, so taken aback for the
moment her self-possessiOnf failed her.
"And to whom have you been tele-
phOning?"
"To Blair r's-Judge Blair's, over
on to the avenue-a friends of mine
stops there
care you in the habit of calling up
ladies in that fashion,"
It's a very good fashion, for all /
can see," she retorted impudently.
"And what business have you to
order an answer sent here for me to
carry on night like this ?''
"Mrs. Judson and me took you for
a gentleman, sor, and we thought
you wouldn't mind obliging ladies'"
"Nor do l, but | don't propose
running errands for you"
"Oh, then, don't bother yourself,
sOr-we can hire a boy" she flung
back, with a scornful laugh, as she
bounced out.
Now, Jane, l want you to dis
tinctly understand that the last mes
sage has been carried from this
house. | have probably tonight
sOwn the seeds of pleurisy and pneu-
monia broadcast in my system; /
have walked twelve squares to deliv-
er message to the wrong person;
we have had a baggage here using
our telephone as if it were her own,
and we have been at the beck and
call of an unpaying public for the
last six months. Now, if the tele-
phone people are here by noon to-
morrow to threatenlegal proceedings
against me (GoodsOn has promised
to complain of mel for undermining
their business, | shall have that
wretched instrument dragged away,
body and soul, and we will try some
other form of economy in the future"
Magazine.