The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-16
MY FIANCEE.

MY FIANCEE.
! had been telegraphic operator at
s'B station some six or eight months
and had held communication Of q pure
" business character only with the
| operator at ID" when there came q
change. Death silently removed the old
man who had been in charge there for
so long, and q new operator was in
stalled.
A message spun along the line one
February morning in this wise: "Good
morning. b." / responded:
GOOD morning, D." Then came the
information, 1.-THE old man died last
night, and I have taken his place"
"What is your name?'' / asked.
Nellie Merton. What is yours?'' 4
spirit Of deviltry prompted my reply:
Ned Clayborn."
Thank rou,' was the concise re-
Spouse. Then q message in real earnest
came along the lines, and we were
obliged to attend to business. Every day
I babe my unseen acquaintance GOOD
morning. and never closed mp at nigh
without o farewell message a swinge
of conscience racked me at times, and a
'.still, small voice. whispered Its warn
ing, but the temptation WA too great
and it was not long before ! WI send
ing sly messages, containing q good deal
"atween the lines, " to the unseen Ne
lie. The replies to these messages were
guarded. but hopeful, and ] grew bold
er. 1t was no end of fun
She told me her history. She had run
away from home because her parent
insisted upon marrying her TO B ma
: she detested land the last word came
clicking vicionsly from my end "a the
linel She would never marry him
never. / advised her not TO and limited
at an affection deeper and truer than
any the presuming .'detested fellow
could offer.
Well, the outcome Of it was that
/ asked the unseen Nellie to be my wifi
and even described the little home thai
was ~lonesomely awaiting her coming. ]
was floundering in deep water and could
| but trust TO q kind Providence to pul
me ont. My ''fun" was becoming dead
earnest. How I wished the wires stretch
ing between Us were telephone, instead
OF Geographic, that / could perchanct
, hear some exclamation or gain some
! token of how my message was received
But this was not to be, and / had II
possess my soul in patience. That viz
tue was almost exhausted when ths
4 well known call fell upon my ears
few to the instrument. It was concis'
and not very complimentary, "Rathe
than marry that brute / will risk it.
: I was in for il now and must perforc
founder still deeper by sending raptur
GUS messages W. the wires. 1 Deli
Brown, was engaged to be married to
g young lady I had never seen. This wa
. forcing the question Of woman's rights
7 carried the fun on for over thre
: months, and every day 1t grew decided
{ " less funny, = until / began to broo
8 over the preGicament into which Il hal
] giddily led my feet The time was RAP
idly approaching when i would have :
claim the bride ] had won In this move
q and romantic manner, and my bloc
ran cold at the thought or how easy ]
= would be fo- her to learn Of my perhdy
7 and from al. ] had seen Of her temper
q felt sure she would not deal lightly wit
;, amy one who would dare TO play trick
,e upon her.
At last i could bear IL no longeE, an
l. one day, Just three weeks before 4 wa
!. to travel TO 3D. and claim my bride,
! boarded the train with altogether 81
other motive. 1T was TO kiss and mai
mp after I had begged her with teal
TO forgive me, etc.
found d little house, with d lit
! sign In blue and white swinging lib Il
breeze, similar TO the little house IN
~ the little sign at "B." II was occupif
at the time BY . young man reading
paper. Looked at him without speal
sng, and he returned the compliment
kind.
~ II wish to see Miss Nellie Merton,
I said, and as he did not speak I wa
on To explai i. II am the operator
.B' and have an important messag
which must be delivered to her at ono
ad IA moments delay means Ipaus
i'll for d word, and he spoke for the a
he time.
he 80 ron are the operator ali 'B' u
20 desire to see Miss Merton? I am sor
- to disappoint you; but, you see, ~
e Merton i 81 home at the present til
~ while I take her place. The fact
she ID going to be married and
preparing for the great event. 8
cannot be seen personally, but If y
win intrust the message to) me + "
deliver IL Immediately If yon viii