Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-07-27
LOVING BY TELEPHONE.

Il
had its birthday quite recently, Was
commenced under circum stances
conduciYe to a display of all the
phases of huml nature ranging
from intense disgust to perfect
bliss.
He bad been tagging away at
central for haitian hour, trying TO
get 470S. Failing IN tie attempt,
be had allowed his temper to get
the best of him, and from the
depths IF a perturhed soul he had
uttered words 50 objectionable that
the wire fairly sizzed as 1t trans
mitted them to The "hellU" girl at
the other end.
She was "a new girl then, and
she did not get mad-he wished
afIerward she had-but science
told him she was all a-iremble with
the tbrobbipg of lacerated hearlstr.
iDgs.
oh, now, L thay, that ith too
bad. | can't help it, you know
The lisp told OH him, and in sub
dued tones and modified rm of
speech he yentnre1 to suggest
that it might not he amlss for her
to tell her name. II his surprise
sae patched Up her wounded feel
ings enough 10 answer, 'Alith, and
then be succumbed completely to
the charm Of lhatmuScal 9TH"
From that lime he has had no
cause to complain of tue girl at the
central Office. Every morning he
has asked her how he looks; every
morning she has answered, "I can't
thee over the 'phOne," and every
morning he has breathed forth
volumes of alteration, to all Of
which he has lisped back sentences
fraught with a similar sentiment.
On tue anniversary of their ac-
nnalntance be told that he had
been a bindfolded worshiper at the
shrine of beauty long enough aud
that lie intended to put stop to
that hsphazard leaping in the dark
that was bound to land him sooner
or later either in a gulf of despair
or on tue Elysian plains of hope
realized. He wanted to see her.
She chirruped out a few re-
monstranccs, but be Overrulec
them, and she arranged the details
| of the meeting, which was to take
place at Jackson and La Sale
streets at Il o'clock. They were
to wear white roses as a sign of
recognition. lie was there on
schedule time. Sue faiiel to ap-
pear. At the end of 10 minutes
his brow was bathed 10 perspira-
tion produced by the blllows OF
doubt ard impatience that surged
Ger his heart.
At halt past il some ore tapped
him on the shoulder, and "a heavy
bass voice inquired:
ais this John $ NTH :"
lie had never had cause to be
ashamed Of his cOgnOmen, and he
said he was that individual. The
owner OF the voice was tall,
muscular man, dressed in a cycling
suit and russet shoes. He wore a
white rose.
Intaitively the anxious watcher
connected his interlCcutOr With
"Alith," and the very marrow in
his bones took on frlgld tem-
perature.
"You are the men who has been
making love to Alice over the tele-
phone, aren't you" asked the
bicycle uder, edging nearer.
He said he was.
"Ive heard cf lou often. Indeed
you are about all have heard OF
for the last six months, and [ am
getting tired of it. When she told
me about this escapade, | couldn't
stand it any longer. l'd have you
kuow Pm engaged TO that young
lady myself, and it's my bounded
duty to see that she isu't SUBJECTED
to any more aunoyances from you
oyer that telephone and ifyon dare
to appoint another place OF meet
ing, by Jove. Pll'--
He paused TO consider just what
course of action lie would pursue
in case such thing should come
to pass. The young man exercised
his Imagination 90 the same line,
and the picture he conjured up was
far from reassuring.
81 guess you understand me-"
his foe added significantly.
The young man was too badly
frightened to understand much OF
anything just then, but the look OF
warning IN the others eyes could
not be misconstructed, and be
signi6ed his willingness TO let the
| whota matter drOnif evqrvbOJV else