Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-04-11
HAWTHORNE ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA, April. H. 1884,

ment, but you see it is impossible for me
to go out driving to-day"
To say that Charlie Dennison Jumped
fully Il foot from his chair at this speech
would be no exaggeration
I'll beg your pardon" he exclaimed.
If Mrs. Mellerby noticed his startled ex-
preston Of countenance she mistook or
pretended to mistake its cause.
81 know it's a shame" she said depre-
catingly, "but what can | dor They are
very strict ut the central office and am
obliged to 60 When you called me up
yesterday, Charlie, felt sure OF getting
off this afternoon. Now l am compelled to
answer 'hellos' from all parts of the city
for six weary hours. After all it is just as
hard on me as on you"
By this time Charlie Dennison had man.
aged to collect his thoughts. But what
thoughtsl So this old woman was the
Laura" of his dreams, the fair telephone
ingenue whose flirtations seemed buoyant
with breezy girlishness How the boys
would laugh If they knew. But they must
never know. 1t was kindly fate which
had saved him from this affiiction. In his
heart he blessed that other woman who
had fallen sick at such propitous time
please don't be mad about it, Charlie u
said Mrs. Mellerby.
Charlie was obliged to say something
"a man c-cau't help being a little disap-
pointed, you know" he stammered hypo-
critically. Il really c-counted on taking
you out driving Now shall have to drive
all alone"
Here, with something of his pristine
spirit, he cmtrived to make wry face
suitable to the OCCASION
Mrs. Mellerby laughed. Suppose" she
said that were to provide substitute.
1t is curious that in all our long telephone
talks never remembered to tell you that
am n widow But | am and have the
1earest little girl Imaginable. Twas going
to ask you, il it would not bore you too
much, to take her out for short drive In
my place. She is just wild to drive in
something else besides street car"
Poor Charles heart, which had almost
resumed it's normal condition, fell rapidly
at this suggestion 1t was certainly a case
of 'out of the frying pan," etc. He had
only escaped the horror of being obliged to
squire Mrs. Mellerby through the city to
find himself confronted with the even more
obnoxious alternative of playing dry nurse
to that ladys dear little girl" "If you
are not afraid of my mare" he said, with
painful effort at looking unconcerned, 81
shall be most happy. But fear the brute
is decidedly restive'-
"You are an excellent driver, Pm sure"
replied Mrs. Mellerby sweetly. Eyes,
think | can trust my Gertie to your care.
Excuse me for a moment and will call
her."
When Mrs. Mellerby left the room Char
lie Dennison covered his face with his
hands This, then, was the punishment of
his indiscretion. He could yet escape, but
escape would be cowardly; and besides,
Mrs. Mellerby might tell the story to the
other fellows over the telephone. On the
whole it was better to remain and see the
thing out
His thoughts were interrupted by the
mellifuous voice of Mrs. Mellerby. "Char-
lie," murmured that lady, permit me to
introduce you to my daughter, Gertie."
Charlie Dennison almost shouted when
he beheld the dear little girl" who stood
in the door. For the "dear little girl" was
as fair specimen of eighteen-year-old
beauty as ever his eyes had rested on. She
was not so very little" either, being quite
as tall as her mother, and looking, with
her wavy brown hair and great gray eyes,
like vivified portrait of that comely per-
sonage taken many years before.
Charles system felt by this time as If it
had undergone succession of electric
shocks, so that Miss Gerties first impress
sions of him were hardly favorable. 1t is
needless to say that Charlie at once fore
swore any idea of flight. He took "his
Laura's" daughter out driving with the
liphtest heart in the world and drove twice
beneath the windows of Lastwill & Tes-
lament, to the unspeakable chagrin of both
Gubbins and Simpkinson Potter.
Mrs. Mellerby no longer occupied her
seat in the central telephone office; yet
when she wishes to send word to the boys
in Lastwill e. Testament's she tells her
son-in-law, Charlie Dennison, about it at
the breakfast table.-John Gerald Brenan
in New York Press.