The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-26
THE JONESESs' TELEPHONE,
By ANNIE E0WELLs FREGHETTE.
LCopyright, l8e5, bv the Author. ]

and Mrs. Jones stood off and looked ad-
miringly at the new telephone.
by all means It is here, and it may
as we'll be doing some one service as
to stand idle, and like to feel that
friend isn't afraid to ask favor Of me
now and then. Yes, suppose that tele-
phone will save us many car fare dur
ing the year. You can use it to do your
marketing instead of firing yourself out
and waiting half day three or four
times week, and days when forget
things think now easy it will be to tele-
phone and remind me. Why, it will
entirely do away with the need for
strings to tie around my fingers. ~
''Of course it will. I'm sure that
what We'll save on strings and car fare
will pay the rent of the instrument, -
joyously responded Mrs. Jones, who had
no great head for figures.
Thus hope and kindly intentions pro-
sided at the Inauguration of the Joneses'
telephone.
Three months passed, and the great
invention had carried much information
useful and otherwise-not only to its
owners, but to the entire neighborheod.
There were even days when the Joneses
questioned whether they were not run
ming a public telephone. SO often did
the bell ring. 1t is true ithad not quite
paid for, Itself in the anticipated saving
Of car fares and finger strings Still it
had certainly been a great comfort, and
'sWeM, we'll just face the music and
call it luxury" said Jones as he put
away the receipt for his first quarters
rent, Especially for our friends" he
adaed, With just touch of bitterness.
Scarce "a hours after this philosoph-
ical stand was taken Mrs. Jones, who
was rather light sleeper, was aroused
by vio.snt and prolonged ringing. 1t
was O'Clock and Sunday morning, a
day and hoar usually dedicated to undis-
turbed slnmber After a brief debate in
her own mind as to whether the house
was on fire or the milkman was ring
ing she realized that it was the tele-
phone bell She hastily donned slippers
and gown and ran down stairs. In reply
10 her interrogative "Yes?" Mrs. Jones
sould never bring herself to say "Hel-
:oro came the following in measured
and oisrical tones:
EFT is Mr.. Brown-Rev. Mr.. Brown
speaking
''Oh, yes?'' instinctively covering her
half clad feet in the folds of her gown.
81 belieye you live near the Rev. Mr..
Smith ard are member of his church,"
"Y2e.
"v1ill you be good enough to send to
him and ask If he can spare his curate
TO tzAo Nj. Browns early service for
him. as be is called away. would be
glad if yo,2 would send Immediately, as
must ave his answer within Is min
utes. Thank you. Please call up 1901.
and snap Veg the telephone
Mrs Jones looked at her raiment and
reflected that her one servant was at
mass and would not be back for an
aour. She went slowly up stairs.
''Tom, Tom, dear, wake up"
"What is it?"
''The Rev. Brown has telephoned to
know whether the Rev. Smith can send
his curate to take his early service"
''Well, what in the world have got
to do with the peddling out Of early
services?" snapped Jones as he turned
and shook up his pillows.
HE has to have an answer to his
message within Is minutes. -
well, let Susan take it," settling
back comfortably.
t'But Susan has gone to mass"
'And suppose that means that am
TO be turned out of my bed at daybreak
and oanser half milep' cried Jones in
, high and excited voice as he bounced
from his bed and began to grope sleepily
for his clothes. His toilet was made
amid grumblings of "Confound their
early services, why can't they stay in
bed like Christians instead of prowling
about and sending men out in the chilly
mornaag air?" etc.
Jones' temper was soured for the day,
and that nigAt. as he was winding his
watch, he said severely: "Jane, I'm 60
ing to draw the line at delivering mes
sages. TOM, Dick and Harry can come
here and below into the telephone until
they are h0arse, but I'll be switched if
I'll be messenger boy any longer -
But messages continued to come and
go, increasing rather than decreasing in
frequency. People in the neighborhood
fell into the habit Of saying to friends in
distant parts Of the city when leaving
question open; Gust telephone me
when you make up your mind. Haven't
telephone myself, but the Joneses
have, and they are very obliging about
letting me use it. "
So the fact that q telephone was own
ed by ala obliging family circulated al
most as rapidly as if it had been lie.
There were times when Mrs.. Jones
hadn't the face to ask Susan to step her
work and calry these messages, SO she
earriad them herself, trying to keep up
her self respect by combining an errand
of her own In the same direction. There
We're a few messages, however, which
remained forever Indignantly shut with
in the telephone-as, ft--' instance, that
Of the little girl, which came in q
ID.