The Washington times., 1895-02-03

sky apparently all the wires of the city. from
eyery direction. concentrating on the roof OF
| this tall building. He entered and walked
| down the dimly-lighted hall to the elevator
standing at the end OF the passage, waiting,
! for there were few travellers at that hour
The night boy evidently knew where Billy
was going for he wnked, and without word
| pulled the wire rope, shooting the elevator 10
| the top story, where Billy got out.
| The young reporter went up still another
| flight of steps. and paused at an open door,
looking into great. brilliantly lighted room
| Facing the walls, on high stools, sat some
| dozens OF girls, apparently playing games
/ with pegs on continuous brass checker
board that extended like yellow dado around
| the room. Their voices reached Billy as he
stood by the door. "Helloi'' f'Did you get
| them?" what number did you say?' six
naught-four?' Are you through talking?'
| I'm afraid there's no one there" ''Ring of
when. you've finished, - and such like phrases
| formed the babel caused by the girls vo ces.
| The girls had small, round disks fastened to
their ears. and each heard only what was in-
] tended for her to hear. Each had her hands
! free to place the pegs or ring up asubscriber.
1t was the city telephone exchange.
Perhaps il was the free magnetism of elec-.
! tricity in the place; perhaps it was Billy ear
/ nest hypnotic gaze concentrated on one girl
that made her turn. her head, seemingly
/ without cause. and glance toward ths door.
I take her place, slipped gracefully down from
the tall stool and went quickly out into the
! hall.
Hello. Billy" she said cordially, "That's
up,''
sI am" answered Billy. fippantly; "up
/ about fifteen flights Of stairs.
''Ihe elevator hasn't stopped yet, has it?''
'Oh, no; caught the elevator all right.
But l had to climb the last flight. Just
dropped in TO let you know that got the
theaier tickets all right"
'.Good ior you. cried the girl Gallery?''
Gallery SAID Billy, with great contempt.
"Not likely Best seats in the house-three
/ rows from the front-end seats in the row;"
and 10 prove his amazing contention, Billy
proiuceI the tickets from MS pocket and
hibited them. The telephone girl took them
TO look ut and askei many questions. Why
were the corners clipped OFF! she wanted TO
know. That was so they would not be
counted as cash when the receipts were made
up, Billy explained. Suddenly something on
the tickets caught the girls attention, and
stopped her talk.
"Why, Billy" she said after pause, these
tickets are for the 24th.'' ,,..s
"Of eourse-C Christmas Eve. That's all
right, isn't it!''
aren't you good for any other night2'
II guess not Can't you go that night"
1t was evident that Billy's telephone girl
had temper Of her own. She threw the
tickets on the floor and stamped her foot
angrly. Billy meekly picked up the bits OF
pasteboarf.
"of course can't 90. I'm on duty Christ
mas eve. Why didn Il you telephone TO me
and ask what night 1 could go? You knew
was at the end of your wire, and you would
have done it if you cared anything for me.
Look here. Sadie" protested Billy. II
can I talk 10 you over the wire. The fellows
in .ae local room can hear everything 1 say,
and that brute Jonesy guys me enough al
ready. But it doesn't matter. l can get the
tickets changed"
''You don't need TO bother changing them
for me. l guess you wanted to take some
other girl, anyhow"
Il shouldn't wonder said Billy, exas-
perated at the unreasonabieneSs of women.
bat there's lots OF girls awonid be. glad to
&C."
"All right" said sadis. with decision.
'Invite 'em TO go. then; and look here Billy
McGufly, don't you ever come to see me
again.
Sadie turned with dignity. aud left Billy
standing there. The quarrel had come on him
so suddenly that he hardly reaIiz d it was all
over. Knowing that he dared not follow her
into the busy telephone exchange to explain
things and not being quite sure what there
was 10 explain. he concluded to think over the
crisis and see IL there was way out. He
walked slowly down the numerous flights of
stairs and went out into the keen air. In
Office. The loeal-room was empty all the
boys being out at that hour attending to their
duties 1T various parts OF the city. Billy
knew that he ought 10 be out rs well, but he
sat in his chair, with his head IN his bands
The bottom had Unexpectedly dropped out Of
the universe and even Biiiy's allegiance to
his paper wayered under the shock@ of the
catastrophe. For fully five minutes Billy did
not care whether the opposition sheet scored
a triumph over him or not. Things are pre- ty
black when it comes to this with young re-
porter. At last he rose. went TO the tele-
phone, and rang the bell.
Hello, Sadie, he said. may speak with
you momentg
"'What number, please?" came the sweet,
but unTeienting voice of Sadie.
Il don't want any number; I want you,
Sadie.'
''If you don't want any number what did
you ring for? This is the telephone exchange.
If you don't want anything I'ilturn you of. y
you We turned me- off already. Sadie; and
I do want something. l want TO know what
night you can 20 with me to the theater?'
LOOK here. Mr.. McGuhy-I suppose that's S
who it is talking Il wont go to the theater
any night with you. Take the other girls you
were Dragging about.
Before Billy could say anything more he
heard the omnous click that turned him
off," he had done all he could, so with a
sigh, he buttoned his oyercoat about him,
and went out TO his work.
When he came back at eleven the local
rooms were full of men busily writing. The
city editor was at his ia lie with the green
shade over his eyes. Bily placed two tickets
on the table and said huskily:
"Im much obliged, Mr.. Banwell, for the
tickets. out I've changed my mind and per-
haps some of The others would like to go that
night
''Whati'' cried Banwell, wouldn't she go,
or is she going with some other fellow"
Then glaneing up and seeing the look OF pain
on Billys face, Banwell. who was a kindly
man, added: That's all right. Billy ANY
other night, you Know
''I'll-I'll remain on duty Christmas Eve,
il you don't mind said Billy
Good for you" cried BanweIl, enthusi-
astically, TO cover Billy's evident confusion.
''We re shcrt handed that night, and Jonesy
wants to get off, of course. That's what it is
to be a family man. Billy. you're brick
The editor reached up for his assignment
book and wrote down the TACT that McGuffy
would be on deck on Christmas Eve
At $50 on Christmas Eve Billy entered the
!, Argus office. There was no apparent reason
why he should be there, and there were many
reasons why at that moment he should have
been on his own beat. He looked quickly
around the rooms and satisfied himself that
they were emgty. Then he hastily rang the
telephone bell.
"Sadie," he whispered into the tube.
'Well?" came the answer
81 just wanted you to know, Sadie, that
I'm on duty Tonight
''Oh, is that you, Billy? I thought you