The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1895-06-28
A QUkER CUURTsHIP.
ny Della Drown.

DIhhhou eoiue blA Ut elEut uloutnN,
and lid held communication of pure
ly business character only with the op-
orator Mt Danwood, when there came
a change. Death silently removed the
man who had been In charge there for
80 long, and q new operator was In.
stalled.
A message spun along the line one
February morning In this wise:
GOOD morning. Brandon"
/ responded:
Good morning, Danwood."
Then came the information:
'The former operator died last night
ind have taken his place"
what Is your name" | asked!
"Nellie Merton. What Is yours?'
A spirit Of deviltry prompted me to
reply:
Ned Clayborn."
HThank you,h was the concise re.
Spouse.
Then a message in real earnest came
along the lines, and we were obliged
to attend to business.
Every day babe my unseen nc
qunlntnnce Good morning and never
closed up at night without n farewell
message. A twinge Of conscience
racked me at times, and "still. small
voice" whispered It's warming: but the
temptation was too great. and II was
not long before was sending sly mes
sages, containing good deal 'atween
the lines" to the unseen Nellie. The re-
plies TO those messages were guarded.
but hopeful, and grew holder. II
was no end Of fun.
She told me her history. She had
run away from home because her
parents insisted upon marrying her to
n man she detested (and the last word
came clicking viciously from my end
Of the llns>. She would never marry
him-nsyerl 7 advised her not to, and
limited nt IN affection deeper and trucr
than my the prcsuming ''detcsted fcl.
low" could offefi
We'll. the outcome OF IL all was that
asked the unseen Nellie to be my wife
mud even described the little home
that WINS so Ionesonely awaiting her
coming. ! was fouifdering IN deep
water, md could but trust TO Il kind
Providence to pull me out My run"
was becoming dead earnest. How
wished the wires stretching between
us were telephone instead OF telc.
graphic, that ! could, perchance, hear
Some exclamation or gain some token
OF how my message was received. But
this was not TO be. and I had to pos
sess my soul In patience.
| That virtue was almost exhausted,
when the well known call fell upon
my ear. flew to the instrument, IL
was concise, and not very compliment.
nryi
Rather than marry that brute. I
will risk II.
was In for II now. and must. per.
force founder still deeper by sending
| rnptufous messages over the Wires. l,
| Della Brown, was engaged to be mar.
ricd to young lady had never seen.
This was forcing the question OF
woman's rights.
] carried the "fun" on for three
months, and every day II grew dc.
cldedly less funny" until began TO
brood over the predicament into which
| I had giddlly led my feet. The time
was rapidly approaching when would
have TO claim the bride had won IN
this novel md romantic manner, and
my blood ran cold nt the thought OF
how easy II would he for her TO learn
OF my perfdiiy. and from all had
seen OF her temper. I felt sure she
would not deal gently with any one
who dared 10 play tricks upon her.
At last ] could bear II no longer. and
one day Just three weeks before wna
| 10 travel 10 Dnnwood and claim my
bride, got Into the train with niio.
gcthcr another motive. II was TO kiss
and make up" after I had begged her
with tears to forgive me. etc.
I found n little house. with u little
sign In blue and white swinging In the
breeze similar to the little house aud
| the little sign Mt Brandon. II was oc.
fendlng paper. looked Mt him.
without speaking. and he returned
the compliment In kind.
II wish 10 see Miss Nellie Merton"
| said. and M he did not speak. I went
on TO explain. IL am the operator at
Brandon. md have nm important mes.
fagc which must he delivered to her
| NJ once. A moments delay means"
! NNur'u WoIhs Huu uf
ihc first time.
don, and desire to see Miss Mertonf I
nm sorry 10 dlsappoInt you. but, you
zee, Miss Merton " nj home NJ the
present time. while take her place.
The fact ir. she II going 10 bc mar.
rIcd, and ~ preparing FOR tho grea,
event Shc cannot he seen personally,
La
me, | viii deliver 4, Immediately, "
you will bc Kind enough 90 take my
plnce while ! run around 10 her
home"
His GOODNESS nearly distracted me.
Il must see herr" | exclaimed. OK.
el,cily,
hut you cannot" he said coolly.
~ have strict orders not 10 let nny one
know her whereabouts for day or
two, until these preparations nre well
under why"
was on the verge ~ tears. and.
With n husky voice, ! cried out, slnk.
linz Into n chair. and holding NJ my
bands doprccntlnEly.
Don't shy another wordi You VIII
set me Wild II yon viii not tell me
where 10 find Nellie" went on, IN
desperation. "wlll you please tell l.tF
| have been hnd. wicked wumnn,
nnd-and- there IL no such per.
son M Ned Clnyborn. II started In
fun, midland md please lot me 20
10 her. hbc viii understand M 10
much better ihnD you cnn explain H."
NO such person ~ Ned Cnyh9tnf
Ny dear woman. ! must hrg Leave
80 diner with you. Tint N the nnnlo
~ the young ,,nu WHO, IN three short
sasts, IN - >alry Miss Merton Sure