The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-05
LOVES TELEGRAPH.

He wore q fashionable Alaska diamond
pin, a massive plated chain, and the wrist
bands Of his Immaculate shirt were secured
by pair of bronze sleeve buttons repre-
senting a skull and pair of crossbones
and being nearly of the size of life His
face was fair, but sorrOwful in its express
sion, and not without reason. for his heart
was haunted with the melancholy recollec-
6ions of a lost love.
The object of his supposed misplaced af-
feetiOns was a certain Miss Minerva Mud
dleton, who resided with her indulgenb
parents in al elegant house on Indiana
avenue. They had met at a church sociable
during the previous winter. She had in
yited him to call at her house. He had ac-
Cepted the invitation, and an intimacy had
arisen between them that afforded him
many bright promises of future happiness,
but, alas for him, all human hopes are
vain, and the brightest dreams of earthly
life are but deeting. Old Middleton, as
Amos sometimes called his prospective
father-in-law, had higher aims for his
daughter. When he saw how matters were
going, he suddenly, as he subsequently re-
marked to one of his neighbors, put his
foot down" and forbade Amos the hospi-
talities of his house. The lovers were there
fore separated Their interchanges Of affec-
ton were Interrupted for season, but not
hop1essly ended.
Immediately adjoining the Middleton
mansion was a large boarding hOuse-one
of those vulgar institutions that viii thrust
itself into select and aristocratic neighbor-
hoods. At this habitation Amos immedi-
ately secured an apartment, from the win
dows of which he could obtain frequent
glimpse Of the fair Minerva as she fitted
from room to room about her fathers
house engaged in her various household
duties. Sometimes she would appear at
her window, and they engage in social con
verse by means Of various signs and sig
each other Besides, they were in CON
slant fear of being seen.
One day, while Amos was walking along
the street rejecting upon his melancholy
situation, his attention was attracted by a
crowd who were closely pressing upon a
seedy looking Individual who was engaged
IN selling a new and wonderful invention
which he called 'slovcrs' telegraph
Near at hand stood a couple of men,
about 30 feet apart, with long string in
a state of tension between them, to each
end Of which was attached tin cylinder
about Is inches in diameter, with piece
of bladder skin tightly drawn and fastened
over one end, the other end being open,
the end of the string being made fast by
means of knot and the string being
drawn through Il small hole or puncture
in the center of the bladder skin, the use
of the continuance being to enable persons
to converse III low whispers while stand
other, the open end Of the cylinder being
held to the ear of one party while the other
party whispered in the open end of the 9th
er cylinder the words he wished to say, the
sound being distinctly transmitted along
the cord
Amos saw at glance that the inven-
ton was Il practical enc He bought one
at once and went holneward
Upon the following evening, when Mi
nerva appeared at the window, he exhibited
the invention to her and explained it's use
by means of various signs and signals 1t
was soon in active operation, and both
pronounced it a most wonderful success.
Night after night was the experiment
resumed; the old story of their love was
told over and over again, and they con
graduated themselves upon having out
Witted the cruel parent who had sought to
divide their hearts forever.
But Minorva had nischievous brother, !
who was not at all friendly to Amos One
evening he discovered their means of Sc
cret communication, and he determined to
bring their intercourse through that me-
dunn to a close.
Accordingly one night when, unknown
to Amos, Minerva was absent from homo
her brother substituted himself at her
window. 1t was too dark for Amos to
recognize him; he had not the remotest i
thought but that it was Minerva. After
several Intellectual efforts he succeeded in /
tossing ons end of the telegraph in at
her window. The c~linder was seized
with avidity, and tho following conversa-
ton was carried on:
g 1iinerva?''
90 Yes, dear. -
'Do you still love me as truly as ever9''
Yes, of course. shall love you al
ways"
Chow hard it is for US to be so cruelty I
separated Oh, that 1 could look into your
avcz and coo NV irnsfra reflected there
To his glad surprise, the voice replied.
81 viii meet you IN ten minutes IN the
alley by the barn Father is away. No
body would suspect our meeting there -
A strange place, . muttered Amos to /
himself. But perhaps she is right. No
ono would think of looking for US there.
Oh, if 1 was only rich, we would fly from
this spot forcverl But no; it is impOssi- /
bic. What a terrible thing it is to be
poorp'
He put en- his hat and leaving the house
walked around the block in order to avoid
suspicion. Then no entered the mysteri- !
GUS alley and groped his way silently along
until he came to tho place appointed for
their meeting
Suddenly his feet became entangled in
cord that somebody mad stretched across I
his way, and he fell to tho ground. Then,
from above, the door Of AIuddleton's barn /
was thrown open and tub of cold water
was dashed upon him. As he scrambled
to his feet a bucketful of ashes descended /
upon his head, followed by loud shouts of
derisive laughter, and, choking with dust,
rage and modification, lie hurried from the
place as fast as his feet could carry him
without waiting for any explanation.
he changed his boarding place on the
following morning He has not yet learn
ed the nanEer in which he was deceived.
He yet believes Minerva false to him, and
they now meet no more, while the brother
thinks that ne viii hardly be able to keep
the secret to himself much Ionger.-New
York News