Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-24
BY TELEPHONE.

1t was very warm day near the close
of August, and Virginia Allen stepped into
a corner drug store to refresh herself with
a soda.
A woman is never too warm or too ia
tigued to notice another woman's gown,
and as Virginia waited at the soda counter
her observant eyes took in every detail of
the charming summer costume worn by a
young woman who was standing at the
telephone.
She was very pretty woman, and her
dainty gown of grass linen, with its touch
of green ribbons here and there, became
her exceedingly, as did her hat, mass of
sweet peas and green gauze, set well for
ward ON her blond head
just now she was a bit out Of temper.
express 1854, she called impatiently.
And as she waited for the desired number
she turned and looked at Virginia, who,
quite overcome by the heat--or was it for
some other reason-had seated herself at
no great distance off and was welding a
palm leaf fan energetically.
The pretty woman turned abruptly to
the phone in response to a call. us this
Express 2,S04?" she said.
at is Byron's number" Virginia NUT
tered to herself II thought SO.
The woman at the phone spoke again
"This is Mr.. Curtis, is it noti" Vir-
ginia ceased tanning and scarcely disguised
the fact that the conversation interested
her.
eyes, Z am Miss Cleavebrook, )" contin-
ued the woman in the linen gown. Then,
eyes, please"
A short pause ensued. The drug store
cuckoo clock struck 2. Virginia excitedly
imagined what Byron Curtis must be say
ing at the other end of the phone in his
office, high up in one of the down town
buildings.
Miss Cleavebrook interrupted her
thoughts. eyes" she said, and Virginia
fancied perhaps that her voice took on a
more tender tone. Same place, }" she con
tinued, with little laugh. "Did you?
I'm SO glad. Thanks SO much for the flow
ers. You really mustn't send them Sc
often. It's too extravaganza of YOU"
Virginia gave a little start. "Theater
again this week." questioned Miss Cleave
brook doubtingly. 81 really think twice Il
week Is too often"
But the man with whom she was talk
ing seemed to overcome her scruples, and
after agreeing to so with him on Friday
evening of that week she said:
"Why don't you ask me why l called
you up2" Then, seeming to forget that
she was in a public place, she laughed
merrily at the response that came back
over the phone. Finally she said:
"No, it wasn't that. l want very much
to see that book of After Dinner Speeches
you spoke Of Can you bring it to me this
EVENING" No? Well, tomorrow, then.
What are you going to do tonight"
The fair questioner seemed but little
pleased at the answer she received. She
tapped her foot impatiently, and it was q
full minute before she spoke.
Virginia fancied she heard Byron say,
~ am going to call on Miss Allen to-
night" For had he not asked if he might
come over to see her Tuesday,
Miss Cleayebrook recovered her temper
If indeed she had lost it, and said, 81
thought told you to drop that"
Virginia arose hurriedly and walked to
the front of the store. "It is insupport.
able" she muttered to herself She
speaks as if she owned him when"--
Her thoughts overcame her as the mem
ory of all that had happened between her
and Byron Curtis rushed to her mind
The sharp ring of the little bell recalled
her to herself and she looked up to see
Miss Cleavebrook leave the store and &c
slowly down the street with happy smile
dimpling her pretty face.
Virginia took an impulsive step toward
the telephone, needless of the clerk who
stood behind the counter and who began
to gaze at her rather curiously.
"He need not come to see me-" she
thought fercely. "He would rather be
with her." Her voice nearly choked her
as she answered, Express 2,S04,' to the
inevitable, "Nmnber, please?'
The moments which followed were agony
to her. Her thoughts ran wild sit was
only last week he told me that he cared for
me, and II was to have answered him to-
night. Why-why did care so much?"
"Hello" sounded a mans voice over the
phone, and then, before she could speak,
us this you again, Louise?"
Virginia's face paled; then she flushed
painfully. Had she been mistaken? 1t
had never occurred to her that another
man could have answered to Express 2,s04.
She made an effort to control her voice.
II am Miss Allen. wish to speak to Mr..
Curtis"
"Mr. Curtis left the office, madam, at
o'clock. l am his partner, Mr.. Colway.
Can do anything for your"
"Thank you, no." replied Virginia.
Mr.. Colway wondered as he hung up the
receiver at the glad change in the girl 5
voice.
"Miss Allen!" no soliloquized. "By
Jove! I didn't know 1t had gone so far.
Her voice sounded as if she might be pretty.
If am to believe Curtis on the subject Of
the young lady's charms, he is in great
good luck, but I'll bet she can't touch
Lou"
The glad change in Virginia's voice was
noticed also by another MANA man who
stood by the cigar counter watching the
girl with his whole soul in his eyes.
Virginia turned from the phone with q
happy feeling of thankfulness that was al
most pain. The man who had been
watching her stepped quickly toward her.
"Byron!" she said, with little glad
cry holding out both her hands to him.
Virginia, he answered, 1T is Tues
day"
Yes" she said softly, cit is Tuesday"
AND questioned he.
eyes, again. she murnured even
lower.
A drug store is not very romantic
place, but think that those two told each
other everything in the look they gave each
other, quite unmindful of the little clerk
who flippantly mixed an egg phosphate for