Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-09-09
WARS SUDDEN CALL.
A Love Story of the Present.

Sudden. i''o ,lHal, overwhelming relief,
as shi eiung tightly to the receiver.
Eyes, yes-I'il listen carefully"
she said neSt, and then silence.
whit? What? Say it again, very
slowly. can't unlerstanl. Surely
l haven't understooj?" her voice was
sharp, with sadden dread Again
silence, and then her answer:
''Not today? At once? The ship
ordered to Puerto Rico? Have l got
it right? Oh, Guy. have 1 got It
right?"
She listened, and low moan of
prin escaped her.
"But-but surely you'll come home
for minute? I'll see you again?"
The answer sent n shiver through
her from head to foot, and she said,
fiercely;
II cannot stand IL, Guy. / cannotl
To have you go at ouce like this-af.er
this morning. Could see YOU Just
see you, Guy-if 1 went straight 10
the yard now?" And few seconds
late-:
"It's too terrible, too cruel" Sud-
denly she started GENTLY as
Thought fiashe through her head, and
she asked, RAPIDLY:
"Gny, be honest with me. Does
this sudden order mean-does it
mean-war? Is there any news?
Something / don't know" and after
an interval:
Eyes, yes, I'll try. No one knows
yet, of course But, Guy, speak to me
yolr voice is still cold and hard aud
strange. Say something to me-one
word | can cling to, to help mel"
''What?" A pause.
'You are in the paymaster's Office?
Clerks all about? Is that it? Please
whisper it, and I'll try and catch it.
She listened painfully only burr,
a woman's laugh, word in an un-
known voice, tantalizing. incsssant
vibration from the endless feyerish
crisscross of life going on forever, in
which she had no part.
II can't hear Oh, Guy, / can't
hear word, she painted. Don't
go yet. When can l hear from you?
Just one minute; 1 want to say some
thing, Guy~ The telephone bell
sounded with sharp impatience even
as she spoke. She rung again and
again, and there was no answer.
Come back; | must say one word.
Central, give me 81, please, give me 81.
Guy, dear, won't you come for one
single second? Pm-Pm so sorry for
this morning. 1t was all my fault,
every bit of it," She pleaded sobbing
into the senseless thing in her hand
that no longer responded. She rung
again and once again, frantically
Then she sprang rigidly erect and
whispered:
'It's too late-he's gone--perhaps
forever. Her head fell forward, she
swayed toward the closet door, fumbled
at the handle, opened it aad cried in
voice faint aud pitiful:
''Will some one help me?' Her
failing sight saw Ruth hurrying toward
her through the street door; her tail
ing hearing was pierced by the shrill
young voice of a newsboy dashing
round the corner
Extra, ex-tral Presidents message
read in Congressl War sure to -"
His voice was lost in the roar of the
streets, and Mrs. Phelps sank uncon-
scious into Ruth's arms.
Twenty-four hours passed. Half
through the night and all day long the
cries of the newsboys reached the
hearing of the young wife.
Her sweet face was stiff and ashy with
her hands so cold that her
child shrank from her touch and
whimpered. Ruth hovered about, in
and out, on hundred foolish loving
errands. She played and laughed
boisterously with the baby to drown
all other sounds when she caught the
first far cry that wrung her mistress
heart again and again, coming nearer
and nearer down the street.
Az the day drew to its close Mrs.
Phelps lay once again silent and spent
on the old lounge, aud again she
heard a quick step spring up the
stairs, a ring at her bell, the low words
Mt the door. II seemed like the con-
fused memory of a dream. She did
not even open her eyes until Ruth
said close beside her;
Zone these yer mess ger boys, Miss
ies' broughten this yer passel
To- you. 1t do smell like it might be
some sort er bo'quet," she added,
smiling.
s.Put it down, nanny; I'll arrange
them later, said Mrs. Phelps. Prob
ably some friend at the yard, who knew
Of the ships sudden sailing. had re-
her and sent silent mes
sage Of sympathy in this sweet way.
1t was often done from one sad
hearted wife to another, Just to help
a little in the endless pathos of their
lives
'Land sakes, Miss Mamie, amt You
put them posies in the water yet?"
Ruth, again appearing at
the door, watching for some spark Of
in that set, white face before
her yearning eyes.
''Dat's no way to act, Miss Mamie,
IN YOU hhoW uat llBut we'll 0hen
folks takes de trouble an de
spense to buy you some flowers, you'd
orter spunk up 'nough shorely to say
'howdy' to en-"
"AIl right, nanny dear; please
lon't scold, said Mrs. Phelps, a smile (
breaking for an instant through the
risi lily Of her face.
She arose and began to unite the
string about the pasteboard box. She
raised tbs lid and lifted out a great
pile Of pink aud yellow rose.. The