The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-21

"5ixty -one," he shouted, from two
stories below.
1.-The navy yardl" she exclaimed, II
thrill of premonition sending her heart
into her throat.
A moment later she stood alone i'm
the telephone closet at the corner, and
through the transmitter soft "Hello"
sped on its way. Then she listened.
eyes, I'm Mrs. Phelps. Who are
you?" She had not recognized the
voice that had answered.
"Oh, Guy!" she cried, softly, in
sudden. illogical, overwhelming relief,
as she clung tightly to the receiver.
eyes, yes-I'll listen carefully"
she said next, and then silence.
''What? What? Say II again, very
slowly. I cant understand. Surely
1 haven't understood?" her voice was
sharp, with sudden dread. Again
silence, and then her answer:
''Not today? At once? The ship
ordered to Puerto Rico? Have 1 got
it right9 Oh, Guy. have / got it
right?"
She listened, and a low moan Of
pain escaped her.
''But--but surely you'll come home
for minute? I'll see you again?"
The answer sent shiver through
her from head to foot, and she said,
fiercely:
'Icannot stand it, Guy. cannot!
To have you go at ouce like this-af.er
this morning. Could see you just
see you, Guy-if / went straight to
the yard now?" And few seconds
later:
''It's too terrible, too cruel" Sud-
denly she started violently as a
thought flashed through her head, and
she asked, rapidly:
"Guy, be honest with me. Does
this sudden order mean-does it
mean war? Is there any news?
Something I don't know" and after
an interval
"Yes, yes, I'll try. No one knows
yet, of course. But, Guy, speak to me
your voice is still cold and hard and
strange. Say something to me---one
word | can cling to, to help mer'
"What?" A pause.
ipu "to III 'ut pu.N inuSttT ONHCt!
Clerks all about? Is that it? Please
whisper it, and I'll try and catch it. 4"
She listened painfully only burr,
woman's laugh, word in an I'M
known voice, II tantalizing. mcessant
vibration from the endless feverish
crisscross of life going on forever, in
which she had no part.
s'T can't haor nb Iuy oou,t
hear word." she painted. "Don't
go yet. When can hear from you?
Just one minute; want to say some
thing, Guyr' The telephone bell
sounded with sharp impotence even
as she spoke. She rung again and
again, and there was no answer.
Come back; l must say one word.
Central, give me 81 please, give me 81.
Guy, dear, won't you come for one
single second? Pm-Fm 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
sits too late--he's gone--perhaps
forever" Her head fell forward, she
swayed toward the closet door. fumbied
at the handle, opened it and cried in
voice faint and 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, extra! Presidents message
read in Congress! War sure to -"
His voice was lost in the roar of the
streets, and Mrs. Phelps sank uncon :
scious into Ruth's arms.
Twenty-fonr hOurs passed. Half
through the night and all day long the
cries of the newsboys reached the
shrinking hearing OF the young wife.
Her sweet face was stiff and ashy with
suffering; 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.
As the day drew to it's close Mrs.
Phelps lay once again silent and spent
on the old lounge, and again she
heard quick step spring up the
stairs,a ring ut her bell, the low words
ut the door. 1t seemed like the con-
fused memory of dream. She did
not even open her eyes until Ruth
said close beside her:
"One these yer mess'ger boys, Miss
Mamie, jes' broughten this yer passel
TO- you. 1t do smell like 1t might be
some sort or bo'quet," shc Added,
] smiling.