The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-15
LOVE BY WIRE.

It is not at all certain who first discover
I'd It, probably the housemaid at 3o30--two
rings. Whenever the bell rang, no matter
what nuAsber of rings, and the housemaid
was within hearing distance, 1t was her
habit to get to the telephone as soon "a
possible and put the receiver to her ear,
and she did it so deftly and noiselessly that
the persons talking over the wire never
knew they had listener. The girl at CEN
trail knew 1t early also, rs 1t was her duty
to weld the wires over which Cupid shot
his darts back and forth between 1859 and
Soso-five rings. But II she knew 1t she
paid no attention to 1t and only felt
slight annoyance at the frequency of the
service demanded.
The discovery refer to was the affair
between the girl at 8o3o-fve rings and
the young MIN at 1869, and the only pub
Lefty IL had was over the telephone wires
The conversation that must necessarily
and frequently have taken place between
the young persons in private has, of
oourse, no place In this story. The wire
that conveyed the conversation herein set
down was q party line. That Is to say il
ecpnected Jointly four telephones in a
south side neighborhood The number o
the Joint line was 5000, and each of four
subscribers had designated number of
rings by which they might be called.
know mono Of the subscribers personally,
and the story came to me from a person
who learned it from another person to
whom II was told by S080-four rings, who
was described to me as q widow of 40 or
thereabout, who has strong leanings to-
ward the romantic side of life and who
dearly loves love affair.
Next / learned it from the feminine
cousin of eoS0--threerings, who is describ-
ed as spinster of uncertain age, who dotes
on the Duchess novels
Thirdly, 1 learned it from Miss Warwick
Bool Evard, whose maid had received full
particulars from the housemaid at 5000
two rings
That surely should be evidence sufficient
to warrant it's further publicity, IL that
indeed were necessary. In fact 1t may be
an old story already.
No telephone on the party line had more
calls than five rings Where the other
telephones had one demand five rings had
dozen. This was enough to convince
the other subscribers that there was an
attractive young woman at the one end Of
the wire and man at the other. Follow
ing is the first conversation between 1862
and 3030-fiye rings reported to me. 1t
comes from the housemaid at 3030-two
rings, so l infer that she was the first dis
coverer. Subsequent conversations came
from all three sources and must therefore
be approximately correct:
Time, 1890 a. m. Four violent rings
on four telephones.
1662-Hellol Hellol Is this 8030-f1ve
ringsS YesP Good morning. Very softly
and sweetly)-Do you know who this is?
Five rings-Yes, of course know who
1t IS Good morning, Mr.. Hunter. (Vio-
lent agitation at the other end of the
lne.)
i66s-It Is not Mr.. Hunter. On an
offended tone) Guess again.
Five rings-4 You old goose, knew it
was you. I'5fst wanted TO tease you.
Good morning, Arthur--(pause, then COO
tngly)--dear.
i66a-Ah, preciousl Are you quite well
this morning? / could not sleep last
night thinking of your headache. Are
you sure you are quite well again? You
must take good care Of yourself, dear, for
my sake, you know.
Five rings (plaintively)-I am just
little better Don't worry. ! shall be
we'll soon. What are you doing now, dears
You must not lose sleep because of me. l
expect such great things of you. You
must be president of the bank some day,
just as have planned it.
1662-Ah, Mabel, what couldn't man
do for your Did you really mean what
you said last nighte
Five rings-What was thatg (Teasing-
ly) said SO many things, you know. You
can't expect this little head of mine to re-
member everything. say SO many fool
ish things,
1859 {anxiously)--surely you haven't
forgotten already?
Five rings-Oh, about that-why, l
don't know whether I meant it or not.
Did say it as though meant it?
1662-Wel, you did last night, and
when you put your
Five rings-Hushl Somebody may be
listening. What was that? (The house
maid had almost exploded with laughter
Perhaps some one is listening. will see
you this afternoon. Four O'Clock. I'll be
at the table right near the soda fountain.
Goodby.
1862 (tenderly)-Goodby.
Five rings (aiso tenderly)-Goodby,
1862 (still more tenderly)-Goodby.
Five rings with decision)-Goodby.
Give telephone receivers are hung up,
three of them very noiselessly)
Second conversation at O'Clock p M.
of the same day:
I662-Heilol Helloi
Five rings--I knew your voice at once.
Where are you now? Where? Where? Oh,
Arthur, how could you? Only place open?
Won't some one hear you? Oh, well, it's
ell right if the box is closed. Who is with
you?
1662-Billy Tinker.
Five rings-That horrid little thingl
don't like you to go with him, Arthur. He
smokes and drinks beer. No; he's not all
right. If am to be your guardian angel,
you must do what say. Have you smok-
ed today, Arthur? You know what You
PROMISED me.
Sound Of cigar being dropped on the