Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-03-16
Six Ninety six Main.

calls up 606." She rang the bell.
'"Testiug the wire," responded central
cheerfully.
''rhe wire responds" said the voice.
Miss Nelson was quite aware that she
had no right to continue the converse
ton, but she had held her curiosity ir
check for months in the face Of mys
terry, and she could endure it no longer.
you do not use your phone much"
she said politely.
mo, no. responded the voice, some
what sadly. I'm not acquainted in the
city. l haven't much use for telephone,
it is true. But it's great invention.
enjoy it very much when you call me up
in the morning."
There was something so wistful in the
voice that Miss Nelson made no apology
to herself for the tears that came in her
eyes.
1t was a monotonous life that she led
It had not much happiness in it and no
romance. So it was not surprising tina,
she endeavored to probe this, her first
mystery. She took the pains one Sunday
afternoon when she was at leisure to call
at the house Of George Whitman Rum.
ford 1886 to make an inquiry about
fictitious address. The house was new
and Of red sandstone. elegant and plain,
and the yard. the walk and the steps
were. in condition Of scupulous neat.
ness. A young colored man answered the
door. Miss Nelson, blushing at her de-
ceit. made her inquiry in loud tone of
voice. AS she had hoped and, expected.
this brought an elderly gentleman cut of
the library.
"What is it the lady wants to know.
John? Can l be Of any assistance, mad
ann"
Miss Nelson. hating herself for her du.
plicity. repeated the question.
The tall gentleman shook his head re-
gretfully.
II really can be of no assistance to
you," he said. II know so few persons in
the neighborhood. But, if you will do me
the honor to come in and wait, l will
send out to make inquiries"
''Oh. no, nov protested Miss Nelson.
Il shall have to give up trying to find
my friends, l think. 1t is evidently a
mistake. 1t is sometimes hard to locate
ones friends in a city like this"
ut is. indeed. ! suppose. Unfortunate
~, have no friends here''
"Noy'
'No; have recently come here. l
have always lived in little town, but
thought would like to see what life in
the city was like
"Yes."
II have built this house. Won't you
step in a moment and look at it? take
great pleasure out of it.. The postman
kindly stepped in the other day and look
ed at it. and he admired it much"
Miss Nelson hesitated between pru-
,:ob
selfish caution to the winds. she went in
altogether unhomelke interior met her
view
81 had to do i quite alone" explained
discover many deficiencies in it. and
should be glad of suggestions"
"You must find it pleasant living on
the boulevard" said Miss Nelson.
"Oh. very. very! So many people go
by. I would like to ask some of them in
at times. but they might think it strange.
I'm much obliged to you for coming in.
It has made a very agreeable break in
the day. Pm little solitary. you know
If it were not for John, should be quite
dull"
Miss Nelson was moved to shake hands
in saying farewell. and the hand that
took hers was unexpectedly hard with
ancient callouses. She could not make
the man out. He was more of a mystery
than ever.
She got in the way. after this. of add
ing some little word over the phone after
the daily test of the wires. and finally
she confessed that it was she who had
called. Mr.. George Whitman Rumford
was greatly pleased at this. He laugh.
ed and chatted about it till Miss Nelson
was obliged to ring off. He wanted to
send her little gift. but she refused
very gently-to receive it. He asked to
take her to church Sunday evening. but
she felt it to be best to refuse that
courtesy too. He inquired. whether he
might not call for her and escort her
home. But she did not accord him that
permission. He took these rebuffs sadly.
One morning there was no response when
she rang the bell. and after many trials
she made out that John was making fu'
tile attempts to be heard. 1t was John
who mumbled over the wires for four
successive mornings.
Miss Nelson grew anxious and called
personally at the house. John came to
the door, weeping.
"Mistah Rumfo'd he pass. way dis
mohnin, ma am. He ask me ovah and
ovah las night did you tes' the wiahs
yet. He mighty fon' OBJ answerin the
phone, Mistah Rumfo'd.'''
Iida Nelson suffered a pang such as
she had never felt before. 1t was re-
morse.
She went into the room where the un-
dertaker and his assistants were. having
just finished their sorry task, and she
looked with penitence at the white face
of the lonelest man she had ever known.
81 ought to have had. less propriety
and more humanity" she said to herself.
1t was Miss Nelson. John, two or three
of the neighbors and Mr.. Rumford's man
of business who followed the black coffin
to the place Of the dead.
And the next week Miss Nelson had
all the mystery solved. The man Of
business brought her manuscript. 1t
was written for her by the dead man,
and it contained simple story Of man
whose money had brought him only iso-
lation. With the manuscript was a gift.
''When you receive this" the donor had
written, 81 shall be where you cannot re-
turn it to me-" --.
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