The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-13
OVER THE WIRES.
BY GANET G. ALLEN.

am one of the few women in the
 world who has an opportunity to know exactly what is thought of her, for l am "the telephone girf." ''the Central '
 that stupid operator" and I answer to numerous other tender appellations which come to my ears over the wires, when business is brisk and my patrons in hurry. It Is a hard life. often an unpleasant one, but 1t has compen- sations: for instance. if one considers a kindly interest in the affairs of ones townspeople legitimate, 1t must be ad- mitted that I have exceptional ad- vantases in that line.
 Just the other day I concerned my self in an odd little affair. which turn- ed out so well that l am tempted to confess my part in it. That nice chap, Alec Andrews. rang up some weeks ago and asked me to give him Miss Frances Cary's line. which did with haste and 10 little interest since the Irritation has been town talk for some weeks. No sooner did I hear Miss Caryis cool Well, Mir. Andrews" than I knew love must be running its proverbial rough course. and l could almost see him stifen up at his end, as he said ab- ruptly: oh, I beg your pardon for disturbing you, Miss Cary, I merely wanted to make amends for anything l may have said last night that needed an apology. I was vexed. and 1 may have been hasty"-
 Hts voice dwindled into a sort of axpectant silence. But that stur i'd girl. instead of meeting him half way, wrapped her mantle of injured dig nttv about her. and gave him to un- derstand that the less said about their difference of opinion. the betetr. I hardly needed the signal to dissonaect their lines, after the last chilly words. but I drew a sigh of regret that there were to be no more daily conferences between them over walks and drives and good times generally.
 You have sent a nice fellow about his business. Miss Frances Gary I said to myself. vindictively. and you may be sorry by the time you have forgotten what the foolish quarrel vas about"
 But while like Mir. Andrews for his courtesy to me. in my small co lnee- tion with him, and was really sorry for his bad fortune in the direction of his lady love. I am much too busy for pro- longed meditation over the affairs of the town. and hardly gave hin a thought for the next few weeks. Oc- casionally caught echoes. in the talk of Miss Cary's girl friends. of the un- healed breach between Mr. Andrews and herself. but It was quite a i,,cnth later that I recognized his voice, enc morning. asking for 940. the town florist.
 Mir. Mays didn't come to the phone himself. but sent rather a raw hand, judRing from the extreme uncer. ainty of his replies. Finally. however, MT. Andrews succeeded in ordering a dozen American Beauties to be sent before the dance. the following night to Miss Um-m- -mn."
 What was the name. sirT' asked the clerk.
 Miss Leary." answered Mr. An drews. impatiently' Miss Frances
 There was a moments silence, then, adding. put in my card, which Pu send down. Mir. Andrews rang off before he heard the perplexed murmur from the timid salesman at the other end.
 Miss Frances-what? Why can't they stop long enough to make a feI- low understand? I didn't hear-Oh! yes! Miss Frances Cary-that's his partieulsr admiration"
 I smiled grimly to myself, but 1t wasn't my business to run Mir Mays shop. and no doubt MT. Andrews would it out later. confess did feel some slight twiRges of conscience about not correcting such an obvious when Fanny Leary rang, later in the day. and asked her married sister. Mrs. Johnson:
 Ella" she said. T want your long white wrap for the dance tonight: am going with Alec Andrews and he always sends me flowers, and is so aiee. that I want to look particularly we'll"
 Certainly. my dear" came back in placid tones from bland Mrs. John son. whose evenings are spent before the fire with Will and the children, and who hardly needs opera cloaks any onger. Send Mary for it. So you are going with Alec? That's nice. Sends flowers. does he? What are they this time? I hope not red: with your pink gown. Is he still at odds with Fan Cary? I heard her cousin Aune say the other day she thought they were both tired of the TOW, and if Alec
 Sunday. SPIRIT OF THE STONE"