The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-05-30
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: A TELEPHONlC ERROR.
BY Winifred Webb.
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/ th thiee days the water had beer
L rushing along the streets. surg
ing up over the curbings. growing
each hour more daring and turbu.
lent in the steady uncompromisino
fall Of rain. Late in the afternoon of
the third day it cleared. leaving the
great wall Of the Sierras deep blue
across from the west where the sun
was setting in glory Of red and gold.
feopie began Venturing out charity.
and along the wheeltrack. which was
almost Immediately dry. one saw an
occasional rider.
Mrs. Marjorie Burton. standing in
a large window whose draperies OF
white under the bright oriental hang
ings set of her dark hair To advan-
tage' and made her quite worthy the
absorbed and satisfied attention she
was unconsciously receiving from a
corner where came a curl OF cigar
smoke, turned around 20 announce
In evident relief and delight that
they could have their Sunday dinner
party after all
"Nou needn't laugh" she added 20
the corner. Its an exceedingly inn
portant event" To which grave
affirmation she received teasing:
Exceedingly important events are
dangerous things for little women TO
try 10 manage. my dear"
She did not hear his wisdom. for
ht4 D.
details Of her plan. They would drive
In the morning. stopping informally
al the Guirnalda on their way home.
20 inquire how the Fosters were feel
ing after their trip overland. and 70
learn If the newspaper reports about
the Billiards in the east were true;
then she would tell them how for
tunate they had been in getting a
house, and ask them 10 dine on sun
day. Which. of course. they would
be glad 20 do. Then she would drop
pretty little note. on the paper she
had brought from Paris 20 Mr., Den
ton. telling him about il. and asking
him 20 join the little party: which,
also. he would be glad 10 do. Mrs.
Burton was sure Of il. At this point
her mind turned backward 20 one Of
number Of calls. made not too long
ago. when he had complained Of the
monotony of hotel-life. with its cease
less round Of gaiety, and envied them
audibly their home life.
Il shall take a house the next time
I come 10 California" he said. and
looking mp, chanced 10 meet eyes over
which the lids dropped quickly before
something in ht gaze. It was then
that the sister. Mrs. Burton. with a
voice just perceptibly more cordial,
said he must drop into dinner with
them now and then. And later In the
evening when she found that he knew
the Fosters. who were coming soon
for over Sunday. she said he should
hold himself in readiness for a sum-
mon when they arrived. Now don't
forget" she said. as she gave him her
fingers at parting.
Il couldn't il I would" he replied 1
cavalierly before he turned TO make /
a strangely awkward adieu 10 the /
girl whose lids had dropped, and who.
when he had gone. returned TO the I
parlor and played very rapidly very
gay little song on the piano which /
stood in the shadow. Nobody said |
anything. and Phyllis and Mrs. Bur
ton would have stoutly denied having
meant anything by the look Of sur
prise In each others eyes.
The Fosters have come" an
nounced the husband that evening,
looking up from the list Of hotel ar
rivals in the Times. His remark met
with no response unless the slightly
petulent Its cold" from Mrs. Mar
jorie. crouched down before the tiny
sheet-iron stove. whose pipe ran into
the fireplace behind il, might be ta-
ken for a reply.
81 never suffered so with the cold In
my life" she added, giving a disdain-
full glance at the prettily useless fire.
place which had been the sole pro-
vision for heating the large rooms.
'What should we have done without
that stove? It's worse than Italy"
The husband poked at the fire IN a
harmless effort 10 tactfully manifest
Phyllis. laying back COM
fortably in her Norris chair. hands
dly elasped in her lap, glanced at
Ruth, who had started slightly at |
her brother-in-law's announcement,
md then remarking the pucker still
lingering in Mrs Marjorie's forehead
he said in a singularly direct reply
10 the stove TRADE: why don't you
telephone them?" And after con-
siderable discussion as 20 the fitness
Il the medium. Mrs. Marjorie, minus
m traces of pucker and petulence,
lbsented herself from the room for
While 10 act upon the suggestion.
Il had terrible time" she said
n justifiable hyperbole, when she re-
urned. III money would help the
'asadena telephone service. l think '
attention should be drawn
O il at once. II it's brains that are
acking l hope some will be I
lrovided soon, But got them f. I
ally. And they're coming-all Of
hem" she added carelessly. 4 mo- {
nent later. 20 Phyllis: Il thought {
ir Denton seemed surprised. He hes Z
tated a little-he didn't seem 20 un- {
erstand at first. ! wonder IL he {
links we are not sincere" 8
Phyllis smiled. Maybe he isn't {