The Irish standard., 1902-01-18
A TELEPHONlC ERROR.
By Winifred Webb.
I.
MRS. BURTON.
Observation-Disclosures

MRS. BURTON.
EOR three days the water had been
L rushing along the streets, surg
ing up over the curbings, growing
each hour more daring and turbu-
lent in the steady incorporating
fall of rain. Late in the afternoon of
the third day it cleared, leaving tho
great wall of the Sierras deep blue
across from the west where the sun
was setting in a glory of red and gold.
People began venturing out charity,
and along the wheeltrack, which was
almost Immediately dry, one saw an
occasional rider.
Mrs. Marjorie Burton, standing in
large window whose draperies of
white under the bright oriental hang
ings set off 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 to announce
in evident relief and delight that
they could have their Sunday dinner
party after all.
"You needn't laugh" she added to
the corner. cts an exceedingly inn
portant event." To which grave
affirmation she received a teasing:
Exceedingly important events are
dangerous things for little women to
try to manage, my dear"
She did not hear his wisdom, for
she was going over in her mind the
details of her plan. They would drive
in the morning, stopping informally
at the Guirnalda on their way home,
to inquire how the Fosters were feel
ing after their trip overland, and to
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 to dine on Sum
day. Which, of course, they would
be glad to do. Then she would drop
pretty little note, on the paper she
had brought from Paris, to Mr.. Den.
ton, telling him about it, and asking
him to join the little party: which,
also, he would be glad to do. Mrs.
Burton was sure of it. At this point
her mind turned backward to one of
a number of calls, made not too long
ago, when he had complained of the
monotony of hotellife, with its cease.
less round of gaiety, and envied them
audibly their home life.
81 shall take a house the next time
I come to California" he said, and
looking up, CHANGED to meet eyes over
which the lids dropped quickly before
something in his gaze. 1t was then
that the sister, Mrs. Burton, with q
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 sum-
mon when they arrived. "Now don't
forget!" she said, as she gave him her
fingers at parting.
81 couldn't if 1 would" he replied
cavalierly before he turned to make
a strangely awkward adieu to tho
girl whose lids had dropped, and who,
when he had gone, returned to the
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 cts cold," from Mrs. Mar
jorie, crouched down before the tiny
sheet-iron stove, whose pipe ran into
the fireplace behind it, might be ta-
ken for a reply.
II never suffered so with the cold in
my life," she added, giving 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 polsed Mt the fire in q
harmless effort to tactfully manifest
sympathy. Phyllis, laying back COM
fortably in her Morris chair, hands
idly clasped in her lap, glanced at
Ruth, who had started slightly at
her brother-in-law's announcement,
and then remarking the pucker still
lingering in Mrs. Marjorie's forehead
she said in singularly direct reply
to the stove TRADE: "Why don't you
telephone them?" And after con-
siderable discussion as to the fitness
of the medium, Mrs. Marjorie, minus
all traces of pucker and petulence,
absented herself from the room for q
while to act upon the suggestion.
II had terrible time," she said
in justifiable hyperbole, when she re.
turned. IF money would help the
Pasadena telephone service, I think
Carnegie's attention should be drawn
to it at once. IT it's brains that ara
lacking-well, I hope some will be
provided soon! But I got them fl.
nally. And they're conling-all OF
them," she added carelessly. A mo.
ment later, to Phyllis: II thought
Mr.. Denton seemed surprised. He hes.
itated little-he didn't seem to un.
derstand at first. I wonder If he
thinks we are not sincere"
Phyllis smiled. maybe he isn't
himself" she said quietly.
II.
MRS. BARTON.
Tel. no~ko~ cx1ol A. Y~lH-