Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-01-16
A TELEPHONE ERROR.
By Winifred Webb.
MRS. BURTON.

LNOh tHlcc udyS buc Wdbcr udu uCtH
L rushing along the streets, surg
ing up over the ~curbings, growing
each hour more daring and turbu-
lent in the steady uncompromising
fall of rain. Late in the afternoon of
the third day it cleared, leaving the
great wall of the Sierras a 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, n saw an
occasional rider.
Mrs. Marjorie Burton, standing in
a 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
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 i'm
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 yer 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 en- Sun
day. Which, of course, they would
be glad to do. Then she would drop
a 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 hotel-life, with it's 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, ant
looking up, CHANGED to meet eyes ovel
which the lids dropped quickly before
something in his gaze. 1t was Their
that the sister,, Mrs. Burton, with {
voice just perceptibly more cordial
said he must drop into dinner will
them now and then. And later in the
evening, when she found that he knew
The Fosters, who were coming soor
for over Sunday, she said he should
hold himself in readiness for a sum
mon when they arrived. "Now dom
forget!" she said, as she gave him hel
fingers at parting.
81 couldn't if I would" he replied
cavalierly before he turned to make
a strangely awkward adieu to thu
girl whose lids had dropped, and who
when he had gone, returned to thu
parlor and played very rapidly a yer.
gay little song on the piano which
stood in the shadow. Nobody sale
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 me-
with no response unless the slightly
petulent "It's cold," from Mrs. Mar
jorie, crouched down before the tin,
sheet-iron stove, whose pipe ran int
the fireplace behind it, might be ia
ken for a reply.
II never suffered so with the cold il
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 withou'
that stove? It's worse than Italy"
The husband poked at the fire in
harmless effort to tactfully NANTES
sympathy. Phyllis, laying back com
fortably in her Morris chair, hand
idly clasped in her lap, glanced q
Ruth, who had started slightly a
her brother-in-law's announcement
and then remarking the quicker still
lingering in Mrs. Marjorie's forehead
she said in a singularly direct reply
to the stove tirade: "Why don't 20,
telephone them?" And after con
siderable discussion as to the fitness
of the medium, Mrs. Marjorie, minu'
all traces of quicker and petulence
absented herself from the room for
while to act upon the suggestion.
II had a terrible time" she sale
in %justifiable ~hyperbole, when she re
turned. IF money would help thu
Pasadena telephone service, l thinl
C%arnegie's attention should be draw
to it at once. If it's brains that arr
lacking-well, / hope some will b.
provided soonl But I got them
nally. And they're coming--all o
them," she added carelessly. A mo
ment later, to Phyllis: II though
MI. Denton seemed surprised. He hes
itated a little-he didn't seem to I'm
derstand at first. I wonder if hi
thinks we are not sincere"
Phyllis smiled. maybe he ism
himself" she said quietly.
III.
MRS. BARTON.
Jack Denton stood in the lobby
biting the end Of his mustache.
MRS. Barton" he thought. "Wha'
can have come owe her? 1t strike
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