The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-09-12
THE TRAGEDY :>>..z r.. r
OF TELEPHONE GIRL

From the French Of Chas. Foley.
We happened to come out of the club
together, and so I walked along the
boulevard with NJ. Maroux, man with
a kindly face, but marked with an in
finite melancholy
| "Will you wait a minute for me?'
said I, as We reached the postoffice. II
wish to go in and telephone
He started at the last word, and
saw his grip tighten on his cane. When
l returned he still seemed nervous, and
to break an uncomfortable silence
made some commonplace remark about
what a marvellous invention the tele-
phone was, and what inestimabl BILE SER
vices the progress of science is doing
us every day.
do you think so?'' replied M.
Maroux, in tone of bitter irony "It
seems to me, on the contrary, that
science, far from aiding us, only en-
phasizes our human weakness and
cruelty multiplies the means that can
cause our suffering. But you will un-
derstand ME better if I give you an
| example of what I mean from my own
! experiences:
| l was spending my autumn vacation
with Louise, my wife, and Marcel, my
little son, at Morande, which had just
| bought. It was in the country, about
| three leagues out of Marseilles. Nam
cite, our old servant. was both house,
| keeper and cook. Blaise, who was de-
| voted to me, and delighted at being
once more near the city where his
| worthy old mother lived, fulfilled the
functions of gardner and had his quar-
! tiers in a detached Clubhouse.
With my gun on my arm, and my two
| dogs at my heels, Used to wander
| about all day with my wife and baby
In that delightful solitude. To make
amends for our isolation had a tele-
phone office at Marseilles, and by it
every evening, as r sat in my bed
! chamber, I could learn what had been
done during the day at my factory in
Paris.
Our peaceful life was interrupted by
| notice from my superintendent; by
making personal application I could
obtain an important government order
| The weather was so fine, and Marcel
seemed so we'll, that Louise decided to
wait for me at Marande. But on the
eve Of my departure for Paris the rain
fell in torrents. When the hired We
hicle arrived before my door, at the
sight of the immense blackness of the
| fields and woods felt a sudden grip
ping at my heart.
You will be away only two nights"
Louis treasured me; Nanette will sleep
near my room; Blaise has your gun,
| and from the house where he sleeps he
! could hear us CALL and the dogs are an
excellent guard. What could happen
| to us?"
kissed Louise and Marcel, and start
ed on my journey. On the train
passed a most uneasy night, and I had
no sooner reached Paris than jumped
out of the carriage and hastened to
telephone, office. Communication be-.
ing sesta blished / heard, nasal and mr1luf-
fled, but still very sweet to me, the
voice Of my wife.
''Hello!" called. How did you pass
the night, Louise? Were you very
| frightened?"
Yes, little-Nanette especially. We
| did not get to sleep until almost day.
| break, because Nanette thought she had
heard steps in the garden. The dogs.
which we had forgotten to unite, had
been barking a long time. At last we
! opened the window and called Blaise.
He took the gun, loosed the dogs. and
! made a tour of the house, but he did
not find anything suspicious. Baby,
who did not suspect anything, the fine
| little fellow, has walked up and is call
| ing me. Goodbye. If you have
moment before dinner, call me up
again.
Only half treasured I plunged into
the business in hand, and was not able
to go to the telephone again until after
eight o'clock. 1 had to call long time
Hello, hello!" called. "Why didn't
| you answer, Louise? What is the mat
| ter?"
Something We did not expect this
| afternoon. The shutters had been
fastened, the dogs united, and Nanette
| had put UP bed for Blaise in the hall
in order to save us the terrors of last
| night, when a boy from the village
! brought note for Blaise. His mother
had suddenly been taken very i'll, and
she wanted him to come to her imme-
dlately. The boy, whom we had never
seen before, went away again as soon
| as he had delivered the note, without
giving us any further information
Blaise, who adores his mother, was
quite upset. He did not want to leave
| us alone before daylight, but his sor-
| roWful face told how dearly the delay
would cost him. I thought that if this
woman dies tonight, I shall have pre-
vented poor Blaise from receiving her
| last blessing. So I overcome nv
| scruples and made him go. He prom
lsed to return this evening, and to save
time he will drive back. I have lust
! bolted the door after him. That is
| why kept you waiting. Now how is
that business affair getting along?"
! Very we'll, but let us talk about
yourself. You should not have let
Blaise go. Even if he drives back, he
cannot return before ten or eleven
o'clock. My sole confidence was in
knowing that he was near you and
no" ne is gone. And then that bow
! who ran away before Won had time ~