The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-12-28
1t ended IN a way totally unexp.ct-

lie rang up late one afternoon. she all
lowed him to fume for fully two min
utes before giving him connection.
At the first sound of his voice she
closed the switch with jerk that she
might not hear, and then flung it i'm
patiently open in time to hear tie
word that vibrated, humEing, over
the wire.
"Darling!"
ooh, DON'T" exclaimed the girls
shocked voice. ''pon't-don't speak so
loud!"
Miss Maher banged the switch shut,
and disgustedly sat down. They wer g
engaged-there could be no doubt OF
it. Suffer S691, the girl with the pretty
voice that Miss Maher felt she would
remember to her dying day, and Red
1901 was actually engaged. Miss Ma
her could have cried. In her estima-
ton, things were rapidly going from
bad to worse. She thought of it that
night as she was going to bed in her
cramped bedroom over the four flights
OF narrow stairs. 1t was hard to be
helpless when she wanted more than
she had ever wanted anything to bring
that voice at Main As back again. She
dropped asleep still brooding over the
situation.
Then fate interviewed. Next morn
ing, between complaint from sub
scriber who had received the wrong
number and call from woman who
couldn't see why that number was al
ways so busy, Miss Maher saw the tag
drop to show that Red 1901 wanted
to talk over the wire. Almost me-
chanically she reached to connect with
Suffer S691.
Central" said that voice which
she hated. "Give me Polk 1851"
Miss Maher jumped to the situation
instantly. She knew that number
we'll. So did every other operator
on the West Exchange 1t belonged
to a girls voice, insistent, pert, pro-
vocative; a voice that said doubtful
things to a great many different peo-
pie, and to whose sayings one listened
without conjunction.
Miss Maher listened now. Her eyes
were shining.
"Hello!" said the girls voice.
"Hello!" said Red 1901. "Say, 1
suppose you've forgotten your little
friend since yesterday"
ooh, l don't know" said the girl,
whereat they both laughed as if some
one had said something witty. Miss
Maher felt that if there was voice
on earth she hated more than either
of those now talking on the line, it was
the other
Il suppose you're dated for to-
night?" said the mans voice.
whats it to you?" asked the girl
on the other end of the line. do
you always take lady out the sec
ond time you meet herr"
| Depends on the GIRL said the
mans voice.
(Which girl?"
Back up. You're going too fast
cav, you know what l mean. l
| know who you are. A little bird told
me. You are Frank Mathers, and
you're engaged"
THAT shouldn't cut any ice in one
wee, little dinner date-Hello! Hello,
Central, what's the matter with you?
| You cut us off"
In the last second, Miss Makers
nervous fingers had made another
connection. Breathlessly she pressed
the button that would ring the bell.
1t was only an instant before the an
swer came. The girl must have been
standing near. Miss Makers speech
was tense with excitement
"Oh, Miss-sutter S691, please lis
ten! You don't know me, but l beg
You don't say word, and please lis
TEN"
Quick as flash she had shot in
the plug that switched Suffer S691
on to the conversation between Red
1901 and Polk 1856. The lines were
crossed, but with intention. The con-
versation was going on beautifully.
Hello! That you, angel sweetness?
That Centrals dub. She cuts us off.
Say, how about that little dinner?'
Il thought you were engaged"
81 thought told you that didn't
cut any ice. I'm disengaged for this
evening""
Tell that to the birds.''
Sure. I'm not so certain but that
after get better acquainted I'll be dis
engaged permanently"
1T takes two to make bargain of
that kind
Well, suppose we see if we can't
come to an understanding. How does
Depue's at $3.50 strike you?"
I'm game. Shall meet you at the
restaurant"
Miss Maher heard with satisfaction
that bang that she had been expecting.
Suffer S691 had hung up with empha-
sis
Without ceremony she disconnected
that number, leaving Red 1901 to finish
his conversation, and called up Main
As.
"Sutter S691 wants to speak to you,
she said softly. She made the con-
nection, rang the bell, and met her
own glance in the dingy mirror with
a defiant smile.
A few minutes later she gained