Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-08-17
TELEPHONE
ROMANCE
BY AMY DUPREE
Copyright, Ino4, bp T. c. Mcclure

/ bbtilI breathing HpeI i1p NJ 'hlleu ucI
np again.
Central, why can't get my house"
I'm sure don't know" she answer
"a, with a suspicion Of laughter in her
! voice
IN bet those Confounded servants
are gossiping down IN the basement.
| Ring 'em again, and ring 'em like
thunder"
Central obeyed his orders energetical-
/ ly, but without results
/ Il can't get any answer" she said
4 gently TO the irate man at tho other
! end of the line, but III try them again
I in few minutes, and If | get an an
swer IN call you up. No, won't for
get" she said, almost before the man
had uttered his warming Il know you
call the house every morning from your
Office"
THANK YOU" said the man, much
mollifed. Those servants are so care
less. and my niece, who looks after the
children, is confined TO her room by
illness"
Circleyille's telephone system was
not very complicated. The three girls
who presided In the central office were
not kept occupied as in q larger city
because this was q new institution IN
the pretty inland city and subscribers
We're not coming In fast enough to sat
isfy the telephone company. Only one
aF bA ,irI,
The other two were from Chicago, and
it was Margaret Baxter, one Of the
Chicago girls, who had answered Mr..
Dickson's imperative calls.
For the next few minutes she was
kept busy plugging in and out on her
board But all the time n queer little
smile lowered about her lips and
light almost tender shone In her eyes.
1T would be very funny" she said
TO herself, IF II should all be straight
ened out by telephone, and l would
not be at all surprised If that is just
what Jack hoped for" Then she turn
ed suddenly and rang up pa J.
A rather thick voice with a distinct
brogue answered this call with a sui
len Hello" Margarets face turned
grave and firm lines showed about her
mouth.
"Why has no one answered the tele-
phoneT she said rather stcrnly. Il
have been ringing you on and off for
fifteen minutes"
Sure I've somethin' to do beside
runnin' up them stairs to answer this
bell. It's Il wonder woman can't eat
her breakfast in peace"
Margaret connected 234 J with no
NJ, signing softly to herself, Poor
Charley aud his babies at the mercy
of that woman"
The conversation at the wire claim
ed her attention. There were reasons
why she felt she had a right to listen.
Hello, Mary, IS this your"
Yes, sir"
How is Master Reginald"
Zine, sir"
what did he eat for his breakfastT
"a peach, bowl of rice and milk
and 1ve cakes"
Nov, Mary, I've told you repeated
ly not to let him have hot cakes"
Then. sir, you'll have 10 stay NJ
home and keep him from It. It's
cook am and no nurse"
"Well, we'll" said the man anxious
ly, az one who realized he was In n
predicament and needed the good will
of every one. I'm sure while Miss
Ellen is sick you will look after the
children, and l will not forget it when
pay you next week"
This bit of diplomacy elected no
reply from the other end Of the wire.
Has Miss Bessie gone to SCHOOL,"
"She has not Sure the strings Off
her hood and one of her rubbers is
lost entirely, and l told her she'd best
stay home TIL her Aunt Ellen could
get about"
Dear, dear" said the man, and a
prodigic-ls sigh seemed to choke his
utterapce
-Is that ALL sirY' said the woman
impatientiy
'I guess so" he replied reluctantly
and hung up his receiver
AT her end Of the wire the woman
slammed up the receiver with n crash
which made central flush lust a Bit
angrily. Clump, clump, clump. she
went down the basement stairway to
meet look Of inquiry on the face Of
her husband, gardener and man of all
work for Henry Dickson, president Of
the Excelsior Hardware company.
"Sure, it's the same old thing" she
said snappishly rs she tossed the soap |
into the dish pan. "Frettin' his soul
out about those two children, It's no |
place for me and you, Tim. Either tho |
old man or the young un ought to
marry What with church and par
thies and fly be night nature into the |
bargain, Miss Ellen's no good at all. at |
all. When she's in the house she's IN |
bed, and when she's not in bed she's |
out of the house"
Tim shook his head and marched out |
to the stable, and Mary turned TO face
shrinking little figure in the door |
way.
II want to sit behind the stove, Mary.
There's no fire in the library and Tn
cold all over"
"I'll bet the young un's goin' TO be
sick" said Mary as she made room for
the child on the wood box behind the |
stove she ought 20 had on her warm
fannels last weeB. Sit there, dear,
whilst | tell you about the fairies Pad
dy O'Glyn met on his way TO Donegal
fair"
The man at the other end Of me line
had been leaning back In chair. star
ing up at the ceiling Finally he called |
his stenographcr and dictated letter.
1t was addressed to Charles Dickson
nnd wound up as follows:
while you're in Chicago | wish you
would stop in to see your aunt Mary
Graves. Things are not going right at
the house, fear Ellen Is too frivolous
and fond Of society to do what Is en-,
tircly right by us and the children.
~ a.,