Smyrna times., 1905-04-05
TELEPHONE
ROMANCE
By AMY DUPREE
Copw4Oht, 1901, By 7. C. Mcclure

\ DTwo hundred thirty-fOur ] don't an
= srer." said central, ringing, off, but be-
T. ,o,o she could lean back for an in
. ,tonfs breathing spell 719 NJ called her
% up again.
50 central, why can't get my house?"
am sure don't know" she answer
q q d with a suspicion of laughter in her
z 2 voice.
o. "ru bet those confOunded servants
70 y are gossiping down in the basement.
50 Ring 'em again, and ring 'em like
Al thunder
- Central obeyed his orders eHergetical-
80 3 " but without results.
@ 81 can't get any answer" she said
Is GENTLY to the irate man at the other
.N end of the line, "but I'll try them again
S IN few minutes, and if 1 get an an
A swer I'll call you up. No, won't for
# get" she said, almost before the man
-.. B had uttered his warning II know you
e" call the house every morning from your
-- Office"
a "Thank yOu," said the man, much
IS & mOllifed. Those servants are so care
y y less, and my niece, who looks after the
% children, is confined to heraroom by
5sGs M Illness"
- n Crcleville's telephone system was
~ 4 not very complicated. The three girls
. who presided in the central office were
Z. ri #nOt kept occupied as in a larger city
because this was a new institution In
n the pretty inland city and subscribers
nd we're not coming in fast enough to sat
- Efy the telephone company. Only one
a. #Of the girls hailed from Circleville.
nng The other two were from Chicago, and
q it was Margaret Baxter, one of the
t. #ChicagO girls, who had answered Mr..
N's3 #DlcksOn's imperative calls.
For the next few minutes she was
s5s Nkept busy plugging in and out on her
D. #1Oard. But al! the time a queer little
smile lowered about her Hips and a
az light almost tender shone in her eyes.
1T would be very funny" she said
ne herself, IF it should all be straight
4. ened out by telephone, and 1 would
#nOt be at all surprised if that is Just
h. what Jack hoped for" Then she turn
en led suddenly and rang up 234 j.
aIe sEe rather thick voice with a distinct
re #brOgue answered this call with a sui
IN IN Pen Hello" Margaret's face turned
8 grave and firm lines showed about her
mouth
why has no one answered the teIe-
NphOneE she said rather sternly. II
have been ringing you on and off for
&ffteen minutes"
- Sure I've somethin to do beside
Funnin' up them stairs to answer this
bell It's a wonder a woman can't eat
n ler breakfast in peace"
~ Margaret connected 234 ] with 719
NJ signing softly to herself, Poor
lharley and his babies at the mercy
bf that woman"
The conversation at the wire claim
her attention. There were reasons
ply she felt she had a right to listen.
Hello, Mary, is this your"
YES, sir"
How is Master ReginaldY
Fine, sir"
What did he eat for his breakfastY"
"A peach, bowl of rice and milk
Rnd five cakes"
q Now Mary, I've told you repeated
- not to let him have hot cakes''
Then, sir, you'll have to stay at
fome and keep him from it. It's a
took | am and no nurse"
We'll, WELL" said the man anxious
n, as one who realized he was i'm a
redicament and needed the good will
4, every one. I'm sure while Miss
'.len is sick you will look after the
hudren, and 1 will not forget it when
pay you next week"
This bit of diplomacy elected no
, eply from the other end of the wire
% Has Miss Bessie gone to schoolY
She has not. Sure the strings off
- @er hood and one of her rubbers is
PSI entirely, and 1 told her she'd best
Nay home till her Aunt Ellen could
get about"
Dear, DEAR" said the man. and a
#rodgiOus sigh seemed to choke his
Wtterance.
= is that all, sir?' said the woman
Y #npatiently.
" guess So" he replied reluctantly
nd hung up his receiver.
j, AT her end of the wire the woman
hlch made central flush just a bit
ngrlly. Clump, clump, clump. she
rent down the basement stairway to
neet look Of inquiry on the face Of
o. ~ husband, gardener and man of all
ork for Henry Dickson, president Of
e Excelsior Hardware company.
sure, It's the same old thing" she
*ld snappishly as she tossed the soaD
J, lo the dish pan. "Frettin' his soul
IL about those two children. It's no
pace for me and you, Tim. Either the
= " man or the young un ought to
parry What with church and par
IN lies and fly be night nature into the
rgaln, Miss Ellen's no good at all, at
When she's in the house she's In
IL and when she's not in bed she's
~ Of the house"
lin SlnOL hfo ,xd