The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-04-18
TELEPHONE
ROMANCE
BY AMY DUPRE
Copyright, 1901, by T. O. Mcclure

cWeI, Sdlu Central ringing OIL, Out Dc
fore she could lean back for an in
stant's breathing spell TIC NJ called her
up again.
Central, why can't get my houseT'
I'm sure don't know" she answer
ed, with suspicion of laughter In her
voice.
'Tll bet those COMPOUNDED servants
are gossiping down in the basement.
Ring 'em again, and ring 'em like
thunder"
Central obeyed his orders energetcal-
ly, but without results.
81 can't get any answer she said
gently to the irate man at the other
end of the line, "but I'll try them again
in few minutes, and If l get an an
swer I'll call you up. No, won't for
get" she said, almost before the man
had uttered his warning. Il know you
call the house every morning from your
office"
Thank you," said the man, much
Modified. Those servants are so care
less, and my niece, who looks after the
children, Is confined to her room by
Illness"
Circleville's telephone system was
not very complicated. The three girls
who presided in the central office were
not kept occupied as IN a larger city
because this was a new institution in
the pretty inland city and subscribers
were not coming in fast enough to sat
isfy the telephone company. Only one
of the girls hailed from Circleville.
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 a queer little
smile lowered about her lips and a
light almost tender shone in her eyes.
1T would be very funny" she said
to herself, IF it 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 234 J.
A rather thick voice with a distinct
brogue answered this call with a sui
len Hello" Margaret's face turned
grave and firm lines showed about her
mouth.
"Why has no one answered the tele-
phoneY she said rather sternly. 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 wonder woman can't eat
her breakfast in peace"
Margaret connected 234 with 719
NJ, signing softly to herself, Poor
Charley and 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 right to listen.
Hello, Mary, IS this you"
Eyes, sir"
''How is Master Reginald?"
"Fine, sir"
''What did he eat for his breakfastT'
"a peach, bowl of rice and milk
and five cakes"
Now, Mary, I've told you repeated
~ not to let him have hot cakes"
"Then, sir, you'll have to stay at
home and keep him from it. It's a
cook l am and no nurse"
well, WELL" said the man anxious
ly, as one who realized he was in a
predicament and needed the good will
Of every one. I'm sure while Miss
Ellen is sick you will look after the
children, and 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 schoolY
"She has not Sure the strings off
her hood and one of her rubbers is
lost entirely, and told her she'd best
stay home till her Aunt Ellen could
get about"
"Dear, DEAR" said the man, and a
prodigious sigh seemed to choke his
utterance.
as that all, sirT' said the woman
impatiently.
81 guess So" he replied reluctantly
and hung up his receiver
At her end of the wire the woman
slammed up the receiver with a crash
which made central flush just 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 as 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 the
old man or the young I'm 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
a shrinking little figure in the door
way.
II want to sit behind the stove, Mary.
There's no fire in the library, and I'm
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 to had on her warm
fannels last week. Sit there, dear,
whilst l tell you about the fairies Pad
dy O'Glyn met on his way to Donegal
fair"
The man at the other end of the line
had been leaning back in a chair, star
ing up at the ceiling. Finally he called
his stenographer and dictated letter.
1t was addressed to Charles Dickson
and wound up as follows:
"While you're in Chicago 1 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-
tirely right by us and the children.
Your aunt Mary is a capable woman
and would pull things together in less
than no time"
But even with the letter started on
its way Mr.. Dickson felt uneasy. Aunt
Mary was capable, but was she SYM
pathetic enough to deal with those
children? He recalled the gentle ways
and the fair face of the dead daughter
in-law. He wished somehow Aunt Mary
would wave her hair about her face
and smile once in awhile. But she was
better than the more uncertain element
he had dreaded-a stepmother for his
beloved grandchildren.
And all the time Margaret Baxter sat
in front of the switchboard, plugging
the jacks and thinking. Just before he
closed up his desk to go home Mr..
Dickson was surprised to catch her
voice with a new, almost friendly ac-
cent.