The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-05-11
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Ss@ySZ to have one till recently.
1t was day cf joy and
triumph for the little lady when, final
~, the instrument was fastened to the
wall over the .Admington's front stair
landing. 1t was on circuit with other
phones and when the bell rang in one
house it rang in ten others. The Adj
mingtons, like every other family on
the line, had a certain number OF rings
for their own particular call, but it
took them some time to- get over being
startled when any other number was
sounded
1t bothered Mrs. Admington less than
other members of the family, and it
gave her pleasure to talk about ring
ing up" her friends, which she did
with an accustomed air that seemed to
indicate there had been n telephone in
every room in the Admington house for
years.
1t was different with her husband
He didn't like telephones any too we'll
in the office, and he was sure one in
the house would be an abomination.
He was confirmed in This belief the
first night their phone was in commits
sion by being awakened. from sound
sleep by the jangling of the bell and be-
ing asked by an impatient inquirer;
Say, are you the undertaker?"
The morning after the phone was
installed Mrs. Adniington started to
put 1t to most practical use, that OF
ordering things for dinner from the
market. She was thinking how pleas
ant it was just to ring n bell and tell
the grocer what to send.
She took down the receiver and put
it to her ear, but was somewhat vexed
to hear a mans voice and discover that
the line was busy.
''I'lI have to wait, and I'm i'm such
hurry" she pouted, but remembering
an errand in another part of the house,
she husied herself for few moments.
Her next try at the phone found the
line still busy. Mrs. Admington was
tempted for Il second to listen, but
didn't think that would be quite fair,
SO again she hung up the receiver and
sat down to wait till the line should
be disengaged. She fidgeted in a little
chair for q minute that seemed ten and
then went to the phone again, saying
to herself:
'sThose people must be through talk
ing by this time"
But they were not, and as Mrs. Ad-
mingten took down the receiver for
the third time to call up central she
heard the emphatic declaration of
very decided young woman:
''Well, 1 don't care. I'm going to
marry him anyway"
Mrs. Admington knew that she ought
to drop the receiver, but she couldn't
let go. 1t was glued to her ear And
anyway, the next instant she heard
the voice of the man she had heard
twice before, and he had been monopo-
lizing that wire long enough.
"But how long did you say you haYe
known him?" he was asking the yoYrc
woman.
"why, I've known him onlI two
weeks" was the reply, ''but I'% seen
him an awful lot in that timeI
''Well, don't you think two/weeks q
pretty short acquaintance ITO marry
onT urged the man.
cit would be in most eas<s,s admitted
the yonng woman, "but With us it's diff
ferent. He's awfully NICE, and he like,
me, and like him, /and he doesn't
want TO wait. He Aoesn't believe In
long engagements, Id neither do t.
well, you're a sfmpletofl," was Mrs
%Admington's meyftal comment, as she
shifted from Yne foot to the othe,
and moved ft!e nearer to the 'phon.
just as the MANS voice was asking:
isn't he EiIIing to give you littj
time to gft ready? A woman can
be marriEd conveniently on day.
n3tiee nj he likes you so much
should %think lie would give you
chancH to get a few clothes togeEher-
fsseau, you know. Won't ~ Civ,
yoy/a month or six weeks for tlfat?"
mo was the answer "He's goins
|way within month. and he wants I,
<bc married so can so with him."
! isn't he coming Saeks'
Yes, he's coming back, but b.
doesn't want to wait till then.e
'Well. II nc likes you so m1ch. don
\ you think that's 4 little unre sonahIe?' p
suggested the man.
"Unrcasennblerr thoughtj MrS, Ad
snington. 'The fellows a perfect pig
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