Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-10-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE TELEPHONE BLESSING.

Hes 10 BILLINGS as IleS SAT sue ny sue
i'm the trolley on their way 10 their re-
spective homes. "mal 1e me tired. When
the man in the wea 1her tower thinks
there is any proba bility of rain he
takes the benefit OF the doubt and
says showers for tomorrow This
morning l proposed to my wife that we
make a pleasure -triptwith the children.
but the weather report said rain so
we gave it up. It,hasfbeen delightful
all day. and now. an hour after we
should have got home. il is beginning
to thicken up. We can't go tomorrow.
for then 1t will rain sure enough"
Another overrated addition to our
conveniences,' replied Billings, lis the
telephone. Last summer 1 thought
how nice it would he when my family
were at our cottage in:the country to be
able TO speak to them at any moment.
So had telephone connection put in.
The consequence was that the baby
never coughed but my wife called me
I'D TO report the fact. l was annoyed
with domestic triftes till at last some
thing occurred that turned out to be in
finitely more than trifie.
Zone evening just before / left the
office to go TO my city home there was
n ring at the telephone beside me on
my desk. and. putting the receiver to
my ear, heard my wife say to me in
a tremulous voice: 'Rags'-Rags was
our skye terrier-.has been missing all
day A tramp came by this morning,
and fear he has enticed the dog away.
I'm sure there is a plan on foot to rob
u.s.
Il laughed at her fears, though l
confess | was worried. Telling her to
have the coachman, whose room was
on the second floor of the barn, sleep
in the house. l babe her gOOdby, tell
Ing her that l would call her up before
going to bed. Fortunately for me, 1
had an engagement to dine with an in
innate friend, and in this was some
thing to occupy my mind and keep it
off what my wife had told me. 1 re-
manned away from home till 10 o'clock,
then returned. and the first thing l did
was to go to the telephone and ring up
my wife.
"'Oh, / am so glad you've Called
she said. I'm so worried"
"'What abOut?'
rags hasn't come home and I'm
sure
How about Patrick? Is he sleep
ing in the houseT
Yes. | made sure Of that by GO
ing to his room to see if he was there
".Wen?'
I'm awfully nervous
Nonsense Go to bed and to sleep
Here's good night kiss for you and
made a smack with my lips. She re-
piled family, and, after telling her that
/ would sleep downstairs, where l
could hear the telephone bell, 1 said
Good night and rang off.
Il slept on a diyan in the drawing
room. 1t was very hot and / left
front window open. | was an hour
getting to sleep and was awakened by
n dazzling light shining in my eyes. 1t
proved TO be a bullseye In the hands
of night Waterman. who. noticing
the open window, was pOking around
to see If anything was wrong. l drove
him away. but somehow l got TO think
ing about my wife's fears at home. At
that time of night we are prone to mag
Nifty trif1es and got up a terrific dread
lest her fears were we'll grounded. At
last / worked myself up to a surety
tidI MY HOlIIc WIS DtiHS
robbed and my family butchered.
The telephone bell rang out with a
sound that to me plainly cried Muir
der l jumped out Of bed and went
into the hall, where the telephone box
hung. and, putting the receiver to my
ear. asked Well?
My wife's voice, or ghost of 1t, re
piled, oh, Harry, there's some one try
ing TO open window on the piazza
We'll, call Patrick and tell him to
go down. My pistols-you know where
they are, in the top bureau drawer
take them TO him
There was a click as she hung up
the receiver. and / waited breathlessly.
In a few minutes another click told
me that 1t had been taken again. and
a frightened voice came: oh, Harry.
Patrick is not there. He was when |
looked before, but he is not now. The
window has been opened. There's
some one coming upstairs. I'm going
TO faint
After waiting and ringing for five
minutes-it seemed an hour-what do
you suppose was the next thing I heard
from that COMPOUNDED telephone? 'Chol-
ly. gone to bed? No? Well. come
down to the club and have a nightcap
In vain / tried to get central 1t was
no use; the wires had got crossed, and
was shut off from my wife, who was
doubtless being murdered.
I'm twenty minutes / was at the sta
ton inquiring when the next train left
When they told me Is In the morning
| begged for an engine. But the super
intendent had gone TO bed, and they
wouldn't wake him up. / waited I'm
agony tilI"-he train left and reached
home at 3 O'clock.
My wife was in the garden with the
children picking roses. When she turn
ed and saw me she looked surprised
and asked what brought me home.
After l had informed her In no affec-