Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-02-10
The Telephone BLESSING
[Original.1


spective homes, make me tired. When
the man in the weather tower thinks
there is any probability Of rain he
takes the benefit of the doubt and
says showers for tomorrow This
morning proposed to my wife that we
make pleasure trip with the children.
but the weather report said rain so
we gave it up. 1t has been delightful
all day, and now, an hour after we
should have got home, it is beginning
to thicken up. We can't go tomorrow.
for then it will rain sure enough"
another overrated addition to orr
conveniences," replied Billings, sis the
telephone. Last summer l thought
how ice it would be when my family
were It 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
up to report the fact. 1 was ANNOYED
with domestic trifes till at last some
thing occurred that turned out to be in
fnitely more than trifle.
i
Office to go to my city home there was
ring at the telephone beside me on
my desk, and, putting the receiver to
my ear, I heard my wife say to me in
tremulous voice: 'Rags-Rags was
our skye terrier-has been missing all
day. A tramp came by this morning,
and l fear he has enticed the dog away.
io nj e.
u.s.
Il laughed at her fears, though |
confess l 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, /
had an engagement to dine with an in
innate friend, ana in this was some
! thing to occupy my mind and keep it
off what my wife had told me. l re-
NAMED away from home till 10 o'clock,
then returned, and the first thing l did
was to go to the telephone and ring ND
my wife.
"'Oh, l am so glad you've Called
she said. I'm so worriedr
"'What about?'
"'Rags hasn't come home and I'm
sure
GLOW about Patrick? Is he Sleep
ing in the houseY
eyes. l made sure of that by GO
ing to his room to see if he was there
"'WellY
I'm awfully nervous
Nonsense. Go to bed and to sleep.
Here's a good night kiss for you,' and
l made a smack with my lips. She re-
piled family, and, after telling her that
/ would sleep downstairs, where 1
could hear the telephone bell, I said
Good night and rang off.
81 slept on a divan in the drawing
room. 1t was very hot and l left a
front window open. 1 was an hour
getting to sleep and was awakened by
a dazzling light shining in my eyes. 1t
proved to be bullseye in the hands
Of night Waterman, who, noticing
the open window, was poking around
to see if anything was wrong. 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 trifles and got up terrific dread
lest her fears were we'll grounded. At
last l worked myself up to a surety
that my country home was being
robbed and my family butchered
1.-THE telephone bell rang out with q
sound that to me plainly cried Muir
derv l jumped out of bed and went
into the hail. where the telephone box
hung, and, putting the receiver to my
ear, asked 'WellY
my wife's voice, or a ghost Of it, re
piled, oh, Harry, there's some one try.
ing to open a window on the piazza
"'Well, 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 few minutes another click told
me that it 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 l heard
from that COMPOUNDED telephone? 'Chol-
ly, gone to bed? No? Well. come
down to the club and have 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.
''In twenty minutes l was at the sta
ton inquiring when the next train left
When they told me 6 in the morning
l begged for an engine. But the super
intendent had gone to bed. and they
wouldn't wake him up. l waited in
agony till the train left and reached
home at s 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