The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-03-22

CO lover.
Lois was rich. This fact
caused all the trouble. Because Lois
was rich the aunts regarded Inc with
undisguised distrust; because Lois was
rich they kept her eternally at home
like a Gagged mouse; because Lois was
rich, in fact, they forbade my marrying
her.
Because l was fool perhaps. l
swore that would marry Lois in spite
OF. the aunts, her fortune, and all the
personifed objections that ever walked
on earth. Because I was fool. GER
tainly. I made this plain to the aunts.
Things went from bad to worse. At
first l was allowed to see Lois any
time I chose. But after while the
: periods when I was permitted to find
her "at home" were curtaiied nightly.
After time. indeed. was allowed
to see her only on certain days, be-
tween certain hours. for all the world
as if she were in prison.
/ clustered, I swore vengeance,
talked United States law ut those two
old jailer aunts till my knowledge and
powers Of invention were entirely ex-
hausted. But still they smiled Sc
renely, upon me, and intimated that
might call for few minutes the week
after next.
I don't know what they told Lois
about me. Anyhow, it did not in the
least alter her love. But it was en-
, barrassing sometimes when she would
turn her great. trusting brown eyes
upon me and ask if l had ever killed
Z a man or blown up house with dyna-
mite. Because had not.
II wish," she said to me one day,
'tthat could hear your big, hearty
voice all the time. 1t would make me
braver."
Plainly. if could not be by her side
I must find an alternative. There was
the telephone, to be sure. but there
were also the aunts with their opposi-
tion. There was-what on earth was
there? Oh, yes
sent to dealer in monographs.
''I should like talk said.
He led me into his private office.
: "Well:"
"Into a phcnosraph," I explained,
"for reproduction of my speech, you
( know"
Z So I talked. 1t cost me more than
the long-distance telephone. but paid
: Willingly. I bought phonosraph and
took lessons OH making records. Then
I presented the machine to Lois.
"If you wind it up and put in 4 rec
ord told he::, sit will talk for me-
The machine swore eternal love for
Lois in my behalf and Lois smiled.
The next tirle I called l bought
!. twelve records. Half Of them were
lastingiy impressed with remarks Of
! mine, and half of them were blank. l
explained to Lois the process of revers-
Ing the machine in order to produce a
permanent record Of her speeches.
"Now, I have numbered these six
records" I explained. Put them on
the cylinder Of the phonograph in the
proper order. After No. I has talked
take one of the six blank records and
reply to mine. In this manner we will
keep up q close imitation Of conver-
sation.'
The aunts blandly informed me that
was not to be allowed to call for 4
week or more. Nevertheless, net all
the aunts of the universe could keep
me from marching up and down the
walk in front of the house.
So the next day I sauntered past
that is, almost past. At the further
corner Of the yard I came to an abrupt
halt, for the curtains of the house
were down and 10 smoke curled from
the chimney. 1t was deserted.
There was no time for trifling
There might be a landlord or an agent
who owned key; no one was on the
spot. Within FIVE minutes I haC
broken into the house.
!. The rooms down stairs were bare
Scarcely noticing them, I swept up the
stairs to the front room, from whose
window 1 had often seen the face Of
Lois while l was walking in from
of the house. It, too. was deserted.
As l searched the room with cage
haste my eyes spied a. single object
Under the edge of the front window
almost hidden by the curtain. and ap
parently placed there to prop up th'
window, was a photographic record.
burst into the store Of my friend
the dealer in monographs, with tn
impetuosity Of runaway train. Be
fore he could restrain me had place.
the record on a small phonograph ant
started the wheels Of the machine.
''Oh, Frank" came the tremblin:
voice of Lois from the megaphon
horn, I'VE are going away-my aunt
and I. They told me tonight that
should never see you again. l dom
know where we are bound for even
tually, but We so to Everville from
here. Core to me, Frank, won't you
I-my aunts are coming and l mus
hide the record. I pray that you ma
find it."