The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-03-02

N l. NM
DIS had two aunts and n


lll III - llIII lover-well, was the
@l-lN lover
Lois was rich. This fact
caused all the trouble. Because Lois
was rich the auniS regarded me with
undiS@uisCd diStruSt; because Lois was
rich they kept her ctcrnally at home
like Gagged moISe; because Lois was
rich, in fact, they forbade my marrying
her.
Because | was n fool perhaps,
sworp that | would marry Lois in spite
OF the auutS. her fortune, and all the
person fled objections that ever walked
on par,h Because was Il fool. GER
tainy, made this plain to the aunts.
Th.u@, went from bad TO worse. At
first ! was allowed 70 see Lois any
time | chose. But after while the
periods when | was permitted 10 find
her "at home" were curtaiiod 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. | Swore vengeance.
talked United States law at those two
old ja.ier aunts till my knowledge and
powers Of invention were entirely cX-
hauStod But still they smiled So
renely upon me, and intmatcd that
might call for a few minutes the week
after next.
don't know what they told Lois
about me. Anyhow. ii did not in the
least alter her love. But il was en-
b9rra.sing sometimes when she would
turn her great. trusting brown eyes
upon me and ask if had ever killed
man or blown mp house with dyua-
mite. Because | had nOt.
II wish" she said to me one day.
"that | could hear your big, hearty
voice all the time. 1t would make me
bravcr."
Plainly. If could not be by her side
must find an alternative There was
the telephone, to be sure. but there
were also the auntS with their oppos-
tiou. rhcrc was-what on earth was
there? oh. yes
| sent to dealer in monographs.
81 Sho'T'd like a talk" | said.
lie led ne into his private Office.
"Wcll:"
"Into phonoCraph." I explained,
"for reproduction of my speech, You
know"
50 | talked. 1t cost me more than
the loug-l!Stancr telephone. but | paid
willingly. | bought Il phonograph and
took lessons ON making records Then
| presented the machine 10 Lois.
''lf YOU wind it up and put in Il rec
ori" ,o,d her. "it will talk for me"
The machine Sworc eternal love for
Lois in my behalf and Lois smiled.
The next time | called | bought
twelve records Half of them were
laSta"y impressed with remarks of
mine. ana ha,f of them were blank.
explained to Lois the process Of rcvers-
ING the machine in order To produce a
permanent record of her speeches.
"NOw. | have numbered these six
records" | explained. Put them on
the cylinder of the phonoGraph in the
proper order. After No. | has talked
take one Of the six blank records and
reply to mine. In this manner we will
keep up a close imitation of a convcr-
satiOn."
The aunts blandly informed me that
7 was not 10 be allowed To call for
week or more. Nevertheless. not all
de auntS Of the universe could keep
Ue from marching up and down the
\ ak in front of the house.
So the next day | Sauntercd past
that is. almost past. At the further
corner OF the yard | came TO an abrupt
halt. for the curtains of the house
were down and no smoke curlcd from
the chimney. 1t was deserted,
There was no time FOR trhing.
There might be landlord or an agent
who owned key; no one was on the
spot Within five minutes had
broken into the house.
The rooms down stairs were bare.
Scarcely noticing them. swept up the
stairs To the front room, from whose
window | had often seen the face OF
Lois while l was walking in front
OF the house. II. too. was deserted.
As 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 mp th,
window. was Photographic record
burst into the store OF my friend
the dealer in monographs. with tn,
impatuoSity of 4 runaway train. Ec
fore he could restrain me had placed
The record OH a small phonograph an,
started the wheels OF the machine.
"Oh. Frank" came the tremblu!
voice OF Lois from the megaphon
horn, eve are going away-my aunt
aud |. They told me tonight that
should never see you again. don
know where we are bound for even
tually. but we 20 to Everville frou
here. Cone To me. Frank. won't you
I-my aunts are coming and mus
hide the record. pray that you MA,
fnd it,"