The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-02-05
Love by
Graphophone
By Alice Lovett Carson
Copyright. 1905, by Alice L. Carson


was given a nook away from the rattle
of tickers and other machines.
"The boss left a note fer you, Miss
T'urston," said the boy as he followed
her in, carrying an armful of wax cyl
inders. ''There it is"
Mabel read it as she opened and
busted off her typewriter mo. 3 i'm
and 2 G. H"
She nodded Understandings and fit
ted cylinder No. 3 into the graphophone
that stood on the table at her elbow.
Then she wound up and started the
machine and, having fastened about
against her ears, sat down prepared
for the work
The instrument buzzed a few sec
onds, then started off "Take this let
ter to Messrs. Carroll & Briggs, Mid
die RoXbury, Mass" began the gruff
voice of Carl Horwitz She could al
most see the sharp chances he gave
from under his bushy eyebrows while
he dictated. The typewriter began to
rattle in a businesslike way Other
stenographers and clerks came in,
laughing and chattering, and settled
down to work, and the office quickly
resumed its usual active appearance.
Hurrying, for he was little late en-
tered Pierce Mallon, the junior part
ner. He was Horwitz's nephew, a
bright young fellow of twenty-six. He
hesitated q moment, with flushed face
and embarrassed air. before Miss
Thurston's door, then moved on to the
inner Office Pulling over the phras-
ing of sentence, Mabel did not see
him enter. though she always looked
for his morning greeting and felt some
thing lacking In the day when she
missed it. OF late the handsome boy
who blushed and stammered whenever
he spoke to her had been often in her
thoughts.
NO ) next" she thought pleasur-
ably, handing Dick a sheaf of letters
to be signed by Horwitz. That cylin-
der always contained Mallon's CORE
spondence and she enjoyed hearing his
sympathetic voice
"Please take this letter, Miss Thurs
tom it began deferentially-so differ
ent from his uncle's abrupt manner
"Mr. Henry s. Wright, $40 Main street,
Poughkeepsie. n. Y. My dear Mr.
Wright" and so continued, the girl
drinking in every word.
IF you've finished that, the next is
personal note" Mallon's voice went
on. He stopped a minute, then con-
tinued with many halts and jerks of
utterance. Dear friend-no, my dear
friend-just leave out the name, Miss
Thurston. My dear friend, though I've
wanted to do so many times lately
in fact. whenever l passed your door
I've never had the courage to speak to
you of a matter on which l feel very
deeply. | don't know how you'll re-
gard this method of addressing you.
No doubt it will seem to you as rude
as it is unconventional, but l must run
the risk of offending you. Miss Thurs
ton-Mabel-I love you and
With a sharp exclamation the girl
started from her seat and tore the cap
from her head "How dare your she
painted her checks flaming with in
dignation To take advantage of her
position to insult her in this wayl OF
course there were always little jokes
that the instrument permitted Of
things the men would not say to her
face, but never anything of this ma
ff1p Tof
tary, began his letters by drawing
out. "My deah girl, if you love me
take this and Steve Murphy, the
business manager, sometimes inter
rupted his correspondence to tell
story in his inimitable brogue ending
in a lusty "Haw! Haww that always
made her laugh. Horwitz frequently
prefaced his dictation with remarks
that consigned his correspondent to
Jericho. but to think that Pierce Nal
Ion, of all men, should be guilty of
vulgar practical joke like this!
She jerked the paper off her type
writer and tore it into bits. Then she
stopped the graphophone and changed
the cylinder for another. "If Mr.. NAL
Ions letters are not all written today
It's his own fault" she thought hotly,
with a feeling of joy that she could
punish him thus
But a dull ache that would not cease
remained in her heart, though she told
herself over and over again that the
fellow was a cad and boor and she
despised herself for ever taking him
for a gentleman. Her pillow that
night was wet with some bitter tears
as she tossed sleeplessly ON the narrow
boarding house bed. 1t is hard to
give up ideals when one is only twen-
ty-two.
The same cylinder was frequently
used more than once, for the surface
could be shaved smooth ready for an
other impression, so No. was brought
in next morning by Dick. and though
Mabel instinctively dreaded it, she
could not refuse to take it with the
rest Mallon's voice began. at once
without introduction:
Il have offended you deeply, know.
You thought it was a practical joke.
and poor one at that. Pardon me for
being such a boor; but indeed, meant
every word. 1t wasn't joke, but dead
earnest for 1 love you. love you, love
YOU His voice broke passionately.
"Ah, forgive me-" he went on contrite-
~. Il am offending you again, bnt
cana ha CiIant vrban fha ,,bopo +aD,pts
me, and dare not speak to you face
TO face. Can't you pity me at least|
As she listened the girls expression
changed from Indignation to surprise.
then to doubt Perhaps" she said I'M
certainly, "he is speaking the truth aft
er all. Perhaps l misjudged him. Oh,
l hope 1 haver' With the sudden real
ization of her own feeling she hid her
face in her hands.
Next day when she came to cylinder
No y in the routine of correspondence
NJ Jel found herself hoping for the lit
tie personal message which should give
assurance to her heart 1t came alb
ruptly but decidedly:
I'm going to stop this sort of thing,
Mabel 1t smacks of cowardice, and L
want to be worthy of your respect. l
mean to put my fate to touch at once,
so expect me this afternoon"
The girls heart sang its paean of joy
as her fingers flew over heavy budget
of letters. When the day was over she
waited for his coming till long past her
usual time of leaving and went home
at last, sad and uncertain what TO
think
"Say, you'll find some tall cussln' on
| tl,o t,nlnor tnlnr, Miss tr,l1rSfon ;, said