The Washington herald., 1907-01-17
OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
BY OHIO B. SENGO.

As DR.. Blyth stood in the hall. young
girl stepped from an adjoining room in
curing anxiously; How do you find my
father. Dr. Blyth?'
/ His condition is serious he admitted
but with good care
She cut short the conventional plati-
tudes.
when viii he be able 10 get out
again?
Not for weeks" emphatically.
! Her look Of anxiety deepened.
What is your fathers business. Miss
Hau?"
/ He is manager Of the local telephone
/ system, and attends personally to repair
/ ing and keeping up the line
THAT means a great deal Of hard
work." sympathetically.
Yes. particularly in the winter. The
circuit comprises nearly 800 phones, and
the line extends out into the country IN
ali directions"
Discontinue It in the winter unthink-
ingly
The subscribers need II more then. "
gravely. Nearly all Of them are farmers
and depend upon their telephones for com
munication with the village and with
each other"
"If possible, keep from your father all
anxiety concerning the business. fear
ncvous prostration in his case"
During his round Of calls. DR. Blyth
thought often OF the beautiful girl with
the sweet, grave voice. He was a stranger
in Lindsey, and was taking up his uacle's
practice.
Fred Hall-sick-that's too bad" was
his urcIe's comment But they'll man
I age all right, with a country doctors
knowledge Of his patients affairs. Mrs.
Hall Is strong and a good nurse Fidelia
understands the business thoroughly. Too
bad she isn't q boy-it will take about all
the managers salary to hire a man 20
! come here from the city to do the outside
work"
DR.. Blyth was disappointed when sew
| eral calls were made upon the sick man
/ ager without seeing Fidelia- She was con-
stantly in his thoughts, and her lovely
/ face seemed always before his eyes.
BY chance his next call was in the eve
ming. Fidelia met him IN the hall as he
was leaving.
DO you feel encouraged. DR.. Blyth?'
Yes" kindly, but his nervous condi-
| tio1 is serious. Is he worrying about the
! business
II think not" hopefully, Il hold his
position as manager, and that encourages
/ him-he has all confidence in my ability"
1
You have some one for the outside
| wcrk?''
She hesitated, coloring rosily.
II have the services Of a very compe-
tent lineman."
Where is your 'centrar?"
Here" indicating the room adjoining.
I've always been fathers 'hello-girl, %
/ smiling brightly.
On several succeeding calls the physi-
clan saw no one outside the sick room but
Edith Hall. girl about thirteen. sharp
of eye and Of tongue-wholly unlike FL
della, he thought.
I'm 'hello-girr now. she cried, impor-
tantly. "Fidelia's out looking after the
/ liue-the lineman."
He recalled his uncle's remarks regard
ing Fidelia's knowledge Of the business.
''The brave little girl. he murmured.
with a tenderness wholly unaccountable.
''She will wish to supervise the lineman' s
work for while. I'd like to be the line
mar. if it means a daily drive with the
little Fidelia."
On the following evening ne saw FL
della in her office. He reported hopefully
OF her father. and rejoiced in her words
of praise for his professional care.
I've often thought" she observed. earn
estly. that I'd like to be a doctor"
Doctor Blyth smiled somewhat satfri-
cally
YOU forget. Miss Hail. rather loftilv.
your physical inability TO cope with the
hardships incident 10 a country doctor 8
life He must brave any storm or COLD
delicate girl like you couldn't endure IT,
A little pickering smile lurked for an
instant at the corners Of the pretty
mouth.
Don't YOU approve of women being
physicians?'
Frankly, Miss Hall, 1 do not"
Aren't you somewhat old-fashioned,
doctor. not TO say antiquated, in your
ideas?" quizzically.
Perhaps" stifiy. but there are so
many occupations for which woman is
wholly fitted that Il seems regrettsble she
should cpter upon one entirely unsulted
TO her"
And may l ask" demurely, what are
some that YOU consider suitable for
women
Well" hesitatingly, first, home-mak-
ing. A woman should be-er-a wife, and
and mother OF course"
Those privileges. quietly, 'are denied
Sorua z5-0u1pu CO on
School teaching" triumphantly mil
linery, dress-making"
Not at all up to date" smilingly; ANY
thing else?"
'Well-er-" lamely, Il don't recall any
thing at the moment"
You wouldn't approve then of a