The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-03-14
nAnytllinr disc y,

1
anything at the moment"
You wouldn't approve. then. of a
woman being steamboat captain or
an engineer or a house painter or
mason?'
Certainly not The last two are ut
/ terly impossible anyway"
"Oh. | don't know" lightly. II can
even imagine woman being good
iineman."
! Blyth laughed in open sarcasm
Il wouldn't care to see the woman.
Wouldn't she be terror
! why sharply.
Take your own lineman, for exam
/ pie Miss Hall. Fancy a woman in his
| place-driving in all weathers about
this sparsely settled country. climbing
! poles, sitting astride crossarms" He
shrugged . his shoulders impatiently.
That's worse than being doctor"
Afterward he wondered if she would
think he disapproyed OF what she was
doing. He hoped not He considered it
entirely commendable for her to man
! age this business during her fathers
| illness, and the office, being in her own
home, made it seem essentially wom-
! anly.
He promised himself that he would
see her often He had never before
met girl who seemed to answer so
| fully the requirements of his ideal.
! But as the days went by his glimpses
! OF Fidelia were tantalizngly infre-
! quent He dislikcd to inquire for her.
/ He fancied there WAS malignant salts
] faction in Edith's brief answer. Out
! with the lineman."
He Venturcd another evening call, but
Fidella was in charge of the switch
board and opportunity for conversa-
ton was limited.
/ His half conscious resentment to-
ward the lineman prompted a question
/ as to his competency. You have to go
around with him all the time" he
/ grumbled jealousy.
/ Fidclia blushed.
"rhe lineman is fully competent, but
like to 20. l am very fond Of
An imperative cali for central in
] terrupted and the sentence was not
completed.
Blyth remembered 1t uneasily. Was
| 1t the lineman or had she meant to say
that she liked driving In the glorious
autumn weather?
He grew Respondent as the weeks
went by. and, no matter how cold or
| stormy the day. Edith gave the same
! irritating answer "Out with the line
man"
Then he resolved to settle the affair.
! He loved the girl He was sure of
| himself now He would boldly make
the opportunity to tell her so She
should choose between him and that
his adiectiyes would not have been ut
tered in Fideia's presence-lineman!
The thought of her was uppermost in
his mind as he drove toward home on
a cold, windy day in early spring
"Oh, if only r He checked the half
uttered words smiling tenderly as he
dreamed Il young mans beautiful day
dreams of love and life
j Ahead of him in the lonely country
road he saw n horse and buggy stand
ing by a telephone pole. Instinctyely
he looked up
THE llnemanw lie exclaimed inter
estcdy. I'm thankful Fidelia isn't
with him this miserable day"
The man climbed from the crossarm
and came down the pole with the swift
ease acquired by constant practice
Hes little chap" thought the doc
tor. Perhaps that's why Fidelia
watches him so closely"
The lneman sprang into the buggy,
with his coil of wire and bag Of tools.
driving rapidly away
I'll ovcrtake him and speak with
him Il ought to be halfway decent
to little chap like that"
But the lmeman's slim, boyish figure,
erect in the lighter vehicle. held the
lines over an animal that sped along
as If aware of his pursuit.
Blyth caught Il glimpse of a rounded
red cheek under the linomans close
cap. \ wild thought a gimmering of
the truth sent the blood to his own
cheeks, and he urged his horse on.
He reached the driveway at Halls In
time to see the slim figure leap from
the buggy and dash into the house
The doctor followed hurriedly.
Go tell your sister that | must see
her ut once" His imperative com
mand startled Edith into instant obedi-
ence,
When Fidela entered the room, with
cheeks that rlyaled the crimson of the
soft robe she wore, Blyth spranG to-
ward her.
She motioned him back with re
polling hand even while her eyes gave
him the assurance he sought
You know you don't approve-you
said
81 don't care what | said was
wrong, Fidella | approve Of anything
that you do and Of everything that you
are. Fideia. my little linemann'