The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-04-02
By Ohio B. sensa.
Copyright. 1907. by May McKeon.
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ers and depend upon their telephones
for communication with the village
and with each other"
IF possible, keep from your father
all anxiety concerning the business.
fear nervous 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 uncle's practice
Fred Hall sick? That's too badr'
was his uncle's comment. "But they'll
manage all right" with a country doc
tors knowAdge of his patients af-
fairs. Mrs. Hall is strong and a good
nurse. Fidelia understands the bust
ness thoroughly Too bad she isn't a
boy. 1t will take about all the man
ayers salary to hire a man to come
here from the city to do the outside
work"
DR.. Blyth was disappointed when
several calls were made upon the sick
manager without seeing Fidelia. She
was constantly In his thoughts, and
her lovely face seemed always before
his eyes.
BY chance his next call was in the
evening Fidelia met him in the hall
as he was leaving.
do you feel encouraged, DR.. Blyth? n
Eyes" kindly, but his nervous con
dition is serious. Is he worrying about
the businessP
II think not hopefully II hold his
position as manager, and that encour-
ages him. He has all confidence in my
ability"
you are a brave girl" enthusiast
tically. "You have some one for the
outside work y
She hesitated, coloring rosily.
IL have the services of very COM
petent lineman."
where is your 'centralT"
Here" indicating the room adjoin-
ing. 1--WE always been fathers hello
girl" smiling brightly.
On several succeeding calls the ply
stefan saw no one outside the sickroom
but Edith Hall, a girl about thirteen,
sharp of eye and of tongue, wholly I'M
like Fidelia, he thought
'Pm hello girl now" she cried i'm
portantly. "Fidelia's out looking after
the line-the lineman"
He recalled his uncle's remarks re-
garding Fidelia's knowledge of the
business.
''The brave little girl" he murmured,
with tenderness wholly unaccount-
able. "She will wish to supervise the
lineman's work for awhile. I'd like to
be the lineman If it means a daily
drive with the little Fidelia."
On the following evening he saw
Fidelia in her office. He reported hope
fully of her father and rejoiced In her
words of praise for his professional
care.
ave often thought" she observed
earnestly, "that I'd like to be a doc.
tor"
DR.. Blyth smiled somewhat satirical-
ly.
you forget, Miss Hail." rather lofti-
ly, ''your physical inability to cope
with the hardships incident to a coun-
try doctors life. He must brave any
storm or cold. A delicate girl like y0
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
physiciansT
Frankly, Miss Hall, l do not"
aren't you somewhat old fashioned,
doctor, not to say antiquated, in your
ideas?" quizzically.
Perhaps" stiff1y, "but there are so
many occupations for which woman
is wholly fitted that it seems regret
table she should enter upon one entire
ly unsuited to her"
"And may l ask" demurely, what
are some that you consider suitable for
WomenY
well" hesitatingly, "f1rst, home
making. A woman should be-er-a
wife and-and mother, of course"
"Those privileges, quietly, "are de-
MED some women Go on"
CCLOOltCdCulAS, llluul pudnllyy LII
linery, dressmaking."
"Not at all up to date" smilingly.
Anything elseY'
weller" lamely-"I don't recall
anything at the moment"
You wouldn't approve, then, Of a
woman being a steamboat captain or
an engineer or a house painter or a
mason?"
Certainly not. The last two ara vi
terly impossible anyway
"Oh, / don't know" lightly, 81 can
even imagine a woman being a good
lineman."
Blyth laughed in open sarcasm.
Il wouldn't care to see the woman.
Wouldn't she be terrorp'
"Why?" sharply.
Take your own lineman, for exam
pie, Miss Hall. Fancy woman in his
place-driving in all weathers about
this sparsely settled country, climbing
poles, sitting astride crossarmsW He
shrugged his shoulders impatiently
That's worse than being a doctorr'
Afterward he wondered If she would
think he disapproved Of what she was
doing. He hoped not He considered 1t
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 WON
anly.
He promised himself that he would
see her often. He had never before
met a girl who seemed to answer so
fully the requirements of his ideal
But as the days went by his glimpses
Of Fidelia were tantalizingly infre.
quent He disliked to inquire for her.
He fancied there was malignant salts
faction in Edith's brief answer, "Out-
with the lineman."
He ventured another evening call, blu
Fidelia was in charge Of the switch
board, and opportunity for CONVERSE
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" be
grumbled jealousy.
Fidelia blushed.
''The lineman is fully competent, but
/ like to go. l am very fond off,
An imperative call for central In
tsrrupted. and the sentence was not