The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-21
A PARTY WIRE MUDDLE


tion took four families the Alstons,
the Hammonds, the Winstons and
the Chapins. It so happened that all
were aoquaintances and the first
three friends The Alstons and the
Wlnstons were especially intimate
Indeed, Mabel Alston was engaged TO
Herbert Winston. The Chapins and
the Hammonds were also cousins
There was also a growing intimacy
between Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs. Ham
mond
One day Mrs. Alston wished to
speak with Mrs. Winston. Hello.
central" she said. give me 1920 IL"
Your letter, please?"
'My letter Is L."
There was good deal OF buZzing
and bur-r.r-ing, accompanied by airy
voices, then suddenly well defined
woman's 81 am Mrs. Winston. Who
are you?"
ooh! Is that you, Clara Chapin?
I'm Dora Hammond. I've been try.
ing TO get you for some time These
party wires are "A perfect nuisance.
Yesterday | had to wait half an hour
while somebody was giving instruc'
tions to her dressmaker."
Mrs. Alston's sense of honor led
her TO drop the receiver; but, rec
ogniZing herself I'm this somebody"
her sense Of honor was not strong
enough to bear the strain. She lis.
tened.
Yes" replied the other we're go
ing to have our telephone taken out.
IT'S singular how little regard some
people have for other peoples
rights"
What ! called you up for was to
inquire if there is any truth i'm the
report of the breaking OF the en-.
gagement between Mabel Alston and
Herbert Winston.
81 haven't heard such a report.
Haven't you? Every body is talk.
ing about IT,"
II always considered Herbert too
good for her. She's a nice enough
little body. but no style about her.
Herbert is one Of the best dancers
ever saw"
Mabel Is very plain"
Herbert Is handsome as a picture.
What do they say Is the cause Of the
break?"
"Herbert's attentions to his cou.
sin, a Miss Meriweather."
You don't mean 1t! I've met her
She's very prett." and stylish. You
see, she wears the right kind Of cor.
set No woman can have a figure la
the present fashion without a mod
ern corset. That's the trouble with
Mabel Aston; she wears some kind
Of u waist"
"And studies Greek la, ha! Just
| think ,of it,"
That's the folly of sending girls
! to college. II takes away all desire
for social advancement.
"By the bye, have you decided how
to have your new pink silk made up?"
"Only as TO the neck, which Is to
| be cut square"
Mrs. Alston listened for forty
| minutes while the dialogue proceed.
cd, but since It was a wardrobe dis
cussion she became tired and drop.
| ped the receiver. She repeated the
| dialogue she had heard pertaining TO
| the broken engagement to her daugh-
ter, who assured her that there was
no foundation for It, at the same
! time gently Chiding her for caves.
dropping.
The next day Mrs. Alston, with n
| light in her eye and cold look
about her mouth, stepped to the tele.
! phone and called up Mrs Chaplin.
rs that you, Clara? I'm Dora I
want to tell you that I've made in
quiries about the breaking of the en-
gagement of Mabel AlstOn and Her
bert Winston. 1t isn't broken at ALL"
You don't mean il! How did you
find out?"
Il went straight to Mabels moth.
er."
"Did YOU tell her who told you
Eyes, had to. She said If | hadn't
! she'd never forgive nc. It's very
unfortunate. She told me that the
next time you meet her yoI needn't
| trouble yourself to speak TO her, for
she had no further use for your ac-
/ quaintance."
Dear me! Upon NY"
Mrs Chaplin heard no more fer
there was a click, and she was cut
off. Then Mrs. Aston called up Mrs.
Hammond:
lis that you, Dora? I've called you
up to say that was mistaken about
that breaking Of the engagement be,
tween Mabel Alsion and Herbert
| winston
| "Yes?'
81 may as we'll confess that
made It all up out of whole cloth"
For lands sake!"
"Afterward | became conscience
| stricken and went to Mrs Alston and
told her what ! had done; also of our
conversation about IT, She promised
to forgive me II I'd tell her what
YOU said, so ! told her"
"Oh, my goodness graciousl"
"She said If her daughter didn't
have a made up modern figure she
had natural symmetrical one and
some brains in her head besides
which was more than you or | have
She told me to tell you that you
needn't return her last call Good
| bye"
The next time Mrs. Chaplin and
Mrs Hammond met there was a
mutual dead cut. When either OF
these ladies met Mrs, Alston they
did not dare look at her, knowing
that she would pass them with her
nose In the air. The telephone com
pany received a simultaneous notice
from three of the party wire sub