Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-09-23
A PARTY WIRE
MUDDLE.
lOriginal.1


took in four families, the Alstons, the
Hammonds. the Winstons and the
Chapins. 1t SO happened that all were
acquaintances and the first three
friends. The Alstons and the Win
stons were especially intimate. In
deed, Mabel Aston was engaged to
Herbert Winston. The Chapins and
the Hammonds were cousins There
was also a growing intimacy between
Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs. Hammond.
One day Mrs. Aston wished to speak
with Mrs. Winston. Hello, central!"
she said. Give me 1920 LIZ
Your letter, please?"
MY letter is L.
There was Il good deal of buZZing
and bur-r-r-ing, accompanied by airy
voices, then suddenly well defined
woman's: 81 am Mis-. Winston. Who
are you?'
ooh! Is that you, Clara Chaplin?
I'm Dora Hammond. I've been trying
to get you for some time. These party
wires are perfect nuisance. Yester-
day had to wait half an hour while
somebody was giving instructions to
her dressmaker"
Mrs. Alston's sense of honor led her
to drop the receiver; but, recognizing
herself in this somebody" her sense
of honor was not strong enough to
bear the strain. She listened.
eyes," replied the other, "we're 60
ing to have our telephone taken out.
It's singular how little regard some
people have for other peoples rights"
"What l called you up for was to-
inquire if there is any truth in the
report of the breaking of the engage
ment between Mabel Aston and Her.
bert Winston.''
Il haven't heard such a report"
Haven't you? Everybody is talk
ing about it,
81 always considered Herbert too
good for her. She's 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 cousin, a
Miss MeriWeather."
"You don't mean it! I've met her.
She's very pretty and stylish. You
see, she wears the right kind of cor
set. No woman can have a figure in
the present fashion without modern
corset. That's the trouble with Mabel
Aston; she wears some kind of a
waist"
"And studies Greek. Ha, ha! Just
think of it!'
''Thats the folly of sending girls to
college. 1t 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. Aston listened for forty min
utes while the dialogue proceeded, but
since it was a wardrobe discussion she
became tired and dropped the receiver.
She repeated the dialogue she had
heard pertaining to the broken engage
ment to her daughter, who assured her
that there was no foundation for it, at
the same time gently Gliding her for
eavesdropping.
The next day Mrs. Aston, with
light in her eye and cold look about
her mouth, stepped to the telephone
and called up Mrs. Chaplin.
''1s that you, Clara? I'm Dora. 1
want to tell you that I've made inqui-
ries about the breaking of the engage
ment of Mabel Aston and Herbert
Winston. 1t isn't broken at ALL
You don't mean it,! How did you
find out?"
81 went straight to Mabel's mother"
Ibid you tell her who told you?''
eyes. | had to. She said if didn't
she'd never forgive me. It's very IN
fortunate. She told me that the next
yourself to speak to her, for she had
no further use for your acquaintance"
"Dear me! Upon N.Y.
Mrs. Chaplin heard no more, for there
was click. and she was cut off. Then
Mrs. Aston called up Mrs. Hammond:
'Is that YOU, Dora? I've called you
up to say that was mistaken about
that breaking Of the engagement be-
tween Mabel Aston and Herbert Win
ston''
"Yes:"
81 may as we'll confess that I made
it all up out Of whole CLOTH
"Eor lands sake!'
"Afterward became conscience
stricken and went to Mrs. Aston and
told her what l had done: also of our
conversation about it. She promised to
forgive me if I'd tell her what you
said so told herr
ooh, my goodness graciousv
''She said if her daughter didn't have
a made up modern figure she had a
natural symmetrical one and some
brains in her head besides, which was
more than you or l have. She told
me to tell you that you needn't return
her last call. Goodby."
The next time Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs.
Hammond met there was mutual
dead cut. When either of these ladies
met Mrs. Aston they did not dare look
Mt her. knowing that she would pass
them with her nose in the air. The
telephone company received a stimuli
taneOus notice from three Of the party
wire subscribers to take out the tele-
phone. 1t was a long while before
Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs. Hammond found
out through mutual friends that some
one had been personating each one of
them to the other. but by this time
their enmity was so great that thew re-