The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-07-22
A PARTY WIRE
MUDDLE.
tGriginal.l


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 Alstcns 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 growing intimacy between
Mrs Chaplin and Mrs. Hammond.
One day Mrs. Aston wished to speak
with Mrs Winston. Hello, central!"
she said. "Give me 3720 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 we'll defined
woman's: II am Mrs. Winston. Who
are your
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 go
ing to have our telephone taken out
It's singular how little regard some
tnsc ri rl,t
"What I called you up for was to
inquire IL there is any truth in the
report Of the breaking of the engage
ment between Mabel Aston and Her
bert Winston"
II haven't heard such a report"
Haven't you? Everybody is talk
ing about it,
IL always considered Herbert too
good for her She's a nice enough little
body, but no style about her. Herbert
Ia 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?'
"Herberts attentions to his cousin,
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 figure in
the present fashion without modern
corset. That's the trouble with Mabel
Aston; she wears some kind OF d
waist"
"And studies Greek. Ha, ha! Just
think of itr'
That's 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 1t was q wardrobe discussion she
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 q
light in her eye and a cold look about
her mouth, stepped to the telephone
, and called up Mrs Chaplin.
"Is that you, Clara? I'm Dora. |
, want to tell you that I've made inqui-
ries about the breaking of the engage
+ ment Of Mabel Aston and Herbert
Winston. It isn't broken at ALL"
"You don't mean it! How did you
, find out?'
81 went straight to Mabel's mother =
"Did you tell her who told you?"
Eyes. l had to. She said II ! didn't
, she'd never forgive me. It's very I'M
, fortunate She told me that the next
time you met her you needn't trouble
, yourself to speak to her, for she had
, no further use for your acquaintance. .
!. Dear me! Upon my
, Mrs. Chaplin heard no more, for there
was click, and she was cut of. Then
y Mrs. Aston called up Mrs. Hammond
a SIS that you, Dora? I've called yot
!. up to say that was mistaken about
that breaking Of the engagement be
a tween Mabel Aston and Herbert Win
a ston."
a "Yes?"
a III may as well confess that l made
n 1t all up out Of whole cloth"
a For lands sake!'
:. "Afterward l became conscience
stricken and went to Mrs. Aston ant
9 told her what had done; also Of ou1
n conversation about it. She promised t,
@ forgive me If I'd tell her what yot
said. so told her"
( "Oh, my goodness gracious!"
q "She said if her daughter didn't havs
a made up modern figure she had :
!. natural symmetrical one and some
@ brains In her head besides, which wa
n more than you or I have. She toll
Il me to tell you that you needn't return
q her last call. Goodby."
The next time Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs
Hammond met there was mut1a