The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-02-02
TIE TELEPHONE
GALL
BY Conn q. McNeeIY.
BY 5Ohn II. MoEeely.

"Nr haulounder. how does it hap
'aa thar tae telephone was busy al
4 feIrc9l~ inquired SIrs. Rcmfound
r. as he. husband appeared at hi.
'17o f-c-' he o1ce.
7 Busy" exclaimed Ramfounder.
mats exactly what said.
alai yoa ~ a, least six or sen
lines ana couldn't get connection
Too BAD"
ar hAmlOuuder, I don't need any
't your teigned sympathy have
asked you civil question and | ex
'''l a civil answer. Now there isn't
oit of dcab, that you were talking ia
.eihe p2rtY unknown TO mo. Of course
because you are so secretiye tia. Won
''iid net tel ne. and am certain
-at l have no curiosity 10 ind out
ne greater part Of the afternoon"
/ am accustomed TO transact nv
business by tongue" replied the hus.
1ahd. mysteriously.
Just as I thought. Mr.. Ramfound.
D. you have frankly admitted. then.
,aat you have been talking with some
ne over the telephone So far as
business is concerned, | do not have
TO depend upon your statement as
can draw my own conclusions. You
were carrying on with some girl. of
course, and when"
You are mis-"
Never mind contradicting me Mr.
kamfounder 1t is just like You to
stand there and try to deceive me.
Tut i am so well acquainted with your
personality thai l have long ago be.
come accustomed to your gauzy and
himsy apologies. or course il IA
plain now why / could not get con.
nectlon. Here have been calling and
calling at one end of the line for nv
husband, while he is a. the other
warbling a lot of silly rubbish at a
blonde stenographer or probably one
OF those girls employed in some cigar
store SO this is the kind of use YOU
are putting your telephone to. is IT,
Mt Ramtounder? suppose you were
laughing up your sleeve when the Cd.
orator Informed YOU that l was ma.
alng desperate efforts TO get connec.
lon. And then you went on talking
the other party, ignoring my call
lltogether. Wen, it's Just like YOU
you take an extreme delight in in
5ulting your wife on every occasion
possible. Especially when you know
NAT have something important to
communicate. But, Mr.. Ramfounder
you have taxed my patience too far
Your repeated trials al deception have
had their effect. have not expected
much from a wavering and frail weak
ing like you except the ordinary
'ourtesies due a faithful. loving and
'hedlent wife. In even this you have
mled ignominiously You ought TO
iespise Yourself for refusing to talk
20 me over the telephone. But mo-
fou We're too busy with your childish
praitle 10 carry on a serious converse.
ION with a member Of your own fam.
iy, the one who has sacrificed every.
ming in the world, including her moth.
= and father to make your home
lappy and cheerful want to ask
en- what you mean by such"
If you will allow me to-"
Mr. Ramfounder, | will not allow |
you to tell me another one of your |
liked stories You have probably |
been racking' your shallow and mar.
low mind all afternoon, planning an
'Xcuse 10 tell me when faced YOU with
he truth have had enough of them
But the day Of reckoning has come
lnd / shall not be with you when YOU
ny out in remorse at having abused
md mistreated me. Knowing. as YOU
TO- that | have always made a point
o be proper whatever emergency NAV
rise so that the neighbors can never
md The slightest proyocation for say.
ng anything against my character.
on take advantage Of it 10 humiliate
ne. ! want to inform you, Mr.. Ram.
ounder that ! had no callers at the
ouse when l tried to get you over
he telephone eight or nine times l /,
as alone, thank goodness! I realize
hat you would have been tickled to
cath If some OF my friends coulo
ave heard me making frantic and
'uitless struggles to call up my hus
and by telephone, And they would
OF be so ignorant as not to compre
end that you We're conversing with
lme new prey-understand | saY
sey-of your admiration. No doubt ! / |
'uld have induced the operator tc
.eak in on the line and heard your
'iHiant conversation, but | am too
)norable for that"
Mrs, Ramfounder, beg to-"
What 40 YOU mean by having the
audacity to address me, I
ave you no conscience? You had
lur opportunity to talk to me this :
Iornoon, but you preferred to spend Z
'ur time conyersng with another
I'd deliberately repulsing your wife
you had the least bit of feeling you
ould get down on your knees and
e my forgiveness. But you are not y
at kind. realize It now, after l :,
we married and lived with you 10
ne years, only TO discover my bitter :,
.s'ake after it is too late. had my u
esentlment from the very beginning y
II J felt hat you should have the Il
neit of the doubt, only to be 4
urned and grossly mortified In the '
d. The gaudy creature whom you
ere"
% But " glputfJ mfoupdo, ,t.,t.