Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-20
Over the Wire.
DOSosOsOeCSOCSOSOsOeOsosc

JOD strong kept q grocery s1 the
Town u Medina. and be was an old
oaehelor. II had been said Of him a
suDdred times over that be vas the
Soussiisst man IA the state
JOB gtnOag had a brother nYfax IA
BrunEyiek. and, - each had a teae-
| 3hOne, messages often passed bet ween
them The grocer had q good voice. IL
vas deep and rich and clear. and be
was accounted one Of tie best singers
In his church choir. One day when he
went b hello far Brunswick be found
himself answered BY a new voice. II
was that Of a female. and 81 stirred
bis heaFt ~ once. 10 was pitched 70 a
gentle cadeDee II reminded him Of
sis own New Orleans naOiasses gently
zDrgilng from tie splgOt into q Gus
toners Jug IL rolled along the wire
like new tire on a bike. and be held
"a 70 # as long a. possible. cnrt0nsly
snOugb. that deep. rich voice Of his
awoke an answering echo In the heart
n the operator ~ Brunswick. She
thought Of knights and cavaliers and
squires and danes. and IL was with a
sigh that she switched him over 10 the
brother.
II may be giving away the plot too
soon. but there u q curious eOlnci-
aenee here 10 be explained. The Bruins
wick operator was an old maid named
Miss Judkins. She had reached the
age q forty and for the last twenty
years had been match for Job Strong
10 LONELINESS. As homely as Miss
Judkins" was a saying for thirty miles
around. They said u her that ahe
had once SCARED a COW 10 death By en-
tering the barn and that when farm
srs drove % town they double hitched
their hOFses 10 the posts on her &C.
count. And. like Job Strong, she didn't
know that anything was amiss.
After the first caII over the wire job
Strong had longing 10 hear that voice
again. Not many hours had passed be-
fore be found an excuse. This time be
aid not inquire for his brother. but
asked about the price Of real estate and
other things In Brunswick and also In
lToduced himself The operator could
DO no less than give bsF own name
In reply. and thus began the cOurtshIp,
for such Il truly was. At least three
times day the grocer had something
10 say over the wire and found a ready
and sympathetic listener. He had q
picture in hts minds eye Of the lady
with the voice that thrilled, and wheth-
Or he was weighing out sugar or draw
ing molasses II was ever before him.
She was tail and stately and gentle
and smiling and would make a wife to
be proud Of Miss Judkins also hug
ged q mental photograph 70 her heart.
u was Of a knight on a black charger.
When three months had gone By the
grocer determined 20 visit Brunswick
and know the worst or best. He found
himself absentmlnded by day and
sleepiess by night. and this wouldn't
DO az all The flrst be knew his rivals
would be selling wagon grease
cents q box cheaper than he was and
drawing away his trade. He notified
Miss Judkins Of the day, and she put
on her Sunday dress and extra false
hair for the occasion and also got q
substitute for the day. Two hearts
were beating tumultuOusly as Job
knocked nt the door. Then two people
surveyed each other for a moment and
sat down. and there came a painful ST.
lence. IL was broken at last by Miss
Judkins' brother. who was present.
After letting out a gufaw 10 be heard
forty rods he exclaimed:
"weil. may DO durnedF'
This aroused the sister TO action. and
with flaming cheeks she turned on job
Strong and severely said.
"Sir. bow dare you come here and
play such a trick on meF'
Trick, Trick! What do you meanY'
'You are passing yourself OF rs Mr.
Strong Of Medina, but You can't be
her
And expected 10 see Miss Iudkins
instead Of you"
"But | am Miss Iudkins."
"And am Mr. Strong"
"rn be burned againr' shouted the
brother after another guffaw.
''Sir. this Il unbearableF' said Miss
Judkins as she rose up.
''Aflss. Il is a joke that don't under
stand at alt" replied Mr.. Strong as he
also rose up.
Il expected TO see u rather handsome
man"
"And l = rather handsome woman"
''Rut instead Of that you are ths
homellest man ever laid eyes On.s