The daily Alaskan., 1909-06-11
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Over the Wire.
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ICopyrIght. l9OS. by T. c. McClure.l

Copyright, 1908, by T. C. McClure'l
 Job Strong kept a grocery in the town of Medina. and he was an old bachelor. It had been said of him n hundred times over that he was the homcllcst man in the state.
 Job Strong had brother living in Brunswick. and, as each had tele- phone, messages often passed between them. The grocer had q good voice. It was deep and rich and clear, and he was accounted one of the best singers in his church choir. One day when he went to hello for Brunswick he found himself answered by new voice. It was that of female. and 1t stirred his heart at once. It was pitched to a gentle cadence. It reminded him of his own New Orleans mOlasSeS gently gurclnG from the spigot into n GUS toner's jug. It rolled along the wire like a new tire on bike, and he held on to it as long as possible. Curiously enough. that deep rich voice of his awOkc an answering echo in the beart of the operator at Brunswick She thought of knights and cavaliers and suuircS and danes, and it was with q sigh that she switched him over to the brother
 It may be giving away the plot too soon, but there is curious colnci- dcncc here to be explained. The BrunS- wick operator was an old maid named Miss .udkinS. She had reached the age of forty and for the last twenty years had been match for Job Strong in homclincSS. As hOmcly as Miss Iudkins" was q saying for thirty miles around They said of her that she had once scared q COW to death by en- tcrug the barn and that when farm CTS drove to town they double hitched their horses to the posts on her ac- count And. like Job Strong, she didn't know that anything was 0miSS.
 After the first call over the wire Job Strong had a longing to hear that voice again. Not many hours had passed be- fore he found an excuse. This time he iid not inquire for his brother, but asked about the price of rCal estate and other things in Brunswick and also in- roduccd himself. The operator could do no less than give her own name in reply. and thus began the cOurtShip for such it truly was. At least three times a day the grocer had something To say over the wire and found a'ready and sympathetic listener He had a picture in his minds eye of the lady with the voice that thrilled, and wheth- CT he was weighing out sugar or draw ing molaSScS it was ever before him. She was tall and stately and gentle and smiling and would make wife to be proud of. Miss Judkins also hug gcd mental photograph to her heart. It was of q knight on black charger.
 When three months had gone by the grocer determined tO visit Brunswick and know the worst or best. He found himself abscntmindcd by day and slccpcSs by night, and this wouldn't do at all. The first he knew his rivals would be selling wagon grease cents a box cheaper than he was and drawing away his trade. He notified Miss JudkluS of the day, and she put on her Sunday dress and extra false hair for the occasion and also got a substitute for the day. Two hearts were beating unanimously as Job knocked at the door. Then two people surveyed each other for a moment and sat down. and there came q painful si- lcncc. It was broken at las5 by Miss Judkins' brother, who was present. After letting out a guffaw to be heard forty rods he exclaimed:
 Well. may l be durncd.' This aroused the sister to action, and with flaming checks she turned on Job Strong and severely said:
 sir. how dare you come here and play such trick on mC"'
 Trick. Trick. What do you mean"
 You are passing yourself off as Mir. Strong of Medina, but you can't be he"
 And 1 expected to sec Miss JudHinS Instead Of you"
 "But am Miss JudEinS." And l am Mir. Strong"
 "TU be durncd again." shouted the brother after another guiTaw.
 sir. this is mbcar0blc" said Miss 1 mdkinS as she rose up.
 Miss. it is a joke that l don't under stand at all." replied MT. Strong as he also rose up.
 "I expected to see rather handsome man."
 And l a rather handsome woman.'
 "But instead of that you are the homclieSt man I ever laid eyes on."
 Ditto"
 You insult me- Sir.'
 And you insult mew
 Good lands, but If I'd have known you were the man you are l wouldn't have wasted q minute on you"
 Ditto again"
 Look a-hcrc," said the brother when he could stop laughing, you two are foolish to quarrel. Destiny has brought | .Ig, ,Io,,t NOu orn wpll matched for