The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-21
Operator No. Is
Was 1t an Unlucky
Number?
By CLARISSA MACKIE


out of his hotel bed and ran to the
window. A clatter of hoofs on the as
phalt, the clang of gongs, the swift
rushing of electric vehicles, the glitter
of arc lights on red and nickel, trail
ing plumes of black and white smoke,
and the fire engines disappeared up the
avenue. as.
The westerner sat down on the edge
of the bed and yawned sleepily. At
home in his own city a fire was first
announced by the ringing of alarm
bells that respectable citizens might be
Informed Of the coming spectacle and
be on hand to witness the confagra-
ton. Inside his vest pocket was the
list Of box numbers at which he was
In the habit Of glancing when the bells
in the towers brayed forth the alarms.
Here in New York it was different.
The silent alarm system might have
Its advantages, but it certainly de-
prived interested strangers from wit
Messing that much advertised attrac-
tion-a three alarm Gotham fire.
Then, again, at home if he was
without his trusty alarm card, all he
had to do was to telephone to the cen
tral telephone office and ask where the
fire was. Did he dare do that in New
York? Yet possibly three alarm fire
was eating up dollars within a half
dozen blocks of his hotel
He snapped on the electric light, look
ed at his watch, saw that it was 2
o'clock and went to the telephone.
There were two of these, one that con-
nected with the hotel switchboard and
the other a long distance instrument
He glanced at them and chose the hotel
telephone.
"Number?" came in such sweet reply
that Ellwood REDEEMED with sudden ex-
citement.
"Er-I don't want anybody that is,
will you please tell me where the fire
is?" he stammered.
"Why, it is in the hotel here around
on the Broadway side. There is no
danger; it is under control now" said
the voice sweetly, though rather wea-
rily.
'Thanks, very much," said Elwood
earnestly, and he reluctantly hung up
the receiver.
He tumbled into bed, dazedly aware
that something strange had happened.
He could scarcely define the feeling
that prompted him to earnestly go over
in his mind his yearly income and
wonder for the first time if he could
afford to marry on it. 1t was the first
time he had taken that into considera-
ton.
Ellwood laughed at his own folly and
fell asleep feeling very light hearted
over nothing in particular When
morning came and with it the business
he had prescribed for the day he could
not drive from his recollection the
voice he had heard in the night. He
made up his mind to talk with her
again if possible.
After breakfast he hobnobbed with
the clerk and professed a desire to see
the switchboard of the house telephone
service.
A double row of straight backed fig.
ures with becoming black straps over
their varicolored heads rewarded his
lected that his particular voice must
be on the night shift, for he had spo-
ken with her at 2 o'clock that morn
ing. He determined to wander hotel
ward in the wee sma' hours of the next
morning.
Night came and with it the coveted
opportunity to enter into some COM
1ho 4hot ho1 of
tracted him. He looked aimlessly from
the window and wished for another
fire. But fires are not made to order,
so he took down the receiver, and his
mouth settled into the lines of deter
mination that had been craven on his
face.
"Number?" came her adorable voice.
"Oh-can you tell me where the fire
is?" he asked frantically.
Fire? l didn't know there was one,"
she said rather wearily.
"Neither did l." blurted Ellwood. II
thought there might be one, you know" "
"Oh" she said crisply and cut the
connection.
Ellwood leaned back in his chair, his
worried. 81 don't know but what I've
got heart trouble" he muttered dubi-
ously. "Can't be my dinner, for l ate
carefully, and nothing but heart trOu-
BILE could cause such shortness of
breath and palpitation." He would
call the house physician and have his
heart examined at once.
His order was received and answered,
and presently the doctor came to his
room. He was a tall, fair, rawboned
Individual who scanned the face of his
patient with a searching glance. "Good
evening-or, rather, morningp' he said
affably. "You are in need Of doctor|
Ellwood sank down on the couch and
placed hand weakly on his heart
''Its here" he said. I'm afraid it's
NV haort -