Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13
Drawings by E. L. Chase

calls all day. and then there is the young at
the exchange end with her staccato Are you through?
Are you through?
So it just lonely in the evenings for @old Aunt
Cis' it had been before
Nov one evening Cyrilla sitting alone usual
after dinner in the dusk. The lamps had not been
brought in. The long windows open, and the
of the lacs to her from the garden On such
a night this every lonely woman is particularly con-
scious of her loneliness At such time beautiful words
the lips of lovers; those who married have
something in addition to words between them mothers
go to visit their babes old maids go to bed dream
away their heartache All old maids have heartache
sometimes. 1 have known many, and they have told
The elderly parlor maid, entering with the lamps,
broke in upon Cyrlas solitude illuminated it. and left
her alone again. She did not feel in the mood for knit
ting tonight; the latest book from the circulating library
failed to interest her-it about unhappy
red couple and eugenics She could sing quite beau-
tully; but singing to nobody but oneself sometimes
ends in sobbing. She looked ongngy at the telephone
her desk. She could call up of her nephews
nieces she liked; but their instruments in the
hail. and it seemed rather selfish disturb them at this
time of night
"Oh, if only someone would ring up' she said
aloud.
And then it happened, just it might happen in
fairy tale book, and it very often happens in
real efor real life is only another kind of fairy tale,
after all.
The telephone bell ringing.
Without neutrality-suspicious., strangely enough, one
never does wonder at these things at the time-she
went to the desk and picked up the receiver.
@Hello!" she said
Hello" answered a mans voice. and it was
strange
Cyrila puzzled "That's not you, Bob, is it?"
NO. my is Say, am speaking to 1874 Pine
fed?'
Eyes; but who you?'
A practical JOKER thought Cyria, and she about
to disconnect when the voice said:
@Are you listening?"
ayes; but 1 sha'n't be in a moment. I'm going to
ring off,"
Don't do that. Just hold on bit. Your voice
sounds heavenly the wire"
Cyrila could not believe her ears. Did he-was this
Irritation? And yet there genuine sincerity in the
speakers tone. She did not know what to do. If
Irritation, he must assume her to be young girl 1t
also implied that he young himself After all, it
rather amusing. Had she not wished for someone
to ring her up? There could be harm in listening.
MAY l talk to you for minute
two?' asked the voice humbly enough.
Cyrila bit her lip. @You must be quick Il
then" said She d
II will. Just let me tell you nv name 81
first. l don't want you to mistake me for a
the grocer the deicatessen It's n
Grierson-Hugh Grierson. Will you tell q
yours?" A. q
@Im Cyrilla Davenport the hest ~
tating reply. go
@What a jolly name! I knew it was -
something like that-by the sound of
your voice. 1t suggests potpourri and 81
olden times. 1 hate Mabes and Muriels VI
and Gladyses. Are you married. -;
1t struck Cyrila that Hugh Grierson
must be very direct young man, not to
say inqusitive. NO." she admitted, after
what she considered proper pause
"Neither am l. 1 should have rung off
if you were. Don't think rude. It's
r..1