The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-01-27
Doing Two Things
At Once
BY OSCAR cox

"Ten cents"
where's the booth?"
"0ver there"
How the girl could carry on the con-
versation with me and 60 on working
her typewriter | couldn't conceive. j
would not have been able to do any
thing else when talking with her. She
never stopped her clickety-click once
during the brief interview l vowed
that before got through with her
would make her stop rattling the keys
If l had to pull her hair. However, for
the time being I was satisfied and. go.
ing into the booth. delivered my mes
sage. When came out l asked how
much.
"City or long distance?" she asked.
still punching the typewriter.
"City." .
"Ten cents"
"Isn't that pretty steep for a city
message?"
Perhaps she didn't hear. st any rate
she made no reply, keeping on ham
mering the keys.
"Can you change Eve dollar bill?"
mo"
"A dollar?"
mo"
"Well, here's 10 cents"
She stopped just long enough to take
the 10 cents, open a drawer, then re-
commenced the clicking. / said good
morning." but she made no response.
The next day I went into the tele-
phone Office again.
"Can send a city message? ask
ed
She turned her head toward a booth
without speaking or ceaslng to play
the typewriter. went into the booth.
left the door open and called up Char
ley Jones-that is. pretended to do so.
"Hello, Charley--is that you? I'm In
telephone station. 1 want to ask
] you something. Do you consider 1t
| polite IL gentleman has business re-
lations with young lady for her to
ignore all except what is absolutely
essential to the transaction, or should
she be civil"
held the receiver to my ear. keep
/
tending to listen to what Charlie had
to say about It. My scheme had no
more visible effect on the girl thnn lf
she had been stone deaf.
you say you think she deserves a
fitting? Well, what Is fellow going
to do IL he has no authority. no way
Of inficting punishment, no hold what
everW
| paused again for a reply that never
came. There was no apparent interest
In what l was saying on the part of
the girl; she didn't even write a mite
faster or slower proceeded:
Not let 1t bother me? How can l
help itP I'm all broken up over it,"
Another interval for Charley to say
something more.
"Candy! She wouldn't have it-that
Is. from me- l have a mind to try
flowers"
Again / listened for further sugges-
tlons from Charley.
ooh, that's all very well for talk, but
1t isn't the real thing. When fellow
can't sleep nights, can't eat and all
that, what's he going to do? However,
I'll try the flowers II they don't i'm
prove matters I'll call you up again,
Goodby."
hung up the receiver, went to the
girl and asked chow much?"
"Ten cents"
l took out dime. laid 1t on the desk
beside her and went out. There was
not sign of interest In her face, and
was literally clicked out onto the
sidewalk.
The next day went back with a
bouquet of flowers, and, walking de-
murely up to the girl. I handed them
to her, saying:
''Ive bothered you SO much during
the last few days and you have been
so patient, so affable, so amiable, so
kind that feel impelled to offer you
some reparation,"
My assurance was too much for her.
She leaned back in her chair while a
her beautiful throat At the same time
she reached out for the flowers, press
ing them to her face. The victory was
won, the ice was broken.
Here's the 10 cents for Charles
message" she said. handing out the
dime | had given her the day before
There's no charge for one sided mes
sages"
How do you know"
"By the ring. or, rather the want OF
It,"
"And youll keep the flowers?"
Certainly, and I can't sleep nights
for the obligation I'm under to you fo'
teaching me how must have appear
ed to persons coming in here on busi
ness. The truth ls the Interruptions
are so frequent that l have become
accustomed to going right on with my
, work, merely nodding toward the boott
and taking the pay"
II expect youll have to keep 1t VI
while you're trying to do two things
y at once.
After this did great deal OF tele
phonng. had an instrument put int
my house and went frequently to tn,
pay station professedly to send mes