McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-12-22
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- FIFTEEN minutes of twelvel
A brief quarter of an hour later
and all the town bells would be
madly ringing; the factory whis-
ties would be footing; horns would
shrill raucously; the restless crowds
surging aimlessly through the streets
would raise voices in the hystericai
pandemonium that customarily wakes
the dying year into extinction.
"Then," said Myrtle the telephone
girl to herself, "then my busy time
commences. Every lunatic in town
viii begin trying to get his or her
friends on the wire to yell Happy
New Year Everybody will be want
ing their numbers at once and all sore
because the telephone company hasn't
put in 5000 extra wires for their es-
pecial convenience tonight"
The metal loop with the receiver at
her ear had grown irksome and heavy
on Myrtle's head. Her hand raised to
adjust it more comfortably just as
one of the little white lights flashed on
before her.
"Number please" (plugging the hole)
-. Grand 4354 What did you
say Yes, / know have a sweet
voice. but my name don't happen to be
'Kiddo' :. +. There you are"
Just then another light flashed In
Myrtle's section.
Number please Riverview. 4197
80. Thank you j. What? -. Oh, I
beg your pardon -. ALL"
"Why don't you listen as you're paid
to do?" growled back mans voice
over the wire. His articulation was
thick, hoarse. Evidently he was labor
ing under some tremendous strain.
However 1t is not for the mere tele-
phone operator to resent, whatever her
provocation.
'4111, thank you" said Myrtle in
the same pleasantly modulated tone as
before and made the proper connec-
ton. But not even then being certain
that she had correctly understood the
mans thick directions, she cut In on
the line to listen for moment and so
, forestall further complaints from him
With the receiver clamped tight to
her ear she could hear the phone bell
buzzing family across the city--in a
house, Myrtle Judged, because the Riv.
erview exchange lay In the aristocratic
residential section. Buzz-Buzz-zz--z
Then came woman's voice-soft
!. sweet and low.
"Hello Oh, is that you, Jim?
had gotten quite anxious about you.
expected you home to dinner tonight
You promised, you know. -. And
'Snookums' wasISo disappointed when
I had to tuck II in bed without kiss
ing his papa g0 night. He was sc
excited by all the noise on the streets
and kept asking me If his bad daddy
wouldn't come home early to him or
New Years eve. / really think YOU
might have, Jim, because"
"Oh, ! knowi / know!" interrupted
the mans voice impatiently, although
he evidently was making a strong eff
fort to conceal his distraught condition
from her. Business detained me a
the Office later than anticipated, Ed
sQa, and afterwards afterwards
Marry Forbes dropped in and we wen
out for bite to eat together"
"But you'll be home right away now
won't you, dear?" pleaded the woman''
voice coaxingly. "Please don't sta,
any later. I've promised 'Snookums
that you'll be home to wish him a Hap
by New Year while the whistles ar
still blowing
II can't possibly make 1t now !. +.
there's big deal we're talking over
4, "Jim"--reproachfully - II though
you assured me you never would dab
BILE in the market again after that las
time when you risked all we had In tn,
world simply ON the chance Of making
few dollars without really earning
it."
EDNA, IL"
"Jim, your very voice sounds queer
ly. Nothing has gone wrong at the Of
fee there today, has there, dear?"
.'No :. No, nothing" came tn
mans voice YEARLY, soothingly. Don
worry now No use any more. Elk
cuse me II spoke sharply, little cir
Pm tired out--that's all i. Yes, We
49,. Good-by, dearest one"
The receiver clicked sharply and tn
listening Myrtle experienced sense 0
physical relief, the exact reason 70
which she would have been at a los
to explain. How strangely the ma
n had intoned his good-bye--almost a
If he never expected to be able to 50
\ 1t again to the wife he loved. 1t wa
as IT,
"Yes, number please ;. Oh"
1t was the voice of the same ma
speaking GROSSLY over the wire.,
"Get me Grant 8212-quick
growled. 'I'm In a hurry"
She plugged the proper hole COZ
meeting him and listened for a m,
ment.
'Helloi Grant 62129 the Morgue
Well, this is James P. Thornton tall
ing. Yes,s JAMES Thornton of
z. Thornton, Inc. I'm about to con
NIT suicide In my Office at 147S Stoc
Exchange building. II you'll send yor
men over here within Is minute
they'll find my body here Door