Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-03-22
ATEL,EE.PEHONE
CALL
By WILLIAM CHANDI Err

It was 10 o'clock at night. / was sit
ting in an easy chair in my bedroom
reading and smoking when 1 heard a
ring at the telephone bell in the hall
Going there, took up the receiver and
placed it at my ear. l heard re-
markable confusion Of sounds. The
speaker at the phone was a woman.
but there were others in the room, one
Of whom, a man, was shouting wildly.
1t was difficult to distinguish what the
woman at the receiver was saying on
account of the other voices, especially
the shouter. l will give my dialogue
over the phone as well as l can, with
its Interruptions:
Voice at Transmitter-Oh,m my good
ness gracious! He's slashing right and
left! He's going to kill US all!
Voice of the Madman-Give 'em the
bayonet! Rout 'em out of the trench!
Hold on there! Save that gun! Good!
Never mind
l asked again and again for an ad-
dress and finally got 175 Wash
Mans Voice mot at transmitter)-
Remember, men, that you are Cana
dams, and what you do today
Voice at Transmitter-Do come!
Will is delirious. He fancies that he
is leading his company into
Woman's Voice (not at transmitter)-
oh, heavens! He's got his sword!
rNever mind who am. Give me
your street and number.
Voice at Transmitter- horrors!
hung up the receiver, waited few
seconds, took it up again and called a
cab-to come in hurry. Then went
downstairs and out, walking In the
direction from which expected It.
Seeing a vehicle coming at gallop,
headed it of, got In and told the driver
to take me to IT'S Washington avenue.
There was Washington street in the
city, but the voices had heard came
from refined persons, and Washington
street was mostly taken up with shops
and saloons.
l had some distance to 60 and shout
ed to the cabman to move faster. He
came to sudden stop, and I heard
him speaking with policeman, who
had stopped him. I opened the door
and told the policeman to get In with
me, explaining why wanted him. But
he got on the box, permitting the driv-
er to go as fast as he could get the
horse to move.
suppose we were ten minutes I'm
making the distance As soon as we
reached the house told the policeman
that he would be expected to tackle an
armed lunatic. He demurred, saying
that he must telephone for assistance,
and went OF to q call box. l did not
propose to wait for him and, going up
the steps Of stone front house, rang
the bell.
While waited for assistance heard
sounds in the second story as I had
heard them over the phone and above
the din the lunatic's voice shouting:
"Line up there, men! Come on, you
fellows, and fiu these gaps! Now al
together! Forwardv'
The front door was opened, and q
young woman as white as a cloth an.
peared.
I'm the party you got ON the
My explanation was interrupted by
sounds of steel slashing wood and the
shrteks of women above. The girl,
without word, led me upstairs. While
ascending I determined upon a plan OF
action. Whether 1t would avail any.
thing l did not know. On reaching the
upper hall I found girl crouching.
The door Of bedroom was wide ol,en,
and q man was inside hacking post
bedstead. His back was to me, ca
4 he did not see me-
"Retreat!' shouted. The general
orders = retreat We ara dankedr'
III Tt Innate ceased q hack t. hoa