The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-09-28
A PARTY
WIRE
By OSCAR cox

| on long winded conversations over the
wire and always at that hour In the
morning when 1t is most In use. am
literary man and do my scribbling at
home The other day before sitting
down TO my days work l desired to
confer with my publishers with refer
ence to the closing of a story written
to order OH plan suggested by men,
Der of the firm. Naturally | look to
him for instructions as proceed. On
| this particular occasion wished to
know whether should eliminate one
OF the characters before closing the
yarn. called the publishers number
1.-THE line IL busy"
| was about TO drop the receiver and
walt till the line would be free when
heard the well known melodious voice
| OF Miss Trewsdale.
"What are you going to do today,
CoraT'
II don't know. What are you going
| to dor"
II don't know either"
"IIas Tom Is. been 30 call latelyf"
Not since last week That horrid
Kate w. is making for him. It's too
disgusting for anything to see the way
she acts when he's around"
sighed. hung UP the receiver, paced
| the floor for some ten minutes and
called again They were still ut 1t. ]
listened ngaIn at intervals, but the dia-
logue was still going on. Finally there
seemed 10 be lull. The operator gave
mo the number | wanted. and / got
Mr.. Hathorne. with whom I wished TO
speall
"what do you think I'd better do
with Dudley?r asked.
~ think you'd better kill him."
Then followed one OF those confused
situations that sometimes occur when
several persons are trying to use a
| telephone at the same time.
ooh, heavensr' 1t was woman's
voice
rs that you, MaryT
YES; some one is planning a muir
der over this phone. wonder If
should call the police"
please send to Mrs. James B.
Wright two pounds Of lamb chops, a
bunch OF celery
This wires busyr | shouted. I've
got possession OF II, and I'm going to
keep 1t till get through. Keep of
everybody, Is that you. Hathornef"
"Yes; what do you wantr
I'D like 10 know before ! sit down
to work--Fye lost three-quarters of an
hour-what I'd better do with Dudleyp
III were you | would
"The baby won't take his food this
morning, doctor. What shall do?"
At this point there was dead ST.
lence.
"Hellor cried.
"What NUMBER came from the OPP
orator.
II was talking just now with 3642
Some one butted in and rye lost him.
Can you get him for me againT
us this the police Officer
Eyes. mum. What is ltr'
There is murder being arranged
over the telephone Some one by the
name of Dudley
who's he goin' to kill, mumT'
"IIe isn't going to kill any one; he's
going to be-
The speaker was cut off by click,
and heard locomotive evidently
pulling out OF station. All the voices
were hushed | waited TIL the train
had got away. then helloed till was
hoarse, without getting a reply. Then
began to work the arm on which the
receiver hangs when not in use. At
last the operator asked:
"What numberY'
II want 3G42 had him, but was
cut Off 10y concourse from the tower
of Babel
Presently there was click and the
query Wei. who is itg7 IN Hathorne's
voice.
II say, Hathorne, asked you awhile
ago what l should do with Dudley in
my story. You suggested that kill
him. If do that what shall do with
his sweetheart
whats the price of eggs this morn
ingl'
'SeNenty-uVe cents, mum
"See here, centrall'' shouted In a
rage. Cant get this wire for few
minutes this morning without the whole
town butting in?
"Time, please"
Nine fifty nine"
"Thank you"
You're welcome"
There was click, and in a few mo-
ments the operator asked again:
what numberT'
was soon In connection with Ha-
thorne again. and we we're debating
what should be done with Dudley
when there was another, final, inter-
ruption In the voice of the woman who
had spotted murder.
"There you are, Mr. Police Officer.
Those men who are going to kill some
body are talking again. I'd know their
voices again IL ever heard them"
"Hathorner' shouted.
"Well?'
"pm coming around to your place to
talk 1t over"
IAN right. III be here till lunch
time"
have directed the telephone com