The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-06
A PARTY
WIRE
By OSCAR cox

on long winded conversations over tn
wire and always at that hour In III
morning when IL is most In use. ! an
literary man and do my scribbling a
home. The 9th er day before sittinI
down to my days work desired b
confer with my publishers with refer
ence to the closing OF story writer
to order on plan suggested by mem
Der OF the firm. Naturally ! look 4
him for instructions as / proceed. On
this particular occasion l wished Il
know whether | should eliminate one
OF the characters before closing the
yarn. called the publishers number.
THE line is busy"
I was about to drop the receiver and
wait till the line would be free when
heard the well known melodious voice
of Miss Trewsdale:
"What are you going to do today,
Coral"
81 don't know. What are you going
to dor"
~ don't know either"
HAS Tom B. been to call latelyT
mot 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 at it.
listened again at intervals, but the dia-
logue was still going on. Finally there
seemed to be a lull. The operator gave
me the number / wanted, and | got
Mr.. Hathorne, with whom wished to
speak.
What do you think I'd better do
with Dudley?' l asked.
IT think you'd better kill him"
Then followed one of those confused
situations that sometimes occur when
several persons are trying to use
telephone at the same time.
ooh. heavens? 1t was a woman's
voice.
''Is that you, Maryf"
'Yes; some one is planning a muir
der over this phone | wonder if l
should call the police"
please send TO Mrs James 3.
Wright two pounds of lamb chops. a
bunch of celery
This wires busyr' / shouted. I've
got possession of it, and I'm going TO
keep 1t till get through. Keep off
everybody. Is that you, Hathorne"
Eyes; what do you wantT'
I'D like to know before ! sit down
to work-I've lost three-quarters of an
hour-what I'd better do with Dudley"
IF I were you would
THE baby won't take his food this
doctor What shall do?"
At this point there was dead 81
lence.
"Hellor" I cried.
What NUMBER" came from the OPP
orator. I
II was talking just now. with 3642.
Some one butted in and I've lost him.
Can you get him for me again?'
rs this the police Officer"
Eyes, mum. What is. itr' u
There is murder being arranged =
,ver the telephone. Some one by the I
lame Of Dudley"
who's he goin' to kill, NUM-" 4.
HE isn't going to kill any one; he's n
,oing to be-
The speaker was cut off by a click, :
md I heard a locomotive evidently =
'ulling out of station. All the voices ;,
we're hushed. / waited till the train {
lad got away, then helloed till | was !,
oarse, without getting reply. Then
began to work the arm on which the !.
eceiver hangs when not in use. At :,
ast the operator asked: h
"What number" =
II want 3642. had him, but I was :,
ut of by concourse from the tower :,
{ Babel" !,
Presently there was a click and the
uery "Well, who is it?" in Hathorne's :,
dice.
II say, Hathone. / asked you awhile
90 what i should do with Dudley in
~ story. You suggested that | kill
i'm. If do that what shall do with !!
Is sweetheart :,
whats the price of eggs this morn ~
g2"
SeVeDty-nVe cents, muIu- u
"See here, central!' l shouted in a g.
ge. Cant get this wire for few -
inutes this morning without the whole =
wn butting in?' =,
Time, please"
Nine fifty-nine."
THANK you" =
you're welcome"
There was a click, and in a few mo-
ents the operator asked again: r
What NUMBER
was soon in connection with Ha-
orne again, and we were debating n
nat should be done with Dudley j
len there was another, final. inter- :.
ption in the voice of the woman who II
d spotted a murder. u
There you are. Mr.. Police Officer.
ose men who are going to kill some
DIV are talking again. I'd know their OF
ices again IL ever heard them" OF
Hathorner' shouted.
Wellg'
I'm coming around to your place to f
K IL over" \
All right I'll be here till lunch
,e."
have directed the telephone COM
" 10 put in a private wire for me.
e had ell want Of a party one. =.