The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-01-11
.SQde1'
",Hl1Sbd1\d
Why MsdssS ChsskS Burned A. She
Talked Over the Telephone.
IL Hblo 0aExlgos1

Talked Over the Telephone.
THE ringing Of the telephone made
a fortunate diversion for me !
didn't wish TO arouse my mother.
in.law's anger by di,puiing her die.
,um concerning the pfopfie,y pi my
,ummefy costume. neither was ! in.
clined 10 agree with her, for " had
done 30 | knew that she would have
insisted upon my changing from my
garden party" attire 10 the Simple
black silk suit" she had mentioned ~
being most suitable for the meeting
at Howafds hall
Pardon me" ! said eouf'eou,ly A.
I passed her. bu, sniff was the only
answer ! received. and | realized 'ha,
something had put her into one OF her
most dlsagfceabe moods
went 20 the downNaifs telephone
but upon my recognition Of the voice
q, the other end Of the wire wished
dcyouily tina, had mounted the stairs
to the branch phone upon the second
floor.
A Familiar Voice.
For the voice wa, that OF Maj
Hugh Gran,land-l knew Il instantly
and I realized that my mother.n-
law was IN just the mood TO be cap
tiou,ly critical OF the fact that tho
Young officer va, calling me upon
the telephone, even il he had JUS, re-.
turned from active service
Bu, there was no way out now eS.
cept for me 10 20 on with the convef'
sation, although va, oonsoiou, Of
the lac, that Mother Graham was no
doub, taking in every word | uttered
Her ears are very acute for 10 elderly
woman.
The knowledge Of her espionage
made me embarrassed. self.oon,eious
N my reple, TO the Young officer
With a porverSity of spifi, resolved
10 keep my mother .inlaw guessing
AZ long as possible as 10 the identity
NJ the person calling me
Il, Mrs. Graham there" This was
the first question that came over the
wire IN the well remembered intona
llor' oi captain had bard work "a
think oi him az MAJOR of"-Grarrlanh
The voice wa, not as deliberate as
Uhcn hal heard i, hcior, Indeed
there wa' distinct nervous haste in
tire way the Syllable' ran together.
"Thi, i, Mr, Graham" ! was care
'ul 10 keep recognition oi his voice
ou' It my own
This Is Irantland Mrs Graham
/ guessed that his modes,y had
made him omit his new rank
"Oh" | crammcd all the surprise
possible into the monoSyllable. How
do YOU do"
had mische, iou, mental photo.
' graph ~ my mother in-law turning
l,r head toward the telephone. listen.
lng with all her cars in her endeavoI
10 find out who was calling me Tha'
my feeling was fidioulously petty
T knew. bat Mo,h> Graham had ruiflrt
! my feelings more than ! wa, willing
- TO admit IN her NrietureS upon N,
costume ! had chosen for the meeting
T'vc Been Wounded Again"
I'm fairly well, thank YOU" Maior
, Gfln,lsnd replied And you,"
"Oh. am dl'Qraceiuly healthy"
! assured him, lightly When did yo,
&c, back
"Abou, a month ago" then hesi,at
ingly he added Il know shout,
have called you when landed. bu,
= thought tina, for many reasons, IN,
4 Stronges, OF which YOU probably car
. gucw, ] ought not to do so. But
find that | am scheduled TO speak ,hi
afternoon in your home village, an
N fear you might he there and that ",
should meet unexpectedly. wanted Il
be sure you knew beforehand Of m,
expected presence there"
For a long. helpless moment | s,oot
utterly dumiounded Then my ange
? began to rise agans, Major Gran,
land deSlte all the wonderful mem
ories | had of his ehiyalry and kind
ness.
Why should he think tha, he mus
guard me so carefully agains, a sud
den recognition of him. Did he i'm
agine that my romantic interest il
him had been so strong tina, an unex
pec,cd meeting with him would upse
i me, draw critical ewes toward me'
,, My cheeks burned hotly in humiia
ton at the thought, and another, tn
e fear that something in my own atti
i ,ude toward him during our bric
e melodrama,ic association should hav
Q led him to this exaggerated precau
ton.
d ! dared not wait long to answer hin
however. Something | must say, an
q that quickly.
h 81 am already very we'll informed
n | said airily "You see, | am able I
be a member Of the reception CON
mi,tee this afternoon on the strenRt
80 OF my acquaintance with you. So
5, trust YOU will be . nice lion and roo
,r pre,,ily."
y The persiflage wa, utterly unworth
y OF me and Of the gallant gentlema