Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-12-10
CROSSED WIRES
BY MARY C. BRIGGS.

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t@ 1870. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)
Up on the avenue I'm Williamstown's
finest residence, on angry man strobe
from the dimly-lighted library into the
reception room, lmpatiently Snatched
his coat from the wall upsetting the
telephone as he did so, and then turned
to an equally angry girl who had fol
lowed him out from the library.
Down town in the stuffy telephone
exchange a smile lighted the face of
the tired operator as she noted that the
light under TIA accompanied the buz-
zing, and her hand instinctlyely start
ed the plug toward 256 as she called
pleasantly into the receiver.
But instead of hearing Beth VIII
liams' voice calling the anticipated
number, she was amazed to hear Don
Emerson shout wrathfully ia voice
hardly recognizable as his, 50 choked
was It with rage aud anger:
Remember, Beth, this is just what |
have been trying TO avoid, but since
you have assumed such an absurd atti-
tude | have no alternative left but to
leave you. Just remember Pm not the
kind of man to take u thing like this
calmly, and If you ever want me, you'll F.
have to send for me. I'll not bother
you. Believe me. I'll not come around
begging"
Certainly" interrupted Beth's voice
icily. Don't come until | send for
you" Then, meaningly, almost sarCas- +.
ticaIy, Until I doi' And the little
operator pictured the way the dark .
eyes looked across at Don Emerson, F..
level, cold. even as her voice.
A door slammed violently ; there was
a little hush; then heart-broken sob. /
With a start the little operator real
lied that she was listening In" and I
she broke the connection.
The days passed At nrst the ia I
line on the switchboard lighted often, /
but the request ncver come for 256 +
But the little operator wasn't deceived I
She knew that the broken sob was far .
more significant of the true state of af- 7
fairs than the hard, level voice and so
she waited for the 256 call
As the days dragged into weeks, and .
the weeks into months, it worried the T
little operator to notice Beths pale, +
drawn face. Couldn't Don see? How .
could a man be so obstinate when .
But then one day she met Don looking .
as miserable and Wretched as Beth her .
self, aud 1t was then that she decided .
10 take matters into her own hands.
After reaching this decision, the lit
tie operator seemed to take an unusual .
interest in the lights of the ia line,
and TO make sure that they were in
good working order it often became
necessary for her to, Weller, listen
in. She was rewarded one night when
Beth was IN conversation with Eaiuc
Ellis Immediately she called 25G, aud .
when Don reached the phone he heard
only the impersonal, Hold the line.
please The plugs down in the tele-
phone exchange rapidly changed posi-
tons, and then Don heard Elaine's
voice saying, and if he is going to il
he so unreasonable, ia just forget him
and Pills crazy about YOU"
Don't talk such nonsense" Beth's
voice interrupted. I'D rather stay ut /,
home than 90 with anybody else" and 4
then something happened TO the wires
for Don heard no more. He had heard F.
enough, however, to keep him thinking
all that day and the next, and the fol-
lowing night when Bin Chisholm called
10 persuade him to complete four
some for the coming dance he was
ready for him
After thus thoroughly testing the
lights of the IA line the little opera
tor decided that the 25G line needed
her attention, and so 1t happened that
one night Beth also was asked to hold ,
the line a minute What She heard in
81 seconds was sufficient, however. Big
Bits voice booming over the wire
And don't you know the best way TO
get her back is to make her think you ,
don't care Just you appear at that
dance with another girl and Beth will +,
be at your feet"
who wants his girl at his feet. l :
don't snapped Don mot while |
have arms. Aw, you mean all right, {
old man, but it's different with me.
Why, I've never even seen girl ex-
cept Beth, and never will" But Beth
held the line no longer. f,
The night Of the dance came. and
the little opeartor sitting before the
quiet board thought of the two lonely 3,
people brooding alone up on the ave
nue. while their friends made merry ar [
the club house Now, she decided, was
the time for something more drastic
than mixing the wires. so calling 25G.
III voice as nearly like Beths as she ,
could assume, she stammered fearful
", Don, I-I-er," and followed this
enlightening remark by a heartbroken =
sob, the duplicate Of Beths own OF
that first night. Then she broke the {
Connection.
In about three minutes she was re-
xarded by the sigh Of Don's car purr-
ing toward the avenue.