Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-02-24
CROSSED WIRES
BY MARY c. BRIGGS.


finest residence, an angry man STROBE
from the dimly-lighted library into the
reception room, impatiently 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 smile lighted the face Of
the tired operator as she noted that the
light under ia accompanied the buzz
zing, and her hand instlnctively 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 in a voice
hardly recognizable as his, so choked
was it with rage and anger:
Remember, Beth, this is just what l
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 I'm not the
kind of man to take thing like this
calmly, and If you ever want me, you'll
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 l send for
you" Then, meaningly, almost sarcas-
tically, until l dor And the little
operator pictured the way the dark
eyes looked across at Don Emerson.
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
she broke the connection. 3
The days passed. At lirst the ia
line on the switchboard lighted often,
but the request never come for 256
But the little operator wasn't deceived.
She knew that the broken sob was far
more significant Of the true state Of af-
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, 1t worried the
little operator to notice Beth's pale.
drawn face. Couldn't Don see? How
could man be so obstinate when
But then one day she met Don looking
as miserable and wretched as Beth her
self, and 1t was then that she decided
TO 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 TIA line,
and to make sure that they were In
good working order 1t often became
necessary for her to, weller, "listen
In" She was rewarded one night when
Beth was In conversation with claire
Ellis. Immediately she called 256, and
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-
lions, and then Don heard Elaine's
voice saying, "-and If he is going to
be so unreasonable, I'd just forget him,
and Pills crazy about you"
Don't talk such nonsense" Beth's
voice interrupted. "rd rather stay at
home than go with anybody else" and
then something happened to the wires,
for Don heard no more. He had heard
enough, however, to keep him thinking
all that day and the next, and the fol-
lowing night when Bill Chisholm called
to 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 256 line needed
her attention, and so it happened that
one night Beth also was asked to hold
the line a minute. What she heard in
30 seconds was sufficient. however. Big
Bill's 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
he Mt your feet"
'Who wants his girl at his feet,
don't" snapped Don. "NOt 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 Beti
held the line no longer.
The night of the dance came, ant
the little opeartOr sitting before thu
quiet board, thought of the two lionel!
people brooding alone up on the ave
nue. while their friends made merry a
the club house Now, she decided, wa!
the time for something more drastic
than mixing the wires, so calling 256
in voice as nearly like Beth's as sh'
could assume, she stammered fearful!
ly, "DOn I-I-er," and followed thi!
enlightening remark by heartbrokeI
sob, the duplicate Of Beth's own OF
that first night Then she broke thu
connection.
In about three minutes she was re
warded by the sigh of Don's car purr
Ing toward the avenue.
At IL 30 that night call came from
the 256 line, and without stopping t
ask for the number wanted, the littl'
operator connected with ia, then set