The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-06-01
Charlie Changes
His Evenings
BY FRANK II. WILLIAMS


was rather shy and all that, but he
told himself, as he sat In his comfort
able boarding house room, that wasn't
sufficient reason to keep him for
ever penned In this room In the eve
ming or taking In movie or a show
oil by himself.
Yes, he most certainly was going
to change dullness to llvellness. But
howi
For several evenings Charlie
pondered this problem, which was
exceedingly important to him. Finally.
about 1880 o'clock one evening, his
face lighted up as an audacious Idea
came to him. And once the Idea had
flashed into his mind, he set himself
to carry It out.
Carrying out his ideas was compara-
lively simple. All 1t commanded was
the looking up of the Y. w. g. A..
phone number In the local directory
and then mastering up enough courage
to call up the Institution and ask for
girl.
But what girlf
| C""iho uiuh hnOW u Single Rlrl
In the entire Institution. But, he
thought he'd ike to know n girl by
the name of Mary.
SO when a feminine voice answered
his call for the Y. number, he hesltated
only a moment and then saidi
"Fd Ike to speak to Mary" please
Charles voice was husky and rather
indlstinct. That is probably why the
girl at the other end of the line mis-
understood his last word.
"Mary Davls7" the girl questioned.
"Yesi" exclaimed Charlie Instantly.
There was delay of few moments.
Then sweet, clear, strong young
feminine voice came to Charlie.
Hello" said the voice.
"IIello," said Charlie, his heart beat
Ing considerably faster than usual.
I'm lonesomel"
In very real anxiety Charlie waited
for the reply to this. II came, almost
instantly. He heard the girl laugh.
Then
"Who Is thisT" Mary demanded.
Listen" said Charlie, don't get
mad. want to tell you something"
For Just the barest fraction OF
minute Charlie felt that Mary was
hesitating between ringing off and
listening to what he had to say. Final
ly her curiosity triumphed.
go head, I'll listen," she said.
'Pm a newcomer In this city," said
Charlie, "and don't know any one
here except the people I'm working
with. I'm getting awfully lonesome
for some one to talk to. wonder
II you'd let me call you up every
now and then and talk to youT
"But you don't even know what l
look like" came the girls voice In
something OF gasp.
"You must be wonderful-judging
by your voicel" cried Charlie fer
vently.
You don't have to pay compll-
ments," laughed the girl. "But-
you'd be surprised to see me. And
| don't know what you look like"
"Ill tell you," Charlie volunteered.
I'm one inch short of six feet, have
curly hair, blue eyes and smoke a
pipe"
oh" said the girl, noncommittaily.
please, let me call you up" pleaded
Charlie.
For quite a long time there was
silence. After while Charlie thought
that perhaps Mary had hung up the
receiver and he'd not heard her. Then,
at last, her voice came to him softly
again.
"rll let you call me up II you1l
promise not to try and see me or
meet me-" said the girl.
'Tll promise" Charlie cried. "You
don't know what 1t means to me just
to be able TO talk to some girl, even
II It's only over the phone. I'll call
you up again tomorrow night about
this same time"
"All right" said the girl. "Good-
by"
"Good-by," said Charlie
All during the next day Charlie
waited lmpatlently for the evening.
How differently he viewed this APP
preaching evening from the way In
which he had formerly viewed them.
Now there was a zest In the days
work and real Joy In the thought of
returning to the boarding house.
But when Charlie called up Mary
at the appointed hour he was due for
a disappointment.
"She isn't here" said the voice at
the Other end OF the wire.
do you expect her soon1" querled
Charlie, his heart feeling like lead
81 really don't know. L"
At this point the voice at the other
end OF the line stopped suddenly, then
as suddenly resumed.
'Here she Is now" came the voice.
And Charles heart began beating
furiously:
"Hello," came Mary's voice breath
lessly, ~ almost didn't get here"
"Hello," said Charlie, ~ sure am
glad that other girl didn't ring or
H.