TWO YEARS COURTING A VOICE

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 540, 8 February 1913, Page 2

TWO YEARS COURTING A VOICE

A romantic story of the courtship and marriage of a telephone girl comes from St. Louis, U.S.A., where Mr. William McCalpin married Miss Viola Kortkemp, a young lady employed at the St.. Loui? telephone exchange. The marriage was the result of a courtship induced by the sweet voice of Miss Viola. Mr. McCalpin, who ■is one of the managers of the Waters . Pierce Oil Company, a subsidiary of the great Standard Oil Trust, while telephoning from his office two years ago, was fascinated by the voice tbat answered his call, and after several unnecessary calls, for the purpose oJ listening to the enchanting voice, he introduced himself and 'asked to be allowed to visit her and "get acquainted." Miss Kortkemp was taken abac".? by such "rapid" methods, and in variably rang off when her adorn cr persisted, and at length, to escape the chaS of her fellow operators, she obtained her transfer to another exchange. Not to be beaten her admirer set himself to hunt hnr down, and six weeks ago—after a lapse of over two years—he was successful. Calling up a client en • the telephone, he heard t.h" long-sought for vo'ice from the exchange. He di:l not waste any time, for in response to the request, "Number, please," he said, '"J am William McCalpin. Don't move. I am coming out to get you, and I am coming right away." Tho sweet, but astonished, girl's voice asked for enlightenment, and Mr. McCalpin rapcar.cd his former proposal. Persistence of this sort was bound to impress the lady, and after a moment's consideration the vo'ice gave her name and address, and permission for her admirer to call upon her father for an orthodox introduction. Mr. McCalpin immediately went to see the father, who is the chief of the fire brigade o r T'niversity City, and he consented tb introduce Mr. McCalpin, with the happiest results. The voice was quite up to expectations. and the oil man gave an equally good impression. He insisted upon immediate marriage, as he declared that he had been courting her for two years,v and again his persistence won, and the young couple were married, right away. Mr McCalpin is not a millionaire, says the "Chronicle" correspondent, who relates the story, but as he is connected with the famous "oetopus" it will probably not be long before he becomes one.