A TELEPHONE DIPLOMAT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 259, 24 December 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TELEPHONE DIPLOMAT.

11V A ' H LJJ/O IK)Y

C liri>ioplier I/oiig—trading a# Long, .Monro an<i Co. —.sat nloiip in tho ollice. 11 w n.s ,i c|ii,ii ut past one, tlio lime ho usually cliooe lop luncheon ; hut to-day lio li.kl an ji])jK)intnunt at two, so ho was ke. ping charge winlo Jus dork was Inning Jus meal. lho business was a sin.ill ono; one "il iho.se |rnititah|o agencies that aliound in tlio Cit.v. mwssitnt ing niustly oflieo work. His dork. Sydney, had Nerved I'' in II • i" fact, of late, lie had dono the hulk ot the hu.siiKvss.

•Suddenly the telephone Im'll rang. Long took up the receiver. "Hello! Are you there!'" he said. Are you doiiiile-eight sixty, Hop?" asked ,i rather piping voice. A woman lor a wager," thought Christopher. Wv Long. Moore and Co." Is that you, Sydr" I'or the moment Long did not know what to say. J{uj ail inspiration, for a. wonder, struck him. His dork was almost invariably alone at this hour. Ho was evidently in the habit of flirting with someone ov- r the 'phone. Jlo woilhl play the spy, \ es, darling; how are you!*" ho •said, w Hiking to iiiiiisclf. All right, niy dink. How are you alter last night? Did you get wot P" "No ; weh -not very." "Uasn t that drivo m tho taxi a dreatu!'" (.'ln istopher's e\\s widened. His clork in a taxi! my darling; wv ai-c the happiest doves alive, aivn't we?" " 1 say." " \ es r " " What's the matter with your voice? You must havo a beastly cold." We", <r—l did wake up this morning a bit throntv."

Take soniotlung } lo t, to-night doar. Now 1 want to remind you of your promise. If wo ar<> to marry next month, you must ask for a ri.se." Don't I»o frightened of that bald-headed old skinflint. It « n .slianio how you work and make the nioni.v for him. I'd like to give him a pure of my mind, Itlio old villain. .Molly saw him on Wednesday up West, with .a regular spicy hit of fluff. I'll tell hi» wif 0 if Jio don't give you a rise, you fee if I don't."

Christoph' r'.s temperature rose, and ho felt a bond or two of perspiration pop out on his brow. " I'ncle called last night," tho voice went on. I was telling him all about you. Ho says you're a fool to work for that pittance, and ho can do with a man like you. Ho can pay three pounds a wiok, and says the information vou could give him would Ik> worth it. mif, of course if you got a good rise it will lw> all right. Uncle wanted to know the happy day; so don't forget. T gtirr —gurgle—g-r-r-r blob, hinh —zip! They wore cut off.

Christopher put up the receiver, nn<l sat down much warmer than when lie answered the call. Ho lit a cigar, and smoked mcditativejv.

At two o'clock Sydney came in; hut Long said nothing about the "null," Wlun Saturday came Christopher had a little chat with his clerk at pay time; giving him a ten-pound not by way of a small Ihiiius. and saying that tlie next week his wages would lie increased by fifty pounds n. war. Sydney thanked him profusely, laughing boisterously in his sleeve all the while. For th<> "woman" at the 'phone was no other than he. He had made his demands in a novel way at a public call office near by, in n wellmodulated falsetto. The marriage is next month.