A TELEPHONE MESSAGE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 42, 20 October 1904, Page 24

A TELEPHONE MESSAGE

II was half-past nine o'clock in I'hc evening ; the girls who had been on duty at the w extern exchange of line New Century Telephone Company left their switchboards one after another, and chattered as they put on tiheir jackets and hats Two }oung women Mho had just come in, with a cheery ' Good-evening ' ' and a slight contribution to the general com ci sat ion, took their places at the desk. Patrick, the rheumatic janitor, hobbled up to it and paused in doubt ' I am to leave the Keys with the operator in charge, and I suppose that is the older of ye,' he said with perplexity. ' But faith how am I to tell the same, for ye both look younger than each other ' } Anne Messier, a fair-hahed young woman of Alsatian parentage, who was ever ready to bandy words with the old Insnman, laughed gaily. ' Oh, lam in charge, but Miss Graham is the older ; and thus we divide the responsibility ' ' slic icphed, baatenngly. IHis as like to be the other way. But e'\ery woman has a right to call herself of whatever age she pleases,, f.ince if she woie to tell her real age no one would t>elieve her,' he retorted, glancing toward the dark-eyed Mary Graham, who had smiled, hut rather absently, at his passage at arms with her companion 1 I accept the charge, at any rate, Patrick,' she said pleasantly, and held out her hand. Patiick "delivered the keys and limped away. The girls whose wording hours were ofc-er rrm lughtly down the sstarsi r s ; the heavy spring-door of the building closed witih a dull sound. Miss Graham locked the door of the office and returned to tfhe desk. She and her sister operator were alone witn tiheir work. It was not altogether a pleasant occupation, this charge of the night desk of the telephone exchange. But the office was warm and well-lighted ; and, then, the weekly wage double what was paid for the day. For two hours the operators were kept closely employed ; then there came an occasional interval between the calls. After the clock in the towe»- of the City Hall had struck twelve, they became so uif'-e-qiient that Anne Messier left her place and set o'it upon a little table the collation the girls had brought. Now, until the world should be astir agjain in the early miorn'ing, there were likely to be only the hasty summoning of physicians, the messages of late arrivals at tine hotels', or possibly a fire alarm to be rung in. 1 You look tired, Mary. To be sure we arc neither of us accustomed to the night work yet ; but after a while, I think, it will not seem so hafd. I will take your place in just a minute,' Anne rattled on. Whr-r-rr tink-tink ! came a sharp ring at the 'phone. •• What number ? ' inquired Mary, merJiamicallv. How many hundred times had she put the question since she

had taken her place at the switchboard ? How many times more would she continue to ask it before she could go ho'nie ? Sjhe felt thab were the X-fays flashed upon her brain, they would disclose those words imprinted there. 'lhiy time, however, she received no reply. The individual who had rung must have left the 'phone. Mary wearily, leaned her head upon hei hand. No, she was not in her usual spirits. Since her father's death how hard she had worhed to keep the little home that had been left to her nw>tiher ! The wealthy Mr. Johnson v/ho held the mortgage was not willing to renew il. Mary had promised to do her best to pay the interest ; but, as . thore were tthree younger children to be supported, the rich manufacturer saw small chance of getting it regularly. To-da? he had sent word that he would foreclose next month. ' Ah, how father's death has changed my life ! ' sighed the g,irl to herself. ' How bright the future seemed when Matthew Neal asiked me to be his wife ! And now I have been forced by eircum stances to take back my promi.se. 1 cannot leave mother and the children without a roof over their heads. Matthew would gla.dly sliarei my cares, but to marry him would be an injustice to him. Only a poor book-keeper, he would never have a chance to rise. Well, God knows best ! ' Was it the same call ? Yes, from 1483. Mumbling and faint came a voice over the 'phone. 1 What is it, please? Speak louder ! ' directed the girl ' The Notification ! Quick— the Notification Company ' ' What) address shall I give them 7 Speak louder ! ' ' I can — not, ! ' came over the wire. Then, in an unnatural, sca-ccly audible whisper, followed the words : ' I'm very— ill— or hurt. I— can't tell.' i here was a jarring sound m the receiver, as if some olio had fallen against the instrument at the ollher end of the line. Thoroughly alarmed, the girl callod again and again. Then she tried to ring the number, but the receiver was down and she could get no answer. ' What is the trouble, Mary ? ' cried Anne, coming back to the do.sk. ' Ono would think that a tragedy was bein^ enacted on your circuit.' ' 'Iheie may be,' replied Mary, hastily informing her of what she had heard ' I must get Number 1483 Them are two on th»s line : one " two bells ; and the other, " three bells " I wonder which it is ? ' ibis's Messier looked tlhem up in the directory. ' One is a meat-market ; tihe other, the offifce of the Johnson Paint Works,' she said. It could not be the mancet The factory— who could he thore at this hour 7 Who but Mr. James Johnson 9 That he never allowod anyone to remain there alter hours was well known. Mary Graham's heart hoat fast. James Johnson, Ihe man who was going to foieclo.se the mortgage on her home, was there in his office alone and in mortal ar.onv ! How it happened she cquld not surmisp, but Mho nnst send aid to tihis man who had 'been so merciless to her family W'hr-rr-ir tm'c-tink ! she rang up the Notification Company. ' Hello ! Where to ? ' canio the ans*wer over the 'phone. ' Go at once to the Johnson Paint Works. You will find there a, man injured or ill ; it is no doubt a case for the Emergency Hbspital,' she explained. Half an hour passed. The volatile Miss Messier felt the suspense, but to Mary Graham it was a time of fierce combat with herself As m a dream she answered other calls ahd made the required concoctions. Bi.t all the while her thoughts were upon Number HB3. Had Mr. Johnson been stricken with paralysis or heart failure 1 ' What if he should die? Well, no douib^fc tiis death would make a great difference in the affairs of the Grahams. Young Mr. Johnson was not so hatd and grasping as his father. He had told Mrs. Graham that, were the property his, he would be willing to let the mor teagc rvn a while ldnger. Mary did xvot hope that the elder Mr. Johnson would die ; had she not done what she could to save him ? But why should she conccn herself further ? The driver of the Notification Company's wagon would bring him a physician or taivc him t*o the hospital. Wnr-rr-r tink-tink ! Now the driver of the wagon callod on the line from a drug-store. ' A plague to you, telephone people ! You havesent me on a fool's errand. There is not the ?ign of a light in the Johnson Paint Works ; and, although I have " hallooed " and pounded on the door as if to wake the dead, the silence within is unbroken. I am going back to the stables, Good-bye ! '

' Oh wait — wait a moment ! ' pleaded the operator. ' I am* sure'tto'at %ome""one is there. .Give me a ohance to try once more to communicate with him.' ' Hjurry,' then ! With the thermometer at zero, it is not particulaily jolly to be out in the wind and snow,' grumbled the man. ' Why not let him go ? Probably Mr. Johnson had recovered sufficiently to t^et out for his home,' counselled tthe spirit of nidiflercnce to Mary. She silenced its promptings and rang up 1483 once rawe, r l hero was a slight responsei, as if someone were were endeavoring to lift the receiver. That was all Miss Graham notified the driver of what she had heard, andbade him break in the door of the building. Again there came a faint sound from t!he factory office. 'Be of good courage, Mr. Johnswi ! ' she cried. ' The driver of the Notification Company is at the door of your building. Did you fall ? Are you badly injured '.' Try to make your way to the door and open it. Shall— shall I call up a priest and send him to you ? ' Maiy Graham marvelled at her own temerity. Although bred a Catholic, James Johnson had not practised his religion for years. But now, in reply to her question, an eager ' Yes ! yes ! ' was rotiurned. The girl felt a strange happiness— the sweetness that comes of rendering good for evil. How pitifully mean now, seemed the atlair of the mortgage ! Yon.de-,, surrounded by his wealth, a man lay helplesp, and, in all probability, dying ; there in the darkness a soul waited for the ministrations of the Church. Maiy rang up the pastoral residence of the cathedral, aw.d in a few minutes had tne satisfaction of knowing that a priest was on his way to the unfortunate man. The girl prayed fervently. Aftei what appeared a long interval, the driver called up the exchange again. '» H is all right,' he assured the anxious and-fright-ened operators. ' I found the policeman of the beat, and together we forced the main door of tihe factory. All was dark inside, but by the rays of my lantern we groped our way to the office. Here we stumbled over the body of a man who lay unconscious on the floor. As we brought him out the "priest arrived. He got into the wagon and supported the wounded man, who had a cut on his head. We took him to the hospital. It looks like a case of robbery.' It was well for Mary Graham that she still had her work to do, and had no leisure to give way to the conflicting emotions which surged through her heart. At 6.30 a.m. she opened the office to the operators who were to replace Miss Messier and herself. When she leached home, Mrs. Graham met her, with the morning newspaper in hand. 'My dear, my dear, did you hear what has happened ? ' inquired the poor lady, tearfully. 1 Yes, mother, I know : the news came over the 'phone,' replied the girl. ' Give me a cup of coffee, please.' Mrs. Graham stared at her daughter. 1 Indeed I think you do not know, Mary,' she said, putting the journal into her hand. The girl' scanned it in a da/ed way. Yes, there was the item' in double-leaded headlines : 4 Attempted robbery of safe at Johnson Paint Works.' But what was this ? ' Gallant struggle ot a young m,in wMih the wouldbe robber Matthew C. Neal, expert accountant, stunned by a blow. Extent of injury unknown.' Faint and hysterical, Mary sank upon a chair in the breaklast room. ' I must go to the hospital at once, mother,' she faltered. Mrs. Graham poured a cup of coffee for her ; she drank it hurriedly, and got upon her feet again. In distress, tho mother turned her gaze from the pale- face of her child and stood looking abstractedly down the street. Suddenly "she caught sight of a priestly figure coming toward the house. 1 There is Father Coyle ! He is coming here,' she said, arid therewith hastened 1o admit him. 1 GoCd-morning, Mrs. Graham ! 1 have brought a message from the hospital to your daughter,' he began. ' She has no doubt peon the morning paper ? ' • O Father, will he live ? ' cried Mary, as she entered the Utile parlor. ' Ye'sv iliss Graham, he will recover, thanks be to God atfd t?O the p-ontptness with which aid reached him last njifcht'! For an older man there would have been small eSancc, and the • sUrgeons would have had little hone |plLhFm had he lain on tfie floor in the factory until morning. He asks to see you.' ' I s going at price,' broke out Mary. 1 Let'me. tMI you the circirm.sti.nces' first ; ' for Neal will bo permitted to speak only a few words,' con-

tinued the priest, quietly. •It was a strange happening that struck him down anti spared his employe^.' ' Buffc Mr.' Jphnson i,s not Matthew's employer.. I cannot understand how he came to be' there at all,' protested the gill. Jkor the time ho was in tjie service of the management. It seems tnere were irregularities in the accounts of the Johnson Paint Works ; and Mr. Johnson has been spending the evenings at his office going over the boo us in an undea,vui to discover to wlndni t<he inaccuracies might be traced. Failing in this, he engaged yoii<ng Mr. I\eal as an expert accountant. Last night, tho dishonest clerk whose peculations were suspected, having remained in the hluildimg,, entered .the office, presumably to rob the safe. Thus he came unexpectedly upon Uie woiker whom, it is thought, he supposed to be the senior partner. A struggle ; fortunately tihe assailant had no other weapon than a club. He finally, got away. Meal was stunned by a blow on the head, but he will he about again in a few days.' Despite her ajixiety, Mary's heart sang of itself, as Mi an undertone, a song of thankfulness. How good God was to iher ! She had used her utmost endeavor to return charity for unkindness by sending help to Mr. Johnson, as she surmised; - and the sufferer sthe- had aided was not the mam who had been harsjkand unfeeling to these she loved, but Mattliew Neal,-^J^%)veri her truly and would nob relinquish the hope' Oi^iiiaiUnz hex his wife. s » y '.' 'v'^V And Matflhew's patient persistenc^;ivias-:"'ia-*?^|p end rewarded. Old James Johnson, startled, by,Jbher-fealisa-ti'on tn,at Neal had been felled' by a blow meant-,, for lum&elf — a blow from which he could scarce have-" recovered— experienced a change of heart, and returned, to the practice of his religion. A short tune later Matthew Neal and Mary Graham 1 were married , for Matthew had accepted the position! of head bookkeeper at the Paint Works, and Mr. Johnson ha,d sent word to Mrs. Graham that she need not worry about the mortgage, which he wduld permit to continue indefinitely or until she could pay it.—' Aye Maria.'