OCR Text |
Show THE WARRINGTON TELEPHONE. Scene The Warrington bedrooni, Time Almost Al-most midnight. Mr. and Mrs. Channing Warring-' ton aro peacefully asleep. Warrington has returned re-turned home unexpectedly from a short trip. The Telephone B-r-r-r! Ting-a-ling-a-ling! Mrs. Warrington (as she starts up in bed arid looks anxiously toward her sleeping husband) The telephone! If it should be Tom! (She cautiously cau-tiously puts one foot out of bed and attempts to rise noiselessly.) The Telephone B-r-r-r! Ting-a-ling-ling-a-ling! Warrington (wakening with' a start) What's that? The 'phone at this time of night! Mrs. Warrington Don't disturb yourself, dear; you must be tired. I'll go down. Warrington Not at all! Why, how absurd! I'll go myself. (He springs out of bed with suspicious sus-picious alacrity, an'd, grasping his dressing-gown, disappears hastily through the doorway.) Mrs. Warrington (her teeth chattering with excitement ex-citement as she gropes in the dark for her bedroom bed-room slippers) I know it's Tom! I just know It is! And I promised Channing I'd never see him again. He'll recognize his voice. Oh! Oh! Why did I let that horrid Eldridge woman persuade mc into that supper engagement, and why oh, why didn't they get my note saying that Channing had returned? Oh, this is the end! I know it, I feel it, and I do love Channing! Warrington (below stairs," at telephone) Hello! What is it? Telephone Hello yourself! How's your head? Warrington (gasps) Er ah igasps) Who are you? (Being acutely conscious of Wrs. Warrington's War-rington's arrival at head of stairs, he is -gaining time,) Mrs. Warrington (leaning heavily over railing) It's coming! It's coming! Telephone Well, I like that! Don't know my voice after all the nice things you said about it! It'j, Grade Fay. I just wanted to ask you how your head feels after last night. Didn't know I cared enough to call you up on the long-distance, did you? But, honest, you made a ten-strike with me, dear old boy! A long silence, during which Mrs. Warrington almost faints. Warrington braces himself against the wall, his mouth open In an effort to speak; for the moment his brain refuses its function. Telephone Say, what's the matter? You don't seem a bit glad to see hear me. Don't you like me any more, you fickle man? Warrington (his dazed features lighting with a sudden inspiration) Well! I wouldn't have believed be-lieved it! N (Mrs. Warrington, with a smothered shriek, runs to the bed and buries her head in the pillow.) Telephone What are you talking about? Warrington You say he's going to "bull" the market, after all his promises? Telephone Oh', dear! don't tease poor little me! What do I know about your horrid old bulls! Warrington Very well, I'll be down at the office of-fice In the morning before the market opens, and see what I can do for you. So long. Telephone Well, I never! I must say, you're a gentleman! Good-bye, and it's forever! Warrington So be it. Bood-bye! Mrs. Warrington (in a faint voice, as Warrington Warring-ton creeps to bed in guilty silence.) Why who was it, dearie? Warrington (with pretended yawn) Oh, that fool, Brown; got a panic about the market. Tho idea of calling a fellow out of bed at this time of night! Mrs. "Warrington (to the pillow) What a scare! I'll never be frivolous again, never! ' Warrington (to the pillow) Near shave that! I'm going to cut it all out from now on. Poor little woman! (He throws his arm across and pats his wife on the shoulder.) Rida Johnaon Young, In Town Topics |