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Show H mmm 9wm m . . -,,.. - ., MyjJl H i i ii i "lm l,fc kibTand kauf. i M A Story of Two , Friendly Tal ; H graph Operators HH TOM CARLTON. H Copyrl)iA 1010, by American Praia Amo H Klofetpf (lornph station 12, Uul H lor'u survey, was bored, IHrf station H wiih not h busy one, ninl ho longed Jfot H hiiiiio otjo to talk to'. Ho called Up H Kaufman of a neighboring station H whoso nttiunlntnnco ho hnd mado over H the wlruftomo tlmo before. B "ICnuf.iliru yoiijbuay?" H "So. Arc you?" ' B "Vim, ll'tn busy holding my cbali B down" A. B 'Tin rending a uovol." H "Wlio'i It by?" H "Mnrhv Kdgoworth." B "CloodJ; graclousi Yon don't; read WM nucli HlulT ii that, do you? 1 thought B Maria I'dgoworth wroto for women B nnd children." B Aftor$i fMv momenta thin en mo: "J fl don't rend much Action. When I do 1 HT JiRvmllfrend Ilnrdy, llnll Cnlne Hnd B audi lUHhoru," H "WhnV your favorite athletic H nmo?'a H "HaHkctbnll." M "Donft you go in for football?" B "I wjor lonrned tho framo." H "Wlin wo meet nomo autumn 111 1 toll you-something nbout It. Nothing B pleased mu ho much oh a flue punt. H I thluia.vou'll llko It too." H "x'$ ,mn't' (im, no J',n not muc B on nuTJotles nnywny. Pictures and m uuihIc Suit mo hotter." B 'TmJwIth you tho re. I'm fond of H both. 11 play (ho violin. Do you play M nuy Instrument?'' H "Thojlinrp." j "I hfvo tho hnrp. nut with the ex- m copthm, of street musicians I've gen- H (rlly.foiinil (ho Klrln tnko to (he harp H rathorthnn men. 1'vo always fancied H that tho girl 1 should Uo up to would H piny yo harp." H "That so? I B.hould Uko my partner H to plajj tho violin." H Therb was a slight pnuso, after H whlclrKlof 'nuked, "Aretft you comlug M "P tliltUY'nyjiQwr M "Don't think I'll over Ret off. If I do H I'd llko to go In tho fall ao thnt you H cauflhowuiQ how to kick football. H You;iioom to bo no bout on doing bo." HL... "And you can Inatlll Into mo n tnsto forlnriii lSdt$owortU nnd that uort of H f gWULhV' 1NQUIUK1) TUB OIllIi AT LA AT. H fouilulno road I iik. Tlmt'a tho only H tlilii!,' about yoi 1 fancy 1 won't llko if H wo ovor moot." Bjf. 5"01i, you'll thul mo manly cnoughl H l)on't four for that." At this Jnuctui'o Kauf enld that Hk somo om was comlnir, nnd thu dla- Kiruo ooayod. B TliU Is a samplo of the chats tut B two operators had over tho wlro, but a H very aiuall one. They uot to telling HH 1 orli othr tlinlr Joys nnd their nor- Hut. Kkf said ouo day ovor tho wlro: H ?"l wtoh. Kauf. 1 could uxpro.ss tiympa H kby iw woll mm you. I fool It all, but I H .Ntn't tt lr out." Klof possessed ccr B JlMtu tvwa that Kauf appreciated, nnd H u Ut tw, tliutiKh they had never B ii't. tMs-umt fust frlomls, H y (tnu Uay Klvf whs ottered a leave. B - KUrr hnd not thm absent from duty B j. In three yem-s. llo had uot wanted B sio bo, Hut with that bit of ribbon Just B ;leUhl from tho Instrument before his B ,'oyo ho uudorwout a Kiulden cIiuuko. B v Hjtpo ho Und uo friends to go to A amV. 1t lustlucts were not toward A l4l0$!i?5 Ii' would accept the vacation B utWtm(.v olfeml and make tho most K of It Ills books said that a cbatiR B wh shh1 for a man'a soul, and he B would vuuio back refroshiHl In mind A ii ud twdy. Ho lovol th snud views of M titat,lvJ-Vgi)V.tll0i' slRiiltkHl home, B but tho eliauKolo.vj monotony of the B four b'tdos Imd crown a little oppress- H Ire Hlnco thu arrival of 13. KuflHBi Kororo troKJjijj uacu'an'acci'ptauco 10 tho home oltleo ho lot his finger fall upon the Instrument for a moment, touchlu? tho hand of hl friend, uh It wore, . "Hollo, Knnfmau!" ho calleil. "Are you In for a vacatjon too?" "A. wt'ck,'' camb liack tho prompt nu-RWr, nu-RWr, '"c9iUncncluK on tho 'jad." "Tlirf 2MI Why. mine imuIh on that date, nndTtfwo wcoka. Hut I under- Ktand. I'vo boon hero thrco years and you only thrco months, nnd now It's n dull tlmo thoy'ro Kolnpr to lot you coutrol tbo flection whllo I'm away anJ then I'm to do tho snmo for you. To bad, though, for I'd thought wo mlgh: go off together. Odd, Isn't It? I foe you'ro tho host friend l'vo got In tin world ntout tho only one, for lha matter-for wo'vo wired no end or pergonal gossip and ambition, nnd out tauten run about tho same way, nnc yot l'vo never aeon you and don't know whether you'ro short or tall lean or fat, heathen or a Y. M. C. A or whether your tnustncho Is still tc sprout or your white hair la dropplui out from old age. Queor world, lsn' It. Kauf? But say, 1 believe I'll nu down and spend my vacation wltt you. There'll no other place I cat think of, nuU wo can sco how tact other looks and talk und aiuoko and"- Thero was a quick, protesting cjlek. "Don't you do It, Klefer. What Is yom unmu anywaythe whole of It? Klefei Is bo so unceremonious and blunt llut about tho vacation, You mustn't visit me now mustn't. Why, It's I in possible! I 1 haven't tho accommodations, accommo-dations, aud and I'm so busy, and" Thero was a call from the homo of. flee, and with a hurried explanation to Kaufman ho Unshed In an acceptance of tho proffered leave of absence, took ami nnswervd the call, made a few final arrangements, then bout over to continue the conversation, hesitated aud swung back from the Instrument. "I won't do it," he chuckled. "Kaura likely ashamed of his looks, baldhead ed or fat or ouo eyed or something and dou't want me to know. I'm going to visit htm on tho next tralu. aud I'm not going to give him a chance for auy mort' osc'utt'SC Ashamed! UreatSeottl Dou't we like the same books and rau tdc nnd weu'thuis ohe? What ulo 1 euro how the old chnp looks? He ought to know my regard rises above Hitch petty considerations. Aud 1 be llcvo ho thinks Just ns much of me Ills personal conlldonces prove It. I'll just drop In on him so suddenly and affcctlountoly that ho can't help taking tak-ing mo In his arms." So when tho through freight slowed at the water tank Klefer swung1 himself him-self luto tho caboose with a generous; outfit of tobacco and books and a brand new pack of cards ordered up by the freight conductor. And thU aatno friendly conductor when they reached telegraph station 13 obligingly slowed the train so Klefer could drop Into tho white, yielding saud, the familiar, fa-miliar, unvarying landscnpo of his own station. , "Accommodations," he chuckled as ho strode eagerly toward the opeu doorway of the little building. "It's got two rooms llko my own, and that's plenty of nccommodatlons for any rea-aouablo rea-aouablo man. Hut crhaps Kauf was used to a big houso at home. Hello! Window curtains and llowera nt the end of tho house, nnd Lord!" I l-'or n young woman, pretty and nent-j ly dressed nnd with lips nnd eyes that were meant for smiling, but that Just now wero sober with Inquiry and consternation, con-sternation, had suddenly appeared In tho doorway. Klefer had not scon a girl In over three yoars, and such n girl ns this one appeared to him never. Ills mouth opened nnd shut without sound. "Well?" the girl luqulrcd ut last. "la-Is Knuflu? How's Kauf? Well? T-tell Knuf I'm out hero to see him," answered Klofer dazedly. "I'm Kauf Adalla Kaufman." said the girl. Then tho utter blankness In tho face before her seemed to ivstora the girl's equanimity, for she smiled. "You'ro Kief, I suppose or Mr. Klefer, Kle-fer, I menu," sho said. "Didn't I wire you?" "I wouldn't take It." mlsorably. "l-I "l-I thought It was some foolish excusing of n man who wnsn't used to visitors. I heard the instrument calling and reo ogulxod your touch, but I wouldn't listen. lis-ten. After that first time I kopt my back turned nnd dodged out soon s the train came In sight." lie looked toward to-ward tho truck as ihouzh to srv Jf tho train were still waiting rorlilm, but all thnt was visible of It was a dark lino trailing luto the white horizon. 'Train's gone." ho snld tentatively, "aud It's fifty miles to tho nearest house, aud l hero aren't any more trains either way until tomorrow. Now. If I'd brought some food I might walk tho fifty miles or start off one way or tho other to meet u train, but It's been eight hours since t had breakfast, nnd 'fifty miles You see," deprecntlngly, "I felt so sure that Kauf I beg your pardon. Miss Knuf Kaufman, I mean. I I It doesn't seem possible there Isn't nuy real Kauf after nil tho talking talk-ing wiring we've doue." "You've camped outdoors a good many times. I suppose. Mr. Klefer. All western men have." "Of course," Inquiringly. Then, with an odd note of eagerness coining Into his voice, "you menu 1 can camp right horo by tho track uutll a tralu corneal It won't bo presUmptuoua, after after uiy density?" "I contrgl only the station. Mr. Klefer, and you have a right to camp anywnero your pieaso out or aoor?i. , But what I wish to say is that I'll bo Bind to havo you take supper with mo j and all your meals until tho train comes. At homo I was considered a very fair cook. We can talk nbout books and such things." Tho next day the down freight was four hours late, and when It began to j Blacken speed In answer to his signal '? Klefer released a hand which he had V J caught suddenly ou tho first appearance appear-ance of the train Into tho sand's level j. horizon, f "I'll go nnd fix up my station some." ho said., his. voice tremulous with tho awed wonder In it, "and maybe havo f nuother room put on. The company f will stand that much, I think. Then I I'll run back aud transplant the flow- crs and take over your things, and and the day before my vacation ex- k plrcs I'll wire for n parson to meet us here. You'd better send in your resignation at once, Kauf." 1 "And announce my promotion, Kief." f he finished softly. k |
