Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, October 30, 1914, Page 2

THE FIRING OF SHEILA By SADIE THERESE MOORE. (Copyright.) By the way, I wonder why the lady telegraph operator is never -heard of in song or story? Oh, she receives “honorable mention,” of course—a sort of “also ran” along with the hosts who represent the modern working-wom- an; but—well, you know, there is the golden-haired stenographer, shy on shekels but long on lineage, who wins the calloused heart of her employer by her proud, sweet dignity; the gen- tle bookkeeper who supports mother dear and seven small brothers in ev- ery Sunday school magazine; the wise and winsome department store maid- en; the pompadoured hello-girl, and the pert hello-girl, and the hello-girl who was intended for higher things; | but where is the lass who pounds the brass and tells folks when the eight-, o'clock train is due? And yet, methinks, she could fur nish material for countless thrilling plots. For instance, I have never told you how Sheila saved the general man- ager's speclal and won fame and glory. You know how I am about Shella, but if you had a sister with eyes lke fringed violets—gray violets — she could make you believe pink was sky- blue. Shella had been telegraphing about a year then, and, I suppose, hating it as bad as her dear, loyal little soul would allow. She thought she must love it for my sake; for the “frightful | clatter” is music to my ears, and the smoky, busy, nolsy atmosphere joy to my soul. We came out to Bandera together one splendid September evening, the setting sun giving a Midas touch to hills and narrow green valleys. Oh, it is quite the deareat little place—one of those wide, deep westérn canyons where you drop down into hills from a vast plain and wonder how you got there, I was to work “first trick™—elight o'clock until four, and 8heila third— midnight till 8 a. m. I went to work the day after we arrived, but Sheila, having a full day at her disposal, must see the country and do some sketch- ing. Cousin Dan and his wife live there, and we were to stay with them. Right after dinner Dixle, their little moun- tain pony, was saddled for Sheila, and, Dan and Annie riding burros, they started for the pass. It was mearly seven when they returned, and Sheila spent the evening rhapsodizing over it. * “Ah, Nora,” said she, “such a view. auch splendora in coloring, such and- THE® EVENING TELEGRAM LAKBLAND, FLA., OCT. 30, 1914, ered. he would mot trust any horse but dropped off a few minutes, but—" Dixie across the pass, but she is as surefooted as ome of the burros; and | yelled. “Do you kmow what you've then the other side, with the railroad . done?” winding around and on again—oh, you) But Sheila already knew and, with must see it!™ which, of course, I torpedo in one band and a red flag in agreed to do the first opportunity. Sheila slept four or five hours, which 1s all the child could do, having had a good night's rest the previous night, and went to work at midnight. Next morning when I went on duty there was woe and devastation oa every hand. ““No. 39 will hold the main track and meet Special 62 west of Bandera. Special 52 West gets this order at | You see, Bandera Pass virtually cons nects the road on one side of the mountain with it on the other side, Shefla explained to me first. Her mew call bothered her. She hadn't heard it often enough, so that her Sheila could over there be hand would go unconsclously to the ::;I:h-lml mfi— It semed a key at the first click, as all good oper-| vy, pope, but there was some slow ators’ should do. Omoe the dispatcher | yy,oy 4nig side of the curve, and that had evidently been calling her for left & chance. some time, and wanted to know what | "y o0 down o the key, and gave the ske meant by “slesping on duty. situation as briefly as possible. 'flnl The first thing that I copled when 1| ,;00;0) pag been long overdue at Ban- sat down to the desk was a message to | g0, “and Mr. Jones kept reporting the agent: “Mr. Jones, of ‘VX,’ will W report for duty as third-trick operator, relleving Miss Conor, discharged for sleeping on duty.” Oh, it couldn’t be true! My road pu¢ wait. would never do me that way; the road | spter an endless eternity a faint I had tofled for and fought for and!yjyg jine began to float over the hill, loved, better than anything exceDpt growing gradually darker. Then the Shela. | rear of the special appeared around I called the chief up to explain that the curve, backing up, and just behind Shefla was not asleep on duty. She them No. 89, steaming in, cautioualy, had not learned her call well yet, and gecorously, no sign of shattered —but he broke in with: “That makes coaches or mangled occupants. We no difference. We haven't time to edu- ran out on the platform, half crasy cate her into remembering her call.” | with joy. “I know that,” I flashed back; “but! Talk about erazy! 1 wish you could I think you at least ought to let her have seen the men on that train. resign and get a clear record.” | Sheila was in the midst of them on the “Ha!” he sald; “she resigned too observation platform, and they were Iate.” | crying, laughing, gesticulating—a con- | “All right” I answered; ‘“here's glomerate mass of lunatics which re- the next station, had already reported No. 89 by, so there was nothing to do mine,” and wired my resignation right there, in spite of my six years’ senior- ity. solved itself into a hoarse roar, star- tling the mountain echoes as it backed into the siding. . “Three cheers for the little opera- tor! Hip! Hip! Hooray!” “I had to do it, Nora,” she told me. Mad?! I was so mad I was sick. 1 think I learned to hate in seventeen different ways in the next twenty-four hours. | “Dixie knew we couldn’t afford to: I think Mr. Chief was somewhat sur | break our necks before we got that' prised at my resigning, but he accept- | train stopped, so she didn’t let us do ed it with the dignity which doth befit | it. I got there just as they came thun- his office, and sent two men to relieve | dering down the grade, but I dropped us that night. Next moraing Sheila | & torpedo on the track and waved that and I laughed in the face of unkind | red flag like all creation. They left a fate, saddled the ponies, and had a | brakeman to flag 39, for, of course, I the excitement was long ride down the valley, coming | fainted when back by the depot to ses how the | OVer.” west-bound train was. Mr. Jones Shella is in Austin, studying colors seemed to be a trifle rattied as he re- | And harmonies and high lights, and | peated an order, but for once I wasn't | expects to go to Paris_next year, due lstening to the purport of it. to ';':‘ .k;ndnm of hterlovlutrhndl." as e vertisements say. About fve miastes afterward be | o0 oo™ OF eourse T went Dack to gazed anxiously down the track and work. remarked: “That special ought to be here.” “Here!” echoed Sheila. “Wasa't that the train we saw as we came baek from our ride?” 4 aext month in Vienna?” Mr. Jones turned pale. “Why—no— | My dear, that peace has gone to pleces.” Its End. “What's become of the peace eon- ference which was to have been held “Wait—let me see that order!” I ----------------------------- ——————— WMWMW [ BRINLEY | PLOWS Just received, a complete line of 10 ard 12 10 to 14 inch Regular Turning Plows The Brinley Plow is built especially for Florids soils. Each one is sold with a guarantee of satisfaction or your moncy back. MODEL Phone No. 340 SOPOSSOFOFOFOFOE CPOEOSOHIIT G0 FEOF QDOIUINFTIIN0 Pecullarities of Flight. | If a man falls out of a rising aero- plane or balloon he will not go to- . wards the earth, but will continue ris- ing into the air for an appreciable | time. If the air machine were stopped | in its ascent at the time it could catch the man as he came down. If | the airship were ascending at the rate ! of 32 feet a second, the man would rise 16 feet before beginning to fall towards the earth. Thus, by reducing the speed of its ascent, the vessel might keep by the side of the man and rescue him, The reason why the man rises is the same as the reason for a bullet's rising when shot from a gun into the given a velocity upwards, and it takes some time for gravity to negative that veloeity. alr—both the man and the bullet are ’ Sarcasm. “Want to take a little ride in my automobile?” asked Mr. Chuggins. “Where are you going?” asked the habitual ingrate. “Anywhere you say.” “Well, take me to some place where I can look at a new building or a mon- ument. I've seen all the garages and repair shops in the district.”—Wash- ington Star. | DRUG STORE |mmommmmmm [ BRINLEY Orange Plows inch HARDWARE o - C.E. TODD, Mg FORTOIOHQ ———— GO T0 THE WOODS g When you want the best in Pure Drugs and Toilet Articles ,£# 22 The Thought of Quality remains long afier the price is forgotten Phone 408 Phone 408 City Hall just across the street from US N AN N N N E N R W N Ny N N O Ay v N e vy IXIE is the best liked tune in the United States. It does not seem to make any difference whether people are from Dixieland or not. Northerners, New Englanders, Westerners, somehow seem to warm up as responsively as one bred in old Mississippi when the lively strains of the inimitable melody begins. (. Most all the old South stood for bas been smasbed by the ruthless heel of progress. Slavery is gone. The Southern aristocrat is no longer dominant. ~ States’ rights hbave paled. But the one song of the South has triumphed over all that the North could do in the way of music. Itis as unreasonable as woman and as irresistible. As the Southern girl has charms of her own and knocks all logical cannons of beauty into a cocked hat, and with her languid smile works havoc with 1he ice-bound hearts of Northern men, so this amazing tune has done for us all. @ It is original; there was never a tune like it. God sent it straight from the heart of the composer. Such a song is made once a century. It is lively. There is sunshine in it, and laughter, the tinkling of banjos, the pat-juba of clapping hands. There is joyin it, cosmic, elemental joy of life. There is HOME in it, and love and loyalty from “our folks.” *=++« And it is human. Itgrips the heart. It gets into the feet, y of tunes, for you want to keep whistling it, and it makes you twitch to dance. seems to say, “WHY CAN'T EVERYBODY JUST BE HAPPY?” For years the people of Lakeland have coveted the honor of entertaining yoy old . Gray with hearts of Gold. We are glad you came and lgope that you will begsoyn-y to lhe::ze:h’i,'; beauty spot in Dixieland where oranges turn golden in the balmy breezes o} November aend luscious Strawberries blush at the kiss of the January sun. May your last days be blessed with an abundance of the good things of this life, and when taps are sounded and the Greqt Commande calls, may each of you receive a joyous welcome into the land of Eternal peace. IR ISTTe T T and glee It stands the test @ When it is played it Our Office is open day and night. Drop in and rest, The John F. Cox Realty Co. INCORPORATED We Sell Lots in Dixieland and Bon Air