llaneous junk to Taledo by
sheer wrist and lung power, she entertains me as follows while I wait:

"Yes, indeed, I'll get your call through as soon as I can, but the
connection's--Nmbr--awful--Nmbr--bad to-day--Nmbr--They're not at home,
Mrs. Simmons; they went to Paynesville--Nmbr--I'll ring
again--Nmbr--Hello, Doctor Simms, Mrs. McCord told me to tell you to
come right out to the farm; the baby's sick--Nmbr--The train's late
to-day, Mrs. Bane, you've got plenty of time--Nmbr--I can't get them,
Mrs. Frazier. I'll call up next door and leave word for them to call
you--Nmbr (To me: "Hot to-day, isn't it? I tell 'em we ought to have an
electric fan up here.")--Nmbr--("It would keep us better
tempered.")--Nmbr--Oh, Mrs. Horn, will you tell Mrs. Flint when she
comes home that Mrs. Frazier wants her to call her up?--Nmbr--Now,
Jimmy, you haven't waited two seconds. I know you're anxious to talk to
Phoeb, but she isn't home; she's at the cooking club--Nmbr--Cambridge,
do see if you can't get through to Taledo. I've a party here that's in a
hurry--Nmbr. (To me: "That Taledo line's awful. It's grounded somewhere
on that farmer's line west of Tacoma.")--Nmbr--Yes, Mr. Bell, I'll call
you quick as he comes in his office; I can see his door from my
window--Nmbr--No, Mrs. Bane, the doctor's just gone out to the McCord
farm. If you hurry, you can stop him as he goes past. He left about five
minutes ago--Nmbr--Gee, Paynesville, you gave me an awful ring in the
ear then! No, you can't get through, the line's busy. Well, you'll have
to wait. I can't take the line away from them--Nmbr--Oh! (very softly)
Hello, Sam. Oh, pretty well. I'm most melted--wait a
minute--Nmbr--Hello, Sam (long silence) Oh, get out! My ear's all full
of taffy--wait a minute--Nmbr--Nmbr--No, Mr. Martin, there hasn't been
any one in his office all day. I think he's gone to Chicago--Hello,
Sam--wait a minute, Sam--Nmbr--Nmbr--Hello, Sam--Say, I'm all alone and
jumping sidewise. Call me up about six (very softly). G'by, Sam--Nmbr.
Oh, Mrs. Lucey, is Mrs. Simms at your house? Tell her her husband will
be home late to supper, he's gone out in the country--Hello. Hello.
_Hello_, Taledo. Is your party ready? (To me: "All right, here they are.
You'll have to talk pretty loud.") Hello, Taledo. All ready--Nmbr."

That is a fair sample of Carrie. We couldn't keep house without her. And
that's why I feel an awful pang of jealousy when I hear that lobster Sam
talking to her.