Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1914 — Cupid’s Tolls Remain Unpaid; Talker in a Cell [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cupid’s Tolls Remain Unpaid; Talker in a Cell

NEWARK, N. J.—Absence made fonder the heart of Douglas Whittaker shortly after midnight the other morning as he wrestled with sleeplessness in his room in the Holland bouse. Douglas, who is eighteen and lives, when

at home, iff Winthrop, Masts;, was thinking of a fair person in his home town and decided that the only way he could overcome his restlessness would be to call her on the telephone. He made the call from his room. The clerk, whose eye was on the white tab in the switchboard, at length grew weary and sent a bellboy up to ask Douglas if he expected to terminate the conversation before Washington’s birthday.

“Tell him I’ll be finished in a minute,” said Douglas. In time he hung up the receiver and walked down to the hotel office. “How much?” he asked the clerk. “Oh, I guess a dollar’ll cover it,’’ was the answer, “but I might as well ask central.” “That’s a good idea,” said Mr. Whittaker. It wasn’t such a good idea—for Mr. Whittaker —as the operator announced that hfe had been talking for one hour and three minutes, the charge for which was $24.40.” / “Gee,” Douglas whistled. “I haven’t got over 51 cents. You’ll have to take that.” “Who put that foolish idea into your head?” the clerk asked. He sent for a policeman, and Douglass was arrested.