The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-11-23

The story Of Adele Barron, published in
n recent number Of the knickcrb0cker
which turns upon some missing letters, has
brought to mind an incident related BY
Frank Granger, as having occurred when
he was at the head Of the post office depart.
mcnt. A letter was ono day received from
the postmaster Of . town in New Jersey,
enclosing letter very old and dngy, aud
covered with fly specks in every part, ex-
ccpt whero tape hsd passed over il, indi.
cutting that il had been for long time pla-
ced in the paper or card-rack Of some bar.
room or shop. The supcrscription, IL there
ever had been any, had entirely faded
AWAY. The postmaster wrote that he had
found il in his letter box, aud tried in vain
TO discover who had deposited !, there, in
order that it might receive proper direc.
ton, rs it apparently contained money.
AZ !. had not been advertised, il WINS not,
in strctness, dead letter, but no sent il
20 the department in order that il might DO
disposed Of. The Postmaster General took
the responsibility Of opening il, and found
that il was dated at Philadelphia, in the
year 1921, (twenty years BEFORE and en-
closed twenty dollar bill Of the United
States Bank. i vas addressed BY man
to his wife, at a small village not far from
the post Office where the letter was found,
informing her tina, be (,he wri,er,) should
start for home in two or three dave; but
that ns his brother was about TO leave for
home, he took advantage Of that opportuni.
~ to send her BY him the enclosed sum of
money wherewith to make preparations
for an approaching wedding.
The Postmaster General caused letter
10 be written to the address Of the writer,
informing him Of the circumstances. Ia
the course Of the week, a reply wins recciv.
ed from female, who st ated that the writer
Of the letter, wns her father, and the one
70 whom il wns addressed WINS her mother,
both Of whom were dead--that. twen,,
Years before, ON the eve Of her own we'd
ding. she remembered that her !nther and
Uncle had quarreled. the former having
been led. frnm some suspicious circun,-,nn
CO.. IL discredi the lat,cr's assertion TINT
he had lost letter containing money en-
uueteu W Uto CHJcs uuu ~ IuSIuuHte tuht
he had appropriated the money 10 bis own
use. The consequence was, that all inter
course between the families had from that
time been suspended, and that she should
immediately write to her uncle and cousins
who were still living at distance, to beg
that the intercourse and friendship SO long
interrupted might be resumed; the discov-
cry afthis letter having aatisfied her Of wha,
she had long suspected, that her father was
wrong, and relieved her mind from q
weight Of painful anxiety.
Whether any farther clue to the manner
in which the letter had arrived ut the post
Office at SO late period was ever ascertain.
ed, is not known; the probability is, that
the letter had heen picked up It or near
some country tavern on the road, and was
placed, with . variety Of business cards
aud miscellaneous papers which usually fill
the tapes over the mantle piece Of such
place. and there il remained from year to
year, perhaps concealed from noticc by 9TH
or papers and letters, until, BY change Of
landlord, Or an improvement Of the house,
the landlord had disposed Of il BY deposit
ing il 10 the nearest post office.
Home Journal.