The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-02-07

in. All was hustle and confusion for fsw
minutes, and then ilien the crowd thinncd.
The stronger sud most i,npotunate hal re
ceived their letters and newspaper, OF .ili,ir
disappointment had gone away; and now
the weaker and more timid could DO served.
s!!s q: ere letter for Martha James \" said
a pleasant voice at the ladies' window. and
the cheerful. yet anxious face Of the Young
wife glanced at the clerk. ' aA :
None, was the snrly reply, and cloud
ca,ne over the bright face as Martha formed
slowly away. The tears would lisc to her
eyes as she hurried homeward, for she was
deeply disappointed. But hope whispered
that Tomorrow tic expected letter would
come without fail. So, though her voice
was trcmulous, when size spoke TO her chill.
dren that night, and though she spent scye.
raj wakeful hours, yet she tried to be very
patient 1ati! the morrow. - ...ss.,.sr, :.
The post office was closed, and M, one re-.
mained in it but William Ellis, who slept
there. TWAS very late, and he had locked
himself into the liulc den where he slept.
and seated at his table. he Was performing
some mysterious operations upon pile Of
letters wliicl, lay before him. IBy-a process
which, from the losses which frequently oc
cnrs We may safely iafer is known TO some
nthersof his class, -ho I@as opani,ler ,isoso i.s
tiers. Several Of them rewarded his skill by
disclosing bank notes. Others wcrc EMMY
of anglit so tangible, and these were careful
" resealed. The bank notes he desposited
u, 2 huge pocket book, aud the letters whicl,
contained them he carefully DESTROYED, re-
moving every trace of the ashes which re
manned after they were burned. Ainonn
these letters the ono containing the largest
sum was directed to Martha James. There
were enclosed in 1.-TWO bank notes. one of
one hundre,idollar The other of fifty. and
| William Ellis's eyes CLEANED as ho thrust
lheminto his pocket book. s,.ar
The next evening Martha James was
again waiting among the crowd nc the post
Office. Ag'in she inquired for letters and
again theca't answer 'none,' brought the
cloud to her face and the pang of slisap.
| poiniinept TO her. heart. Another s,eepless
night was passed haunted by fears of Wal.
ter's illness, and all the vague apprchensiJns
which might he supposed TO fill the mind q,
an attached wife, while lnboring under such
adisappointment. Another dav wore slow.
" on, the hours dragging with leadep
weight Almost wild will, fear and anxiety.
''e visited the post Office, for the third time
and received the same answer. ~ p
Still hope did not utterly die out. She
had constant occupation, and many home
cares. Slie!ried to comfort herself with the
thought that one letter had miscarrieJ.-
When the week rolled round, at the usua,
day, she sloHll get another letter. Mean,
while she wroie as usual, and ,iied to Wal,
patiently. The week passed, but mt the time
when the usual letter WIS expected, she was
again disappointed, and more deeply than
before. II must be remembered that the
letter which contained the money also an.
nounced Walters departure into the interi
or, where there were no Post Offices, and il
would have prepared her for the silence
which followed. But that letter~had beer
destroyed, and Matte could 6nd NO cause fo
the unusual silence, except illness. Size. r.,
solved to wait another week, and then 10 D.
to the place where her husband was employ
cd, unless she should hear from him in, III,
interim.
This week, also, passed how, only tl,os,
can understand who have noted the slow
progress of time in the midst of a simila,
anxiety. The third Thursday, her usual Ja,
for receiving letters, came aud passed, L,
brought the same disappointment. Tn,
next morning Matte and her children lef
their home and went ON board steamboa
bound down the river.
Several days passed, and one morning tl,.
boat stopped at st. Lous. Mat,ies eIdes
child had been very III for twenty-four hour,
previous, and, by the advice OF the captair
ofthe boat. she resolved to stop f,r a day o,
two for medical advice, notwithstanding he,
terrible anxiety TO proceed. She went a
shore. -.
Her ipeaps were small, and she Letool
herself to small, quiet hotel in the suburbs
where sine could i've sssesfsy. 4 i...:ys:s:...
was summoned, who pronounced the disease
} yiralent fever, Again she wrote to Wal
ter, and then, hoping that he would sooi
J answers she resigned herself ., she might
TO her enforced delay beside tie sick bed o
her child. None can know all the agon,
and despair o6lhat poor mother during ,hel
J long aud weary watches. Many days O
! hope and fear, and anxious watching passed
and then the sutferings of. the little one wer,
!, over. The child died aud was buried l.,
strangers, and when the expenses of its hum
J ble funeral had been paid, Matte was ii
! most pennilcss. Tie people Of tho inn I.aC