East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-09-09

his breath between the words, eX-
claimed:
"Will you be kind enough to tell
me what time the mail closes that is
TO go out in the packet Albion 2"
1t is closed already" said /, CLAN
cling at the time; you are too late by
half an hour"
"The man turned deadly pale, and
looked as if he was about to faint"
"Gracious Heaven" he calculated,
leaning against the wall for support /;
" / have ridden fifty miles since sun
set last night, to post this letter, and l
am too late at last
is it of great importance ?' l in
quired, in sympathetic tone,
"Yes yes." he gasped, looking at
me imploringly, and seeming to catch
a ray of hope; ooh, could you-"
"Quick !" l interrupted; "give me
the letter, perhaps there may be time
81 almost snatched it from his trem-
bling hand, and darted away with it.
i had some trouble in getting it into
the proper letter bag, but as a person.
al favor TO me it was done though an
other minute would have been too
late. The man was waiting for me
when | returned and l shall never
forget his eager, inquiring look, 50 full
of hope, and fear.
"Your letter is mailed" j said; sit
viii go, if not already gone"
"Thank you! God bless you ~ he
exclaimed, with considerable emotion,
tears filing his eyes. "Your name, sir,
if you please" he added, reaching in
his hand and grasping mine with a
iervor there was no mistaking.
Never mind the name" | returned
with a light laugh. at was only a
trifing act, and If it has served you in
any way you are welcome to it,"
Please give me your name," he
reioined 81 would like to know il. :"
Il wrote it down ON a card and
handed it to him.
"He read it, took out his pocket
book, and put it away carefully and
then, as he again shook my hand ut
parting, said:
=" / shall not forget you, Mr.. st.
Clair. Not one IN thousand would
have put himself to so much trouble
for IA stranger, without any hope Of
reward. This is u selfish world, sir
very selfish world-as l have found
TO my cost. Goodbye, sirl l will
not take up your time any longer
You have done me greater favor
than YOU dream of, and / never forget
a favor. 1t may some day be in my
power 10 serve you, and then | shall
remember you. Once more, goodbye,
sir, aud God bless YOU ~
He walked rapidly away, and l
never saw him again. | only thought
over the matter, to wonder what that
letter contained to make its going out
in the next English packet (there were
no steamships running regularly then
as now of such vital importance, and
then it gradually passed out of my
mind, aud took It's place among the
thousand triiling incidents that are
forgotten.
=" The salary of my post-ofIicc clerk
ship gave me u comfortable living,
and when my next younger brother
had secured a place, we managed to
put our mother ut ease in mind and
body. | had been over six years en-
gagged in postal affairs, when one day,
10 my great surprise, | received let
ter, post-marked and dated London,
which contained these words:
"E you will send your address, and
card, with your name written on il
as you were accustomed to write il
three or four years ago, you will hear
of something TO your advantage"
:" This was signed by name | had
never heard of before, with n full SUI
prescription for the return etter.-
Filled with surprise, and all kinds OF
speculation and conjectures concerning
wealthy deceased relatives farremoved,
of whom ] had never had any knowl-
edge, / lost no time in complying with
the mysterious request in every par
ticular, aud the next packet carried
my missive in safety across the great
waters. When sufficient time had
elapsed for reply 10 reach me, be-
came very anxious, and | looked foI
the arrival of every English packet
with an eagerncss little short of an
uninsured merchant expecting valu-
able cargo.
"Wecks and months passed away,
and no news arrived. Then j came
10 the conclusion that my handwriting
had not proved me to be the person
required, and that ] should never hear
any more of the matter more espe-
.cially as my mother assured me She
had never heard of our having any
relatives i'll Europe-though such q
thing might be, as our family, as well
as nearly every other in this country
was of European descent, and OF
course had ancestors parent stem
with branches"
/" Meantime friend Of mine, n very
ingenious person, who had recently
patented an invention of great pros.
pcctive value, came to me and asked
Inc if i had any money to invest in @
profitable speculation"
unfortunately, said /, / have not
it takes all my salary TO live in re
spectacle manner"
am sorry" he rcioined, '4or ]
would rather have you for partner
than any other j know of. There i,
a fortune in my invention--I know it
hut it will take some capital--fron
three to five thousand dollars-to ge
it properly before the public; and as
! have not the means myself / mus
unite with some one who has"
Gle then laid before me his plans
and so well satisfied me of the success
of his scheme, that | was quite de
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