Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-07-20
RI sttllamtn IT..
From Dcadlo's Monthly.
The Dead Letter.
CHAPTER |.
L II /, /. T + /. L

| paused suddenly in my work. ever II
years experience in the Dead Letter office
had given mechanical rnpidity to my
movements in opening, noting and classi-
lying the contents of the bundles before
me; and SO from there being anything cX-
citing to the curiosity, or interesting to the
mind, in the employment, it was OF the
most moloten0us character.
Young ladies whose love-lettcrs have
gone astraF, evil men whose plans have
been coniidcd in writing to their confeder-
ates, may feel but little apprehension Of
the prying eyes of our department; noth-
ing attracts it but objects of material value
sentiment is below par it gives attention
only to such tangible interests as are rep
resented by bank bills, gold pieces, checks,
jcwclry, miniatures, ct cetcra, Occasional
" grave clerk smiles sardonicallv at the
ridiculous character OF some of the articles
which come to light sometimes, perhaps,
looks thoughtlully for moment Mt IA with
cred rosebud, or bunch of pressed yiolets,
a homely little pin-cushion, or a book mark
wishing it had reached its destination. !
cannot answer for other employees, who
may not have even this amount of heart
and imagination to invest i'll the dull busi
ness Of Government office: but when /
was in the Department l was guilty, at in
tervals of such folIy-yct | passed for the
coldcst, most cynical man of them all.
The letter which held in my paralyzed
fingers when they had so abruptly ceased
their deXtcrous movements: was contain ed
in n closely sealed envelope, ycllowed by
time, and directed i'll peculiar hand to
" John Owen, Pcek-kill, New York" and
the date en- the stamp was October 18th,
ls57," making the letter two years old
know not what magnetism passed from
it, as the spiritualists say, en- rapport with
it; | had not yet cut the lappet; and the
only thing could fix upon as the cause of
my attraction was that at the date iudca-
ted on the envelope, had been resident
of Blankyille, twenty miles from Peeks-
kill-and something about that date
Yet, this was no excuse for my agita-
ton | was not of an inquisitvc disposi-
ton; nor did John Owen" belong to the
circle of my acquaintance. sat there
with such strange expression upon my
face, that one of my fellows, .remarkng
my mood, exclaimed jestingly
What is it, Redhed! \ check for a
hundred thousand J"
I'm sure | don't know; | haven:
opcued it, answered, at random; and
at this cut the wrapper. impclled by
some strongly defined, irresistible influence
to read the time stained sheet inclosed.--
1t ran in this wise;
DEAR SlR--It's too bad too dsappoint
you, Could not execute your order, as
everybody concerned will discover What
a charming day good for taking pic
ture. That old friend iutrnaueel ypu to
won't tell talessan1 You had not het,er
bother yourself to visit him. The next
time YOU find yourself in his arms, don't
feel in his lett hand pocket for the broken
tooth pick which lent him. He is well
come to it. If you're at the place of pay
ment | shan't be there, not having fulfilled
the order, and having given up my emi-
grafton project much against my will; SO
govern yourself accordingly Sorry your
prospects are so poor, and believe me,
with the greatest possible esteem,
Your disappointed
NEGoTIArOR.'
To explain why this brief epistlc, nei.
thcr lucid nor interesting in itself, should