The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-12-04
LOVES LABOR LOST,

special Agent OF Lle 1OSL Oulc6 Depart
ment in one Of our large cities, and an
J. nounced that be had a serious case of mail
e depreciation to report, which he would like
to have investigated Immediately Being
, requested to give particulars of the mat er,
he produced from his pocket letter ad-
dressed to himself, and postmarked with
the name of small town in the State Of
/ Pennsylvania. The envelope bore unmis-
taxable evidence of having been opened
and resealed, and the eaddress was in a ladys
5 hand writing.
"There, sir" said he, carefully removing
the letter, and handing the envelope to the
Agent for inspection, that ere letter has
been robbed by some post Office thief of
twenty-six dollars. Now | want YOU to
catch him and put screws to him-give
HIM ten years at least l don't care for
the loss Of the money" (it is singular, by
the way, how sublimely Indifferent to pc
cuniary considerations most people are who
prefer these complaints,) "but I'd Ike to
see the rascal caught"
+ Now the Agent having had considerable
/ previous experience in the investigation Of
cases of "ritiing, was quite sensible that
very necessary preliminary to such lnyesti-
cations was a thorough knowledge of all
/ the circumstances connected with the affair,
aud after attentively examining the envel-
|ope, which was literally bedaubed with
mucilage, he observed:
"WeiI, sir l will take a memorandum of
your statement, and if it proves to be post
Office thief, as you say"
"Ifit does, sir? Why, who else can it
be? Isn't there the envelope to speak for
itseIf-hasn't 1t evidently been torn open
and gummed up again Of course its a
post attice thief-any one can see that"
"ProbabIT sir, but l don't see it, Just yet.
Be good enough to give me the name Of
4 the writer Of this letter."
I The young man hesitated, and at once
his manners became confused and nervous.
I'D rather not, if it's all the same. sir.
Its young lady, aud there are peculiar
! circumstances about the case-and-in
hort l don't want her name mixed up
in it."
"But it will be absolutely necessary, in
order 10 make proper investigation, that
| should know her name. Without it l
cannot undertake to do anything in the
matter"
The gentleman still sought for some
time to avoid giving the name of his fair
friend, but at last announced it as Miss
Emily Melville"
Other questions followed as to the cir
.cumstances which led to the enclosure of'
the money, &c, to which the complainant
answered in an evasive shut1ing way-evi-
IDENTIFY striving to conceal something of.
which he was secretly ashamed.
Perceiving that the investigation was
likely to make but slow progress conducted /
IN this way, the agent finally observed:
my friend, my time is too precious to !
waste in drawing information from YOU
with a cork-screw: and you NAV as we'll
make up your mind either to give me a.
clear, unreseryed account of this transac-
ton, or to 60 elsewhere with your griey-
ance. Now, please tell me why Miss Mel |
vile sent you (or tried to send you) this
money ?'
"To pay for some broadcloth for a cloak,
(Which you were to purchase for herT /.
. es- that is, which had purchased
for her"
"Oh, l see-the young lady was proba-
bIy here visiting, and being temporarily out
Of funds YOU gaIlantIy forced her to accept
a loan-eh ?"
"WelL no, not exactly. The fact is, I I
sent the goods to her, by express, at her
request"
%And of course,she being an old ldfriend-"
Not a triend precisely"
a relative, then p
No"
"Ab, I soo-something nearer and
"WelI, yes" said the youth, with a sheep
ish simper, and neryousiy swinging his hat
by the rim, as he gazed modestly on the
loor-we're loy-eDgaged, [ mean"
perhaps she forgot to enclose the
moley 2"
no sir-I'ye had letter from her
since and she swears-I mean she's certain
she put the money in"
Perhaps then" said the agent striving |
to express his suggestion in the least often
sye language, perhaps she omitted to en-
close it."
Sir" exclaimed the fond lover, reused
by this insinuation, "what do you mean p
There IS no doubt, whatever, sir, that the
young lady sent the money. would
stake my life, Sir, on her honor"
"Oh, very well, sir-excuse memo of.
fense intended, I'm sure. But you know |
haven't the pleasure of the yonng ladv's r
acquaiutante. BY the way, how loug have
you known her-a long time, l p esume?" b
The young gentIeman's embarrassment il
mo- ,.,-,I. .l,- ,,-..-.,r- I 80. l.