The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-07-11
Miscellany.
A Mares Nest in the Portland Post ON

A uara,s Nest in the Portland Post ONCE.
From the Portland Transcript
Ifthe reader will open his port monnaie and
select a fifty cent stamp of the late issue, he
will see a bald round head, anot unhandsome
face, mouth that indicates decision and a
par of small, sharp eyes looking straight at
you. Now this is said to be the picture of
General Spinner, and certainly if neither the
Photographer nor the Engraver have flattered
him the Gederal has no reason to be ashamed
when he stands be ore the mirror. One would
hardly suspicion him as one who would make
trouble In his family; yet facts are stubborn
Things, and one can scarcely tell whom to
trust.
In the winter or spring of 1852 there came
letter from Washington, ranked by the IL
lustrious General Spinner and what made it
Of interest to me, 1t was addressed 10 my VIE,
a very proper little woman, who in married
state OF over twenty years, had never been
known to hold correspondence, or engage
in ever SO innocent a Irritation with the oppo
site sex. But worse yet; the letter came
when was away in the Camps and Hospitals
of Stone Riverin Tennessee. What right had
this handsome faced officer to write to my
wife? Were there not women enough in
Washington seeking the attentions of off.
cials without his sending messages to this
down East City to woman hitherto without
reproach?
But our Postmaster or some of his Argus
eyed clerks detected the mischief, il not in
the bud before it rpened
One day letter was advertised for my
write. II was among the list of two hundred
others, with no visible mark to show that it
was more important to me, or to ANYBODY else
or the world al large than were any Of the
two hundred others.
1t is not long before she makes her ear
ance for The advertised letter.
"Can't have It, pa'am."
"But 1t - an important letter, and want
it, j. IS from Washington"
hCan't help it, ma'am. The Postmaster
wishes to see you at his room"
With wondering heart she makes her
way to the rear entranc, Of the building, and
with rap al the door OF the Postmas ter's
room she soon finds herse Ii face to face With
the man who held her letter from Wa hing
ton. r
Il have letter In this Office, sir, and the
clerk refuses to deliver it, but orders me to
report to you in person. What does it
mean?"
"Wbat is your names'
Name is given.
where do you resiIIepn
NO street in this city,"
Ar" lou married womanw
81 am, sir, and my husband is whom
you may know" 80,
"Where is your husband?"
"With the army in Tennessee"
"Do you know whom this letter is fromn
81 presume it is from Gen. Spinner, for
am expecting one from him."
"Then you have had correspondence with
Gen. Spinner~
"A brief one, sir"
"What was it abouts"
eff it is any Of your business I can tell you
but prefer to have the letter opened and you
can read for yourself" gf
The letter was opened and revealed what !?
"a negotiation for a Pine Tree Shilling
From paragraph in a paper my wife learned
that General Spinner was purchasing Pine
Tree Shillings. a rare coin even then, and she
had one for SALE The letter that had awak-
ened such suspicious, contained an offer of a
number of dollars Tor the shilling, with no
hint at anything else.
The mystery Of the Postmasters solicitude
has never been fully cleared up; though there
was stray paragraph in some paper few
years since that some distinguished official in
the Treasury Department was at one time sus
pected of disloyalty. CITIZEN,