The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-12-13
The Express Messengers's Story.

Paris, through all OF which our express
done business, my route was an important
and a responsible one. ] ate my dinner
and then went into the Portland Office to
get my orders for the country.-After the
porters had taken out the various articles
consigned to my charge, Mr. Prindle, our
agent, called me to his desk aud, exhibit
ted package directed to party in South
Paris, containing three thousand dol
lars.
"Do you know that man ?" he asked
me pointing to the superscription.
eyes said I.
"Do you know where he lives 7"
eyes"
\ How far from your depot 2"
"A mile and half, / should think,
on the old Rumford road"
WE'LL" he pursued, " don't care to
have this lay over at the depot, and you
had better deliver it yourself"
told him / would do so.
may here remark that we had no reg
ular office at South Paris. 1t was my
custom to deliver such matter as was con-
signed to parties living in the village,
within a radius of half mile or so, while
packages going beyond those limits, l
usually left with the station master, to be
called for And so, even at Norway, it
was understood by our patrons that we
did not deliver express matter beyond
the limits of the village corporation,
As | was leaving the office 1 observed
one of the porters, assisted by a clerk
lifting soldier into the wagon of the
Kenebec express.-Said soldiers right
leg was swathed in thick bandages from
the knee to the toes, and he hobbled upon
crutches his uniform was worn and soil
ed, and he appeared to be one who had
seen hard service.
Poor fellow w said the clerk, as he
met me on the sidewalk. " He's got two
minnie balls through his leg-wounded
at Gettysburg. He started from the In
ternational for the depot on his crutches,
bnt he gave out here"
At that time when the great battle
was thing of the present, hero of Get
tysburg was an object of interest to me ;
and | felt almost like taking off my hat
to the war-worn and shattered veteran /;
but he had gained his seat and was driv-
en- away before I had an opportunity to
salute him.
AT the depot I saw my freight safely
in the car, and after We had started |
took turn through the train. | found
our Gettysburg hero in the forward car,
occupying a whole seat with the rim of
his hat pulled down over his face, proba-
bly, asleep. Poor fellow He was weak
and weary.
We arrived at South Paris at halfpast
three P. NJ, where l found my team
waiting for me--a common express wagon
drawn by horse which | considered
rather superior to express horses in
general AS the last package was placed
in the wagon observed the veteran OF
Gettysburg hobbling toward the platform
l had strapped up the tai-board, and was
on my way to my seat when he addressed
me:
"Say, my friend, which way are ye
going"
"Just around the village to deliver
freight" l told him.
He looked disappointed.
81 was in hopes" he said, that
should find somebody going up the old
Rumford road piece. My leg is played
out"
1 remembered the package I had to
deliver on the same road, and l told him
if he didn't mind riding around through
the village, / would take him as far as
the old Jordon place. He said it would be
great help to him. So, with the asSis-
tance of the station-master, helped him
to his seat He was large heavy man,
and as he seemed unable to help himself
in climbing, the labor of hoisting him
was not light one.
"I shall come down easier" he said,
laughing
All right" | replied, as / took my
seat by his side.
] made quick work of delivering my
stuff in the village, and when we had
struck the old road beyond, | asked my