Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-30
The Bank Messengers Story.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

! My master was a very peculiar man.
| When say my master mean Mr.. Jor-
| dan Bleak. He wasn't handsome man.
He had grim face and a. figure that
gave you the notion that he was deform-
ed. He wasn't kind hammered man
nor what you'd call pleasant spoken
! gentleman-but he was friend to me-
! He picked me up out of the street,
you may say, nearly beggar, and took
me into the place | held all his life, and
my wages were paid regularly. To be
! sure he told me it was because | was so
ugly; that he hated handsome men that
were sure to be good for nothing, and
that my crooked legs and crooked nose
| got me his notice. That wasn't compli-
mentary, but | believe it was true.
He used to have me about him good
deal. and he used TO give me plenty of
small change. Whenever he sent a bo-
/ quet TO Miss Burt, he sent it by me.
GLOW did she look, Alph ?" he used
to say when l came back, for l always
had orders to see her personally.
1t | said-"Very polite, SIR" he used
to sigh, but if Icould say-''Very much
| pleased, sir" he'd be tickled nearly to
| death. Perhaps l said every much
] pleased, Oftener than was strictly true,
| hut, bless you, it was fifty cents in my
! pocket every time. 1t was great temp
/ tatiOn.
! There was another gentleman in that
establishment that used to send boquets
! to Miss Burt, too. 1t was young Pod
more, one of tue clerks He was pref
/ ty fellow, with eyes as blue as you could
/ wish girl to have, short upper lip
/ that curled up to show his broad white
upper teeth, and fair hair, parted so ex-
act that it was a wonder
| Miss Burt always blushed when gave
/ her his flowers. Once | saw her kiss
| them on the stairs. | used to think what
pretty pair they'd make, if ever they
came together. She was as dark as a
| Spaniard. and as round as a robin, and
| just seventeen. But then, again, when
/ thought that, used to feel sorry for
master You see | knew that master
was in love with her. | knew it before
this happened that | am going to tell
after that, of course, l couldn't help
/ knowing.
One day master called me into his Of
! fee and shut the door.
"Alph,' says he, when he had done it,
''were you ever III lOve?'
''Once, MASTER" says l.
''What' happened says be.
''Well," saws |. nothing. You have
often said was no beauty. I'm not.
And there was a fellow that was a young
sailor. She liked him, so l didn't say
anything about it"
''Alph, says he, ''every man must
have friend. l am going to make one
of you. | have been good enough to
you. haven't l, Alph?'
Yes, master" said /, ''you have"
you'll not blab, if tell you some
thing?"
Not l." said l.
'Alph, said he, Il am in love-I-
! just look at me-I- Ha la ha /,
the most hideous monster under Gods
heavens, am in love with a beauty
You've seen her-Ruth Burt Laugh
give you leave-laugh, man."
Il don't want to laugh, said |, lyon
have as much right to love her as any
other gentleman. | don't say you're
handsome-but those pretty girls don't
| always marry handsome men, nor young
! ones either
Il am not old, said he. "Put your
hand there, and he caught my fingers
and Dressed them against his breast
'Does that beat like an old mans heart?
No handsome young fellow ever felt
younger, stronger, fonder than J. Alph,
it is like the prince in the fairy tale, who
lived in the hideous monsters skin-that
I,who feel so, should be what l am You
-You-nO doubt you were a better man
than the pretty young sailor
Il couldn't have been much worse, :"
said /, ''but | was poor. You are rich.
You mustn't give up. Girls may be won
by gifts and kindness. know some are
soft hearted things, that see your face
somehow different from what it is, be-
cause they love you. Try her, master.
Faint heart never won fair LADY,
Il know that won't be faint heart
ed; but L must know my ground. /
must know who she likes; who she does
not like; who comes to see her and who
does not; what passes between her and
every gentleman that calls. You must
find out for me, Alph."
''If | can, / will, sir, said .'but
how ?"
'1'll tell you, said he. Mrs. Burt,
Ruth's mother, is a widow, not rich, but
she lives in a sort of style. She wants
to seem richer than she is. Shed like to
keep man servant to make show.
Now you know enough to open the door
hut wall at tdDIG. L IL YOU.
You'll have no wages 10 speak of, and
poor fare from her. / will privately
pay you magnificently You shall live
in your own little house on your own
money when it is over. What do YOU
say ?"
'.Thank you, sir I'll do my best,
said |.
So we agreed on the matter. Master
AnI 7
went to her house at once No real ser
vat would have stayed there week. All
the gentility was in the parlors, and
mother and daughter starved all the year
that they might give two parties win
ter. AS for wages | got none. 1t was
all owed to me.
That didn't matter. Master did what
he promised-so did L; and my heart
was sore when / told him the truth, one
night
''Master," said /, Il can't bear to say
it-but she is in love with Charlie Pod
more. They are engaged. They are to
run off together next Wednesday night.
The old lady won't agree to the match.
It's all settled-he's to come to you and
draw his quarters salary and they are to
go to minister's late at night. Mr..
Podmore will pretend to be conductor
on the - road and has very little time,
and sokeep the reverend gentleman from
being suspicious. She is to meet him at
the area door after the old lady retires
Miss Burt's cousin is to be bridesmaid
and take home letter to the mother
''Even her clothes are sent off on the
sly by the washerwoman. Shed do any
thing rather than be sparted from him.
You've no chance master"
My master did not say anything for a
while.
When he spoke it was in very husky
voice
'sYou may leave Mrs. Burt's any day
after next Wednesday," he said. 81
know enough. Thank you"