The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-03-15
MiILY MORE's LETTER

III hunty puhter. Sou runner "
my husband. We keep the Anchol
Port post-office and store. and sci
groceries and garden sass, calico, shoel
aud medicines, like other folks in oul
line, when any body asks for 'em.
When the ships come in, and thu
sailors come home to their wives anc
mothers, trade goes brisk. The house
kee pers do their best, and the raisint
AMI dried currants, and eggs and but
ter 70 of finely. and it's worth while te
lay in ribbons for the girls, and smoking
tobacco and long pipes for the men.
Jack and his wages make old Anchor
Port brisk for q while, but at last be
sails away, and all the women seem to
ask for will be letters, letters, letters
letters, when they have right to ex.
pect them, aud when they haven't, all
the same.
It's please, Auuty Gunter, look over
them, and see it there aren't one
for me-" aud it's PLEASE, Uncle
Gunter, it might have got mixed up
and overlooked somehow" and often
and often-God help the poor souls-
alter Jack lies at the bottom OF the sea,
aud nothing will ever reach them but
the news OF his shipwreck. But plenty
OF letters come alter all, and sometimes
we have to read them for the folks,
Job and l, and so we get to know
something Of their lives.
Milly More could read and write her.
self, but still | always knew when she
had a letter from Will Massett. | knew
it by the handwriting, and knew it
by her bushes, and by that happy look
in her face. When he came home, she
bought ribbons and bits Of lace by the
apron ul; and | knew where the pack
ages of candy that he bought were to
90, And | used to keep Jop from
fishing down in Pullman's creek OF
afternoons, because | knew that was
where Mllly and Will liked to walk.
Courtins time comes bnt once In lie
time, and | always like to see it pros
per.
At last he sailed away. second mate
of the Golden Dove, aud when he came
back from that voyage they we're to he
married. =,
TWAS a sad day when that snip sailed
Ms. Captain Rawdon and her glrls
were crying from tue shore. twenty
women from the Port and five from the
Hill were there to see her sci sal.
1t was a grim day, and the voyage
was TO be long one.
l, was under au old sycamore that
Will took Milly TO his breast .,,,,,
Don't fret, darling" he SAID II IL
come back safe aud sound. l couldn
drown now; I've too much to live for;
Poor boy Iu spite OF that, the ooi,
den Dove went down in mid seas snd
ONLY three men reached Anchor Fort TO
tel how Captain Rawdon and the rest
were lost, al dead OF night, III a most
woeful storm
Captain Kincaid brought the news
to Mrs. Rawdon. He stopped at our
store 10 tell about it, A NICE old man.
A bachelor sill, at fiit,yeighl, and as
handsome, with his white halr and req
cheeks, Is a picture.
That was twelve months ago, the
night went into the store to sort things
Out, as | always did Saludsy nights.
Through the week JOB used to get
everyt ing mixen up-letters IN my tea
boxes candles in the letter-box, eggs
where they oughtn't to be, aud all the
place askew. 1t was a warm autumn
night, and Captain Kiucaid's vessel was
in port, and we had plenty Of custom.
Job served the people while tld'ed up
| found halt the last mail in the sugar
rox and cloths pins in the ground coffee
canister, and ust dumped them Out;
Gather up your letters, JOB, said l.
What possesses you, old man.
Aud he laughed aud piled EN- up;
And | made VOW to myself that Id
keep the sugar box full after that, 80
that he shouldn't use it tor the mall.
| had tweuty-tour pounds OF sugar
Iun "a "coffee crushed" because il
was prepared especially to use in coffee;
That was the finest sugar Anchor hlii
folks often bought, though ! had q
little cut and powdered by me in case
Mrs Rawdon, or Mrs. Speer or the
minister's lady should send ID; and
took the paper up and tilted over the
iapsuned box, pouring 1t IN nice
smooth stream, when who SHOULD come
in but Mily More. She was not dressed
carefully, and her eyes were red Wild
crying. lii.
She asked for some tea, and while
Job was weighing it she whispered &c
me:
ooh Aunty Gunter, have you looked
to. day? Isn't there letter from ""iI
He said he couldn't de ] don't fee
as if be could. Mightn't he write after
all? Do look. A.,
NY pet" says I, it's year ago thai
the Golden Dove went down. II ism
likely. And He don't let those live
that want to always 1t isn't likely
dear, bat II look.
I took the letters in my hand, one by
one Many OF them would make hearts
Glad bsfore the shutters were up tina
night, but none for Mllly; it couldn
be expected, OF course.
| told her SO, but took her into my
little back psriot, and made her 81