Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-08
The Sturw Teller.
SANS LUCK!

dows of the cosy little restaurant where we
both usually dined, myself in that delightful
dolce for niente state which generally accom-
panies post prandial digestion, he chewing his
scrubby moustache fercely, and glaring
around for some object to vent his wrath upon.
Sam is general delivery clerk in the post
office of our town. He is single gentleman
aged about thirty, as honest and good soul
as ever breathed; has dry way about him
that is quite amusing, and is very fond OF
grumbling- habit which the vexatious du-
ties of his position have. quite naturally made
him fall into. His particular forte in this line
is his chronic ill luck, which, by the way, l
do consider wholly imaginary.
Glancing casually out of the window, be-
held our mutual friend, Jack O O'Bandel, saun-
tering leisurely by, with his charming intended
Miss May Moonshine, hanging tenderly to his
arm.
"Sam p' said l, meditavely.
"What is it, George?" inquired the episto-
larry apostle.
'Just see who is passing BY"
Sam jerked himself forward and looked.
He started. A scowl black as midnight gath
cred upon his intellectual brow, and in tone
of unmistakable sincerity he CALCULATED
"Confound it!
"Samw exclaimed, in tone of mild re-
proof, "methinks have heard you make that
remark before
"Tust to think" Sam rambled on in saw
age soliloquy, "that the Insignificant secretary
of an insurance company, with nothing to re-.
commend him but his impudence, pair of
bristly red side-whiskers and fifteen hundred
a year, should swoop up the only daughter of
a agouty old fool worth quarter of million
and all my fault, too !"
"Your fault? What do you mean? What
the deuce have you got to do with Jacks love
AFFAIR.""
"The scoundrel owes his good fortune solely
and entirely to me, and now he walks by
without even deigning to bestow glanes apon
his benefactor. This ingratitude truly is
black -diabolicalw
"Look here, Sam, you have the night mare
you haven't got over the effects ofyour dinner
Or, if such is not the case, then explain"
"My usual luck !" groaned Sam.
SAM" said I, with great awakening ire,
I command thee, elucidate Whence this
mystery?"
"Listen, George" said Sam, heaving deep
sigh. "'Tis now but three months since,
when O'Bandel and I, after having dined and
played game of dominoes at this very table,
which I, of course lost, strolled over into the
post office, to resume my duties, and he to
purchase quantity of stamped envelopes. [
stepped around into my office, Jack waiting
at the delivery window. I was just on the
point of handing him his envelopes, when up
stepped rather pretty young lady, of seven
teen or eighteen summers, and Jack, with the
most unblushing polteness, stood aside and
made way for her.
"The little bread-and- miss inquired
for a registered letter, with fifty dollars en-
closed, for Miss MAY Moonshine. found the
letter at once, and she made an eager grab
for it.
"'Not so fast said I, keeping the letter
safe beyond her reach, "You must prove iden'
tity.'
"Identityr she repeated, pretending not to
understand, and assuming an air of conster-
nation.
"'Of coursep I exclaimed, with the sharp
accent of the official on duty. You must
prove that you are, in reality, the person tor
whom the letter is intended
"Indeed, sir, I really didn't know that, -
she protested, in plantive tone. am in
the city on a visit, and don't know any one
but the McFlimseys, with whom I am stop.
ping, ard they have all gone into the country
to-day. I have just received word that my
father is dangerously i'll, and this money is
to defray my expenses home. Do please let
me have it, sir =
"'Can't do itr said, emphatically, lock-
ing the letter up again. "It's against the
rules which I must stick to-
"Now she began to whimper, but l remain
ed inhexible, for / was convinced that she
was sly little swindler.
"Now what do 1 behold to my horror !!
O'Bandel is endeavoring to console her, and
while he gives me venomous look, he hauls
out his pocket.book, and offers her his cash.
"'Here, my dear young LADY, he says, L
am happy to be able to offer you succor. 20
to your sick father at once. Here is my card,
so that you may know my address,
She took cash and card without hesitation,
and exclaimed, overjoyed-
"A thousand thanks my kind dear sir
You shall hear from me soon, depend upon
it, sir!
With this she vanished.
"'Well, I'll be hanged, OBandel, if I
thought you were such fool ! 1 said, with
commiseration. you have been neatly done
out of fifty dollars
"You are mistaken, SAM he calmly re-
joined. This certainly was lady?
"'Bah! l have such characters to deal
with every day of my life. tell you, Jack,
know 'em. That was something too thin,
about the McFlmseys having gone into the
country to-day. :,
"'Shut up, Sam, and give me my envel'
opes.'
"'All right, here they arev And, as he
hurried off, yelled after him, when the gen.
nine Miss Moonshine comes for her money
letter, 1 will notify you instanter.'
Several days passed, but the genuine Miss
Moonshine did not appear, and the registered
letter remained in the post-otfice. My teas
ing OBandel, whenever we met here at din
ner, consequently grew rather weak.
"On the fifth day letter arrived contain
ing fifty dollars, addressed to OBandel, and
simultaneously the registered letter for Miss
Moonshine was recalled. My usual luck, by
Jupiter Jack entered soon after, demand
ing his letter, and saying, sarca>ti"aiy-
"'Do you require my Identification, Mr..
Delivery Clerk?
"'Never mind answered, coolly, "your
ugly insurance mug is sufficiently well-known
all over town.
"O'Bandel opened the letter right before
my nose, and, beside the inclosure of the fifty
dollars, he received a note from Judge Moon
shine, thanking him in the warmest terms for
the great service rendered his daughter, sta
t;no that he had hapDily recovered wishinp