Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-27

along Off l may use the expression without the
necessity of doing anything mental or otherwise
for livelihood; but l may surely say that such q
pOsIDOn. Delng regarded BY the world as an al
vantage. would give you q certain influence and
certain means likely 10 De of assistance TO you IN
your efforts TO obey the generous instincts have
always greatly admired in you. External graces
to recommend me. I am fully conscious l have
none: my lOOking-glass tells me so with cruel
plainness, and fear that am equally badly of
Tor any kind OF personal merits. unless. indeed.
there be some small merit in having recognized
and devoted myself to the best. the lOyeieSt. the
sweetest Of her sex. On Eleanor. have pity
upon me and make me happy forever. Each
hour viii be hundred years a. I wait for the
fatal Sth. | shall have nv luggage all ready: and
If by the morning Of the StL / receive no letter
from You. snali accept my destiny II silent ue-
spair and start forthwith for Jericho. shall re
turn, if indeed l do return. by way OF Africa
where. If l do not court, [ shall certainly
not shun. the deadly weapon Of the savage and
the deadlier fever of his climate: and should we
meet il future days. pray behave 10 me as II this
long letter had never been written-as if there
had never been anything but friendship between
US. Believe me to be. my dearest Eleanor (for
must write ii again. your most passiOnarely at
tached and devoted admirer, lover. and-in any
Case-friend. JOHN ByGRAyE.
Mrs. Twillett was quite overcome. She
kissed the blOOd-red letter over and over
again; and she Whimpered, as the tears
tTickled UNDECIDED down her cheeks:
His face, the darling, what did l care
for his face? But I'd no notion he had
so m-m-much as fif-ff-ffteen hun
dred a year Of his own. But what does
it all mean?"
And she turned for explanation to the
other letter, which ran as follows:
SHADY FARM Nav 20. IS.
Mr.. PlOwman presents his compliments TO
Miss Russell. Though l haven't the pleasure Of
knowing you, Miss thought il my duty to for
ward the letter, and hope ii viii be III time.
The way It came 10 Shady Farm was singular.
Excuse my mentioning tOp-dTeSsing in cOnneC-
ton with a lady, but having had a load OF the
same down lately from London. and being at
work putting it on The four-acre field, we found
the letter quite accidentally right among the
dressing. We thought. considering what the let
ter had gone through. ii might be the better for a
good soaking and disiufecting Hoping you'll
find il not much the worse, remain. yours re-
spectfully, THosAs PLowMAN.
There must have been some dreadful
mistake somewhere" muTmured Mrs.
Twillett: and as the strange fate of
poor BygTavc's proposal presented
itself wildly before her, herscbs became
mingled with screams Of laughter, until
her experienced maid, correctly surmis-
ing Mysteries, appeared unsummoned,
and brought her to-" So that Mrs.
Twillett was quite calm and had re-
moved all traces of the letters by the
time Mr.. Twillett came home.
While Bygrave was absent the eduCa-
ton Of Thomas had been proceeding,
and had soon arrived at such pitch that
he knew the difference between the two
kinds of pillar-boXes: one for letters,
and One-called street orderly bin
for all manner of dirt and refuse in
Fleet street; and many bitter tears did
Thomas consequently weep during his
kind masters absence. No sooner did
Bygrave return than Thomas, now al
most rid Of his rustic dialect, requested
an audience, which was granted.
Well, Thomas" said Bygrave kindly,
what is it,"
PLEASE, sir" replied Thomas, as pale
as a ghost and shivering with emotion,
" | put that letter in the dust-bin."
What letter, and what dust-bin?"
asked BygTave, with u stare of blank
amaZement.
1.-The letter you give me to post just
afore you went away, sir" blubbered
Thomas.
"Han' cried Bygrave, fercely, as his
memory returned, and his face, almost
blackened by sun and weather, grew
stern and rigid; "what did you say you
did with it,"
Put it in the dust-bin, sir" repeated
Thomas, in low but distinct voice.
"The boys mad" muttered Bygrave
why" he continued, in a loud voice,
/ saw you post it myself; at least |
saw you go almost up to the pillar-boX
and -"
"The wrong pillar-boX, sir, please"
interrupted Thomas with moan.
y
starting up from his seat and clenching
his fist, "you don't mean to say you put
it in"
I" Yes, sir, yes" said Thomas with
fearful eagerness, and approaching as if
blow" in the pillar-boX where the rub
bish is put"
you've spoilt my whole life, Thorn
as, said Bygrave hoarsely. " What dye
think you deserye?"
"Killin', sir, KILN" responded Thorn,
as with a sob, but with an honest, earn
est, fearless look into his masters face :;
that's what | deserve"
"Then consider yourself killed, my
boy" rejoined Bygrave with sad smile,
unclenching his fist and laying his hand
on the boys shoulder cit was more
y
to me that anybody could mistake one
for the other; but ought to have recol-
lected that you were quite stranger,
and might never have seen what the
street orderly bins were used for. And,
when l come to think of it, they are
rather like the letter-boXes. It's all
right, Thomas; you may 60"
And, signing heavily, Bygrave sat
down and wept. Don't think it unmanly
or unphilosophical of him. He had, at
any rate, behaved as philosophically to-
ward Thomas as the great Sir Isaac to-
ward Diamond.
But it must be acknowledged that
e the wrong pillar-boX" has established
curious relations between three people
who are liable to meet pretty frequently
in society" -Chambers Journal.
Eorf