The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-11-04
DEAD LETTERS.

vacation would commence. Two weeksl
But two weeks we're two years of fun,
two centuries Of real enjoyment, two
eternities of rest, compared to the con.
stant drag, drag, in that lonely bust.
ness which took up all his day hours
in work, and all his night hours in
dreams. Two weeks away from the
constant reading of letters which were
written for other.eyes than his How
he ever got into the Dead Letter Office
he couldn' say, and how he ever staid
there without growing wild to the ex-
tent of pulling out all his hair and
ramming pens into bis brown eyes, he
conldu't fnr the life of him tell. He
had staid on two wears, and was much
honored, 10 a small way, as a skillful
clerk IN the department. He couldn't
tell why again. In fact, his career
was series of "couldn't. tell-whys," +"
which, however, were the eogs to the
wheels which kept his life agoipg.
Casual Observer might have told why
he was considered one of the best
clerks iu the department, and said
Observer might have remarked that it
was because he There I've got just
SO far without using name, and |
hoped I'd get clear through the story
without committing myself; but its
no use. These pronouns are terribly
exaciing things, and | shall have to
get a name FIR the "he" before the
last dash, or | shall he unable to pro-
ceed any further. Well, Tom will do,
won't it f? Toms name, and there are
lots nf Toms in Washington, and sew
al Toms in the Dead Letter Office.
Now, then, well take another start
with Tom and the Observer
l say that the Observer would have
remarked that it Ego back few lines
for the explanation of the "it") was
because Tom had a very tender heart
in his possession. A sad thing tn have
a tender heart when you're dealing
with persons, they say. Tom thought it
was. sadder when dealing with letters.
He would choke fifty times each day
while reading some earnest, heartfelt
epistle which, despite the love and
fidelity mother's hand had buried in
the lines, had miscarried, nor would
ever reach dear sons eyes. Or per-
haps it was fathers strong call
strong in tears and strong in love
which would never bring back to the
home fold straying daughter.
The letters Tom read with a heart.
ache, which spread like neuralgia, and
somehow filled his whole body with an
untold pain, were by the thousand a
year; but his interest in the sad cases
was never tagging, and he always
made good push to have the letters
which came from loving hands for
loved ones take one more chance OF
reaching their destination If Toms
successes had each been a block ol
granite. the Washington Monument
would have been Completed over elev.
Gu months ago. EErs4
Tom was to have two weeks vaca.
tion -two weeks, commencing in two
days. He wasn't often idle; but this
morning he held one Of batch Of let
ers-epistolatory corpses-and sal
thinking of any thing but his work
Where should he go in vacation
There was no mother or brother, or
sister waiting for him to come home
There were no kisses Of welcome wait
ing for him among green hills, or by
pleasant. shining waters. Where should
he gof Heigho! He couldn't make up
has mind. With shake, like a cal
awaking, he came back to his work
and gazed on the one letter from many
, in a pile before him he had semi .uncon
sciously taken up. The direction oI
the letter was as follows:
.gs, Mss Clara r. bennett, ana
st. Adams,
Vermont.
The post bore the name o.
Providence, Rhode Island, aud date
Of July 20. On the other side of the
envelope was pretty monogram o.
three letters, F. Ii. w. or w. II. f..
or Ii. w. F or some combination
Tom could, decide which. So he open
the letter and read;
"CLARA,-My heart is nigh break
ing. May | not come back? | wa'
wholly wrong; but my love for you
made me unreasonably exacting ano
unwilling 10 yield. Forgive me, fol
Heavens sake, aud say | may come
to you. / will wait for one weeK NOR,
in Providence to hear from you. ID,
write. FRANK"
eNo date aud no signature. Jus
like man in Lowell" said Tom. The
only thing settled is that the first let
ter of that monogram is an F., blu,
4. That deesn't amount TO amy thing
| don't know the second letter