Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-03-25
Miscellany.
The Wrong Letter.
BY wM. II. BUSBEY.


frame of mind. The steady, cold ram
had kept many people at home, and he
had had a seat in the car all the way down,
a something that did not occur very often
With his whiskers still damp from the
short walk from the point where he left
the car to his office, with his fee. comfort.
ably near the fire in the CRATE, with drafts,
money-orders, and bank notes. turning uT
frequently in his letters, Mr.. Olson was
happier, possibly than if no storm had
been raging outside. The contrast caused
him to feel delightfully."- secure in his com.
fort. aud he smoked his morning cigar
and leisrrcly read letter after letter.
Mr.. Olson was an enthusiastic and en-.
ereetis business mao. but there were times
when he liked TO take things easy, and
this morning was one Of them. He could
not recall a morning. as he read letter
enclosing check for fifty dollars. wher
he had felt more inclined to take his ease
or enjoy lis cigar and fire and easy chair
The next letter opened lazily, with eyes
half shut, did no coutain any money, and
the opcuiog words, MY Dear Husband,
caused "A general change Of attiiute on tho
part Of the reader.
Mistake. Not for me-" thought Mr.
Olson. as he looked again at the addres,
on the envelope. Yes it is. John o.
son, Esq plair as the nose on mans
face. And Olson is not common name
Our family was the only one in our state
in the East, and since we came here, sew.
en- or eight mouths ago, have not heard o
man of the name. Let's look at the sig
nature"
This was the tenor of Mr. Olson
thoughts, as be took up the letter again
turned to the last page and read, " You
Loving Wife, Mary J Olson"
My wifc's name. What's my wife
writing to me for ?" questioned the man
in confused way, and for the moment en-
tcrtaining only the thought that the lettel
was from his wife, he was reading:
b" My DEAR HUSBAND: | have not thu
heart to write much. 1t is all trouble
here. l am distressed beyond endurance
The men came. last night. and took away
the sewing machine, aud talked horribly
to H,c because | insisted we had paic
twenty dollars, when they said we had
paid ony five. am sure you told me
twenty. neve, thought men could tall
to me as they did. Then the man who
owns the house abused nj e and lhreatene,
me, and even our old butcher and grocer
have bullied and insuIted me. have nc
money NOT cent when l pay the pos
tage on this letter--and there is scarcely
a thing 10 the house to eat. | tried t.
pawn my bracelets and pin this morning
and the man offered me three dollars fol
them, and you know they cost fifty. Anc
he bullicd me, and thought | should &C
distracted. Oh! i, is terrible, JohL.
don't see why all the bad luck comes to us
while Others prosper. wish | was dead
that's what do. Do send ME little
money, if it's only dollar, and tell me
what to do v Your Loving Wife.
MARY j. Olson.
Mr.. John Olson, of the easy office chair
was shocked beyond measure. He pushed
the letters with money aside for his book
! keeper. and thinking the nan to whom the
lotter was addressed must be found imme.
dia,ely (Mr. Olson had resolved TO 60 tc
him, explain how the letter came into bis
possession, and telp him, if need be), he
called
Mr.. Bradford, take the directory and
see how many Olsons there are in town,
will your"
Mr.. Bradford, from behind his high
desk, in the next room, said . Yes. sir,
aud there was quiet. Mr.. Olson had
been married two years. Here was a
woman who wrote almost as good hand
as his wife--in fact. the writing of the
two was very much alke--destitute and
desperate. He could not imagine what
his wife would do under like circumstan-
ces, and yet. with bankrupt firms all about
him, he understood that present prosperity
afforded little guarantee. against poverty.
He absolutely shivered as he thought of
the little woman who had followed him to
the door that morning to kiss him and eau
tion him about going down the steps, and
about getting on the cars-he shivered as
he thought Of her, destitute and desperate.
and subjected to rudepess, and he was
shaking his fist. mentally, at the offending
lrufhaps, when the crisp voice Of Mr.. Brad