Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-10-29
DEAD LETTERS.

cation would commence. Two weeks
Eut two weeks were two years of fun
t,Fo centuries Of real enjoyment, two
eteruities Of rest, compared 10 the con
slant drag. drag in that lonely business
which took up all his day hours in wors
and all his night hours in dreams. Two
weeks away from the constant reading 81
letters which were written for other eyes
than hisi How he ever got into the
Deadletter Office he couldn't say, and
how he ever staid there without growing
wild 10 the extent Of pulling out all his
hair and raniming pens into his brown
eyes he couldn't for the life Of him tel
He had staid on two years and was much
honored, IN a small way, as skillful
clerk In the department. He cOuldn'i
tell why again. In fact, his career was a
series of couldn 'ttell-whys," which
however, were the cogs Of the wheels
which kept his life agOing. Casual Oh.
server might have told why he was con.
sidered one Of the best clerks In the de-
partment, and said Observer would have
remarked that it was because be -----
Therei I've got so far without using a
name, and hoped I'd get clear through
the story without committing myself ;
bus it's no use. These pronouns are ter
ribly cxacting things, and shall have to
get a name for the be" before the last
dash or shall be unable 10 proceed any
further. Well. Tom will do, won't it.?
Toms name, and there are lots Of Toms
in Washington and several Toms in the
Dead-letter Office. Now, then. wen take
another start with Tom and the Observer.
| say that the Observer would have re-
marked that it Ego back few lines for the
Of "a itftt h1pa mac Tam
had very tender heart in his possession.
A sad thing to have tender heart when
you're dealing with persons, they say.
Tom thought 1t 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 mothers hand had buried
in the lines, had miscarried, nor would
ever reach dear sons eyes. Or perhaps
il was fathers strong call-strong in
tears and strong in love--which would
never bring back to the home-fold stray
ing daughter.
The letters Tom read with heartache,
which spread like neuralgia, and some
how flied his whole body with an untold
pain, were by the thousand year; but
bis interest in the sad cases was never
tagging, and he always made a good
push to have the letters which came
from loving hands for loved ones take
one more chance Of reaching their uesti-
nation. If Toms successes had been
each a block of granite the Washington
Monument would have been completed
over eleven months ago.
Tom was to have two weeks vacation
two weeks, commencing In two days.
He wasn't often idle; but this morning
he held one of batch Of lctters-epis-
tolary corpses--and sat 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 waiting for him among green
hills or by pleasant, shining waters.
Where should he gos Heighol He
couldn't make up his mind. With a
shake, like cat awaking, he came back
TO his work and gazed on the one letter
from many in pile before him Inc had
semLunconsciously taken up. The di.
rcction Of the letter was as follows:
Miss Cidra n. BENNETT,
50. Adams,
Vermont.
The postmark bore the name of Provi.
dencc, X. l., and date of July 20
On the other side of the envelope
was a pretty monogram Of three letters
II. III. W., or w. III. r., or III. W. f., OF
some combination, Tom couldn't decide
which. So he opened the letter and
read:
CLARA--My heart Is nigh breaking May
not come backi ] was wholly wrong; but m,
love Tor Won made me unreasonably cxacting ans
unwilling 10 yield Forgive me, for Heaven 7
cake. and say l may come 10 you. i viii wal
one week more In Providence TO hear from you
DO write. FRANK.
No date and no signature. Just like
man In lover said Tom. "The only
thing settled Is that the first letter Of
that monogram Is an Il, blue II. Tha
doesn't amount to anything. i dom
know the second letter. mean which II
is" Somehow he was led to put the let
ter one side instead of throwing IL In the
waste receptacle. He thought he'd like
to look at that monogram once more, II
was such pretty one.
Five, six, seven, eight, nine more lot
tiers read, and nothing In the shape OF
business yet. Number tenl Number
ten was IN a small, delicate hand, di
rected as follows;
50. Adams
Tsymont.
This letter bore date of July u, and
postmark Fitchburg, Mass.
Tom had quite forgotten for the mo
ment the other st. Adams letter, but q
sudden he cried out to himself: HUI
LOT st. Adams Is full of business to-day!
He then opened and read;
MY DEAR FRANK-I only nope you have gone
back TO 81. Albans, for Heaven alone knows how
eise this may reach you take my only chance
II seems to me, left FOR happiness. must wri %
since my heart will not lot me sit longer and feet
on my own sorrow without breaking, Dear, ~ 9
Won went away from me on that sad sad night
not one moment Of peace no day when song y 4
pleasant To hear, no day when could sit SILENT,
clad. has come 10 me. Only longing for YOU,
Vas proud aud angry that YOU could not tIns
me; and though could easily have explained
wc,Id not. T. for that short half hour, believed
IcouId bear everything since I bore yopr hnrsi
words (as they then seemed. Nov know wa,
one word To saw you forgive me. and, II you can
say YOU still love Incs Shall ! never sec yo a
AGAIN. Dear heart, l was never any.hing . on
fr,,e 70 Won, and that can show you u you VII
come ID me or let mo write TO you; VIII you mo-