The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-06-10
HIS LETTER.

One rainy night, about half-past eight
o'clock, the train had dashed into Nc
Kibben's Corners, and the mail had
been delivered at the store and Post
office.
John Fairjohn, the Postmaster, had
opened the bag and counted b letters.
There were, as he made out, Just ten,
and one was larger than the others, and
had a red seal and then he had found
that he had left his glasses on the news
in the back room, and without his
glasses he could not read a line ; and so,
of course, he had gone after them, re-
turning to find two persons in the store
Farmer Roper and Squire NcKibben,
whose ancestors had given name to the
place.
"Wet, amt it2" said Mr.. Fairiohn,
nodding.
"Wet or not, our folks amt going to
do without their groceries, you see" said
the Squire. "Mail's in, I see. That
train came near running into my truck,
too. Wasn't noticing the flag, and drove
across just in time to ave myself. Any
letters for mel"
"In see - said Mr.. Fairjohn.
He turned to the little pile of envel-
opes, and told them over in his handike
a deck of cards.
"Why, there's only nine," he said.
"Tm sure I counted right. I counted
ten, and 1 thought one had a red seal. I
might as well give up keeping the office
if I'm going to lose my senses like that.
There wasn't anyone In here while L was
gone, was there, Squirrel"
"Only Roper and l." said the Squire,
"and Roper's son. But he didn't come
in, did he n"
"No," said old Roper, "I don't think
that Job came in at all. He just went
off somewhere"
"Wen," said the Postmaster, after
another search, "Well, I must be mis-
taken. Yes, there is a letter for you
your folks, anyway-and something for
you, Mr.. Roper. And you wouldn't mind
tossing that in at the Smiths as you
pass?"
"Oh, no." said Farmer Roper. "Give
it to me. That's from Smith that's
clerking it in New York, I reckon.
Can't get any of 'em to stay and farm.
"Your son Job did," said the Squire.
sob, my son Job. He'd try the pa
thence of his namesake," said Farmer
Roper. "My son Job, ball."
Just at this moment the door of the
store opened, and there entered at it q
little woman dressed in a cheap calico
and wrapped in a thin and faded shawl
She looked timidly about the store,
still more timidly at the heap of letters.
and then, in an appealing voice like thai
of a frightened child, said
"Mr. Fairjohn, is there any letter fol
me this time 2"
The Postmaster, who vas a little deaf
had turned his head away and did no
know that she had entered, and she came
closer to the counter and the light upor
it before she spoke again. She was
faded little woman, and her face had
signs of grief written upon it, but she
was neither old nor ugly yet, and there
was something in the damp curls cluster
ina under the faded calico hood, and IL
the little round, dimpled chin, absolutely
child-like even yet.
SIS there a letter for me this time
Mr.. Fairjohn2" she said again and thu
time the Postmaster looked up.
"No, there amt /; and you're a foo
for taking such a walk to ask" said he
with rough kindness. wouldn't ,
have sent it if it had a-come, Mrs. Les
teri"
"Well, you see, I felt in a hurry +
get it." said she. "You can't blam
me for being in a hurry, it's so long"
"That's true" said the Postmaster
"WeTl, better luck next time. But VIII,
don't you wait? Mir. McKibben wi
take you over when he goes. He passe
your corner.
eyes, wait Mrs. Lester" cried MI
McKibben, "IH take We, and welcome.
But she had answered.:
"Thank you. 1 don't mind walking,
and was gone.
"Keeps it up, don't shei" asked tn
Postmaster.
"IFsa SHAME said Mr.. McKibber
Chow many years is it since Leste
went off"
"Ten," said the Postmaster. {"
know, for it was the day I came here
She was as pretty a woman as you'd WAL
to see then, wasn't she2"
"Well, yes" said Mr.. McKibben.
"Sailed in the Sphynx," said the Pos
master. "And we all know that til
Sphynx went down in that voyage, a
hands along with her. The rest of til
women put on widows weeds, them thu
lost husbands-four in this town -itsel
They took what the Almighty sent, an
didn't rebel. She set up that her hui
band wasn't dead, and would come bacl
Shes kept it up ever since; comes fc
his letter regular, and he was browne
along with all the rest, of course, te
years ago. She must be thirty. We
she's changed a good deal In that time.
eyes" said the other man; butthere
my son Job wild over her yet. He
offered himself twice. He stands read
to offer himself again any day-r ready t
be a father to her boy, and a good hui
band to her. He's better off than
be. His mothers father left him all /
had. He's crazy as Job-crazy, 1 ca
it. Plenty of pretty gals, and health
smart widows, and he sees no one b.
that pale, slim, little thing that's ju
gone out into the mud and she-wh,
of course, she's lost her senses, or she
have him. Works like q slave to kee
herself and the child, lives in a ricket
shanty, waiting and waiting for
drowned man to come back again. VIII,
every n knows Charlie Lester W;
drowned in the Sphynx. There WASH
a soul saved, not ne. It was in the d
pers. Now, the bottle was found vii
letter in it writ by some one Just b
fore the ship sunk. And she's waltz
for him yeti"
"Crazy On that point" said the Pos
master. swell, poor soul, she'd on.
been married a week when the Sphy1
sailed; that makes a difference"
sob, yes" said the farmer,