The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-07-14
THE STOLEN LETTER.

One rainy night, about half-past eight
O'clock, the train had dashed into Nc
kibb ems Corners, and tho mail had
BEER delivered at the store and post
Off ce.
John Fairiohn, the postmaster, had
opened the bag and counted the letters.
There were, as he made out, Just ten,
and one was larger than the others and
had red seal and then he had found
that he had left his glasses on the news
paper in the back room, and without his
glasses he could not read line; and 80,
of course, he had gone after them, re-
turning to find two persons in the store
Farmer Roper and Squire McKibben,
whose ancestors had given name to the
place.
:, Wet, amt ita" said Mr.. Fairjohu,
nodding.
"Wet or not, our folks amt going to
do without their groceries, you see, -
said the squire. "AIails in, see. That
train came near running into my truck,
too. Wasn't 't-noticing the flag, and drove
across just in time to save myself. Any
letters for me2'
"I'n see," said Mr.. Fairjohn.
He turned to the little pile of envel-
opes, and told them over in his hand like
deck of cards.
"Why there's only nine," he said.
I'm sure counted right. I counted
ten, and thought one had red seal. I
might as well give up keeping the Office
IL I'm going to lose my senses like that
There wasn't any one in here while I
was gone, was there, squirrel"
"Only Roper and 1, said the squire,
"and Roper's son. But he didn't come
In, did he2"
,,,:s :"No," o said aid old Roper; - II dom
went off somewhere"
"Well," said the postmaster, after an
other search, "well, must be mistaken.
Yes, there is 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
pAss7"
"Oh, no." said farmer Roper. "Give
it to me. That's from Smith that's
clerking it in New York, reckon. Can't
get any of 'em to stay and farm"
/ "Your son Job did," said the squire.
"Oh, my son Job. He'd Try the
patience Of his namesake," said Farmer
Roper. "My sou Job, BAH"
Just at this moment the door of the
store opened, and there entered at it
little woman dressed in a cheap calico,
and wrapped in 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 that
of a frightened child, said:
Mr.. Fairjohn, is there any letter for
me this time ?"
The postmaster, who was little deaf,
had turned his head away and did not
know that she had entered, and she
came closer to the counter and the light
upon it before she spoke again. She
was q fa.ed 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
clustering under the faded calico hood,
and in the little round, dimpled chin
absolutely childlike even yet.
"Is there letter for me this time,
Mr.. Fairjohn 2" she said again; and this
time the postmaster looked up.
"No, there amt; and you're a fool
for taking such walk to ask" said he,
with rough kindness. Wouldn't have
sent it if it had come, Mrs. Lestera"
"Well, you see, felt in a hurry to
get it, said she. "You can't blame me
for being in hurry, it's 30 long"
"That's true said the postmaster.
"Well, better luck next time. But
why QOu . you WalG Mf. mCh1DDen
will take you over when he goes. He
passes your corner"
eyes, wait, Mrs. Lester" cried Mr..
McKibben, "I'n take ye and welcome.
But she had answered:
"Thank you. 1 don't mind walking"
and was gone.
"Keeps it up, don't shes" asked the
postmaster.
"It's shame" said Mr.. McKibben.
went off 2"
"Ten," said the postmaster. 81
know, for it was the day came here.
She was as pretty woman as you'd
want to see then, wasn't she 2"
"Well, yes" said Mr.. McKibben.
"Sailed in the Sphynx," +" said the post
master. And we all know that the
Sphynx went down in that voyage, all
hands along with her. The rest Of the
women put on widows weeds, them that
lost husbands-four in this town itself
They took what the Almighty sent and
didn't rebel. She set up that her hus-
band wasn't dead, aud would come back.
She's kept it up ever since; comes for
his letter regular, and he was drowned
along with oil the rest, Of course, ten
years ago. She must be thirty. Well,
she's changed good deal in that time. u
eyes," said the other man; "but