The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-02
From the Detroit Free Press.l
WAITING FOR LETTER.
Correspondence which Enlisted
the Sympathics of Many Kind
Hearts.

You see people at the post office, soon
recognize faces and names, and after a man
or woman has appeared at the general de-
livery window three or four times they are
pretty well known. 1t is q real pleasure
to hand out letters to some, while the clerks
care little for the calls of others to get hold
of their epistes.
One day year or two ago funny looking
little old woman, wearing faded garments,
but having tidy appearance and mother
ly face, appeared at the window'and asked
for letter. There was one for her sent
from distant city, and any one could have
told that an unlearned boy directed the en-
velope. There was a little sd in Detroit"
with big "T' at the end of the word, and
it seemed wonderful that the letter ever
reached its destination.
The old lady felt so good that, tears in
her eyes yet trying hard to smile, she put
her hand into the window and said
"Thanks! It's from my boy Dan. and
you don't know how much good it does
me-"
The lady delivery clerk rose up to look
after the old woman, and when second
letter came she was looking and watching
for ''mother' whole day before the letter
was passed out.
It's from my little Dan again." cried the
old woman rs she noted the superscrip-
ton. Giles in Buffalo learning trade.
He's only bit of boy and there wasn't
show for him in Detroit, and besides he
was running out nights and going to the
bad. sent him away and he's working
hard and trying to be good. God bless my
Dan I'm lone widow with only him to
love, and l hope he'll be good ~
81 hope so, too" added the clerk, and
times the letters were far between, and
when the old woman would worry over the
delay, and the big tears would fall, the
lady would almost shed tears with her.
Smother" would open her letters at the
window. and if Dan was feeling bravo
hearted and getting along well both would
rejoice, while both would still be anxious
if he complained and was discouraged.
Almost every week for year and half
the old lady received letter, and just as
regularly she came to post au answer. She
wrote in quaint old hand; but the boy
could make out every word, and once when
he wrote that her writing was improving
she felt all the pride which school girl
could have shown. He improved as we'll
BY and by he wrete Detroit plain and
fair, and he took extra pains to commence
his "dear mother" with grand flourish, and
| to add something extra after the words:
"Your son Dan"
Those letters were food and drink to the
old lady, and she seemed to actually grow
younger. Little Dan had many friends In
the post office, and had the mother been
i'll any carrier would have hunted till mid
night to find her and hand her the long
looked for letter. Three or four weeks
ago when she opened her letter she wept
and smiled as over the first. Dan wrote
| = h.,x Co,
her heart was full. She said she'd have
the cottage looking like new for him, and
she'd be at the depot towelcome him first
of all. Everybody felt glad with her, and
the lady clerk was to go up some evening
and have tea with her and see little Dan
and praise and encourage him, for the
more kind words boy can have the better
will he seek to do.
There was no letter the next Thursday
but the two excused its absence by saying
that Dan was getting ready to come home.
That was early in February, and he was TO
come about the LIST of March. The next
Tuesday there was letter, but the hand
writing was not little Dams; 1t was a
strange, business hand and the clerk felt Il
chill go over her as she turned it over 1t
might be good news, but she feared not
"Mother" came in at the regular hour,
and she turned pale as she took the envcl-
ope. Her fingers trembled as she opened it,
and she had to wipe the mist out of her
eyes before she could decipher word. She
hadn't read over four or five words when she
uttered moan and sank right down, like
one crushed by some awful weight. They
lifted her up and took her home, the letter
clasped in her stiff fingers, though she came
out OF the faint after while, her heart was
broken and in week she was in her
grave.
Dan was dead The letter said that he
had been taken suddenly i'll, and that moth
ing could save him. The blow was too
heavy for one with her gray hair and child
ish heart, and the little cattage is without
tenant.
No more letters commencing "Dear
Mother come for the dead and the trem-
bling hands which used to linger tondly
over the words, "Aly dear Dan," are fold
ed over lifeless breast, there to rest till the
angels unclasp them.