Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-05-21
" Little DAN"
THE LETTER WHICH BROKE A MOTHER!
HEART.

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HEART.
You see. the people at the post-office
soon recognize faces and names, and af
ter man or woman has appeared three
or four times at the general delivery
window they are pretty we'll known. Ii
is real pleasure to some, while the
clerks care little for the calls Of others
to get hold of their epistles.
One day, a year or two ago, a funny
looking, little old woman, wearing faded
garments, but having tidy look and a
motherly face, appeared at the window
and asked for letter. There was one
Tor her, sent from distant city, and
any one could have told that an unlearn-
ed boy directed the envelope. There was
little I'D !" in Detroit, with a big IT"
to end the word, and it seemed wonder
iul that the letter ever reached its desti-
nation.
The old lady felt so good that, tears
came IN her eyes and yet trying hard to
smile,' she put her head into the window
and said
"Thanksl 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 whole day before the letter
was passed out
:" Its from my little Dan again, " cried
the old woman as she noted the SUPER
scrlptlon. He's in Buffalo, learning a
trade. He's only bit of a 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 a lone
widow with only him to love, and / hone
he'll be good"
hope so, too, added the clerk, and
after that the two were friends
Sometimes the letters were far between
and when the old lady would worry over
the delay, and the big tears would fall,
The lady would almost shed tears with
ner. Mother " would open her letters
At the window of the office, and if Dan
was feeling brave-hearted and getting
llong well, both would rejoice while
both would still be anxious if he COM
blamed and was discouraged.
Almost every week for year and
lalf the old lady received a letter and
ust as regular she came to post reply
She wrote in quaint old hand, but the
10Y could make out every word, and
nee when he wrote that her WRITING
vas improving, she felt all the pride
winch school girl could have shown
lie improved as well. By and by he
wrote Detroit plain and fair, and
ook extra pains to commence his Dear
'lother " with a grand flourish and
id something extra after the words
your son Dam
Those letters were food and drink to
he old lady, and she seemed actually to
row younger. Little Dan had many
1ends in the post-office, and had his
lother been i'll, any carrier would have
united till midnight to find her and
and her the looked for letter Three
four weeks ago, when she opened her
liter she wept and smiled, as over the
rst Dan wrote he was coming home I
II a week, and her heart was full. She ,
I'D shed have the cottage looking like .,
ew for him, and would be at the depot
welcome him frstof all. Eyerybodv B
1t glad with her, and the lady clerk u
as to go up some evening and have
"A with her and see little Dan, and praise
nd encourage him, for the more kind -
ords alloy can have, the better he will z
k to do. d
There was no letter the next Tuesday 3;