Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-03-11
THE LETTER CARRIER.

THE LETTER CAERlEA'
"Yes, ma'am, we carriers read a
great deal of history in our rounds {;
and since these postals ha' come up,
YOU see it's somewhat palmer to us
than it used to be. Sometimes we
have to wait so long at the doors that
we have plenty of time to pass away,
and so, as reading is an innocent way
of passing ones time, we pass it that
way maam.
"What was the most curious story
we ever read in our letters? Well,
about the saddest thing that ever
came under my notice was this: l
had been on the G., street route some
two wears. In that time carried a
great deal of mail to No, 2l6. Every
week there was one neat little letter,
postmarked, Bethlehem directed
in schoolgirls hand, and generally
the day those letters came, the lady
of the house was at the window, anx-
ious and eager like to get them.
About holiday time one bore on the
outside, in large letters, Just seven
teenl one more week and hurrah'
The lady took it from me at the door,
smiled when she saw the girllsh post
scrint and said to me-
MY daughter is glad to leave
school, You see. She don't know
school has Just begun
"Not very long afterward a rosy
checked, bright-eyed girl used to
watch at the window for letters and
then the letters watched for were
directed in a bolder hand, and post
marked. New Haven college
there, you know l used to find
letters-heavy ones tom the
school girl hand. in the mall.box at
the corner about that time. | knew
what it meant, and used to like to
tease her little, and pretend there
was none for her sometimes, Just to
see her eve, light up, and the rose
blush come in her cheeks, when l
handed the letter to her at last.
One day there was no letter. l
felt sorry myself when | remember
ed it was tie first time he had missed,
and | knew there would be no smile
nor blush for me that morning. But
| did not know what | was to see IN
stead. As passed the window she
saw my grave face, and, looking out,
laughed, and gave little toss ct the
head, while beside her sat as hand
some young fellow as ever L saw,
who but the writer of her letters, to
be sure?
"The next spring | carried away
from that house a great bundle of
white wedding looking invitations, to
post. 'Ha, ha = thought |, 'schoo!
lis begun, and | know who the school
master will be-
"But | didn't; for one morning,
not many days after, as | came up
the street, saw a boy with a book
and a yellow envelope standing at No:
2I6; and as passed the door, | heard
a shrill scream, and saw my sweet,
pretty little schoolgirl, lying on her
mothers bosom with telegram in
her hand.
"The papers next day were full of
a terrible accident, by rail, on the
New Haven road, and among the
list of killed, read the name | had
so often read on the letters | posted
from the mail box on the corner.
School began with a grim master for
the pretty little girl at No. 2l6;
"Postals, ma'am, are funny things.
| delivered postal the other day,
written in a woman's hand. 1t said at
the close, Don't tell soul, and |
knew all about when 1t was to come
OFT. We come across some sharp ones
occasionally; for instance. Pay me
my bill, or III expose you! That
was sent to Mr.. Thomas Rand. |
hope he pal his bill to save exposure.
ats curious to watch the receipt Of
rejected MSS. | always feel sort
o'sorry when | have bulky parcels to
deliver, with Harper Bros, or 'Peo-
pies Monthly on it. | know it
means 'Unavailable,' Sorry to be
Obliged etc. ; for, you see, I've had
some of them come direct to ME, and
| know how it is myself.
Il once took such a package to n
house in little street down town,
and | shan't ever forget the express
ion that came into the girls eyes who
took 1t. from my hand-it was such a
disappointed, despairng, hopeless
look. rcouldn't helpit. lust said to
her then, Never mind, little one try
somewhere else; don't get discour-
aged yet
">he looked up into my face, and
answered with brighter look, Thank
you, sir; | will
1T was not many weeks after that
l carried a misunderstanding letter to
the same party. Wait said she
when she saw the name, you ought
to know this And she showed me a
ME. little check from one of the