The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-11-26
LEONARD WATSON.
What he Found I'm the POst-OHRce.
BY AMY GRAHAM.

r bedrooms, writing busily; sometime
' the blue eyes filed with mirth, as thu
; rapid pen jotted down some odd con
ceit. or queer expression; again sht
would toss back her bright curls, anC
saucy smile would cross her little
mouth, as mischief flowed from the
small golden point of her weapon
One after another, the little sheet,
of note paper was filled with dainty
characters, folded, and slipped into
the snowy envelopes. Suddenly the
pretty writer paused. Resting hel
little dimpled chin on her hand, she
sank into reverie; the blue eyes lost
their smiling light, the rosy mouth
folded into sweet, earnest gravity, as
she sat buried in thought.
eff l only dared, she whispered
eff | only dared" Then, with quick
impulse, she selected sheet of paper
somewhat larger than those she had
been using, and began to write again,
not as before, merry and careless, but
with deep earnestness,, the rapid pen
evidently tracing words of grave
import and weight Once she paused,
and, folding her little hands, raised
her eyes in prayer. AS she sealed the
long letter, she did what she had
neglected before-directed it, in a
clear pretty hand, and then placed it
carefully in her writing-desk. Again
she continued her task, sometimes a
scrap of verse, fancy quotation, or
even an address, filled the sheet, but
oftener little graceful note was writ
ten and folded. She was still busy,
when laughing voices in the hall
made her pause.
"Come right up, girls, am in my
room," she called.
And in answer to the summons four
gay bellies of Claireville came dancing
into the room with GLOW many have
you written, Amy?"
"Oh, ever so many l don't know.
Let me see yours"
And a shower of snowy billets fell
from eight white hands into her lap,
while the four girls eagerly opened
and read the missives upon the table.
"We've sold every ticket" cried
Leonora Darcy, the brunette, whose
charms had set half Claireyille in fer
ment.
''All!". said Amy. ''The hall will be
packed!"
eyes," said pretty Mabel Lee" and
everybody says the post-Office will be
the most attractive feature of our
fair am so glad you suggested it,
Amy. And if it was late, we've got a
good pile of letters written"
'"There," said Amy, signing a note
with "Gabriella," in the most minute
character, "there's my last sheet of pa
per and my last ounce of brains.
I'm utterly exhausted"
''But, Amy, you won't feel exhaust
ed to morrow" said demure Susy
Jones, "when we hand dear Mr..
Rivers nice sum of money to help re-
build the parsonage"
"That dreadful fire! !" said Amy,
shuddering. ''Mother says she don't
approve of fairs generally; but when
ones minister is burned out, and the
money won't come in fast any other
way, why she'll bake cakes and make
pincushions with the best of us"
'EAnd then, you know" said Mabel, |
earnestly, "there will be no rafting or
cheating, and the articles are all pref
ty, and good of their kind"
"Girls, is it not time to dress?"
said Susy, consulting a wee watch at
her belt; eve open at seven"
'The tables are all ready"
"True, but it is after five now, and
everybody wants time for at least ONE
extra touch to their finery, when they
must face all Claireville,"
Scatter, them" said Amy, laugh
ing. 'ERun home, all of you! Leave
the letters here; l will take care of
them. I am to be postmistress, you
know"
"Not a bit of it," said Leonora
"You are only to sit in the back
ground and direct the envelopes,
which l will deliver to anxious in
quirers."
"Whew! how important we are"
was the merry answer. And the laugh
ing group dispersed.
The large hall of Claireville was
brilliantly Illuminated when, two hours
later, the young girls announced all in
readiness for opening the doors.
The pretty tables, tasteful decora-
tons, and groups of lovely girls made
no mean picture, and Clairsville walked
about, admired, and, above all, pur-
chased to the full content of the fair
riginators of the entertainment.
hidden away from sight by the full
fdds of a curtain, Amy sat shrined in
tie postofice, answering Leonoras call
fof letters. Busy excitement had flush
ed her fair cheeks, and, as her pen
trac ID familiar names, one after anOth-
er, niles chased each other over lips
and ives. Suddenly call from Nora
madeher turn pale; her fingers trem-
bled "a she drew from her bosom the
letter The had written with a prayer.
1t was fully directed, yet she hesitated,
holding it as if reluctant to let it go.
"Come, Amy. Is there nothing for
Mr.. Leonard Watson2" cried Leonora.
The letter was slipped through the
appointed place in the curtain, and
Amy drew quick breath of appre-
hension as she heard the manly voice
that said, "Thank you, Miss Darcy"
off he is angry!" she whispered
ETf ba Sbou1d no aDrrv9"