The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-03-26
II" Little Dam"

I You see, the people at Inc pOstOhC
q soon recognize faces and nalsles, an
after man or woman has appeared {
+ the general-deli very window three {
, four times they are pretty we'll know
It is real pleasure to hand ont letter
to some, while the clerks care little fo
! the calls of others to get hold of thei
epistles.
One day year or two ago + funny
looking little old woman, wearing fade
garments, but having tidy look and
motherly face, appeared at ths windo1
and asked for letter. There$Was on
for her, sent from a distant city, ant
any one could have told thai an un
learned boy directed the envelope
There was a little SD" in Detroit,
with big "T" to end the word, ant
it seemed wonderful that the letter eve
reached it's destination. /;
The old lady felt so good that, tear
in her eyes and yet trying hard tt
smile, she put her head into thu window
and said: !
Thanks It's from my boy Dan
and you don't know how much good il
does me |"
The lady delivery clerk rose up tc
look after the old woman, and when &
second letter came she was LOCKING and
watching for "mother" whole day
before the letter was passed OFT,
"It's from my little Dan: again, u
cried the old woman as she noted the
superscription. "He's in Buffalo,
learning trade. He's only aS bit of a
boy and there WASH show fdr him in
Detroit, and beside he was rul.ning out
nights and going to the badt I sent
him away and he's working bard and
trying to be good, God bless by Dan
I'm lone widow with only hira to love,
and hope he'll be good ~
'I hope so, too, added the clerk and
after that the two we're friends Some
times the letters were far between,
and when the old woman would worry
over the delay, and the big te&rs would
fall, the lady would almost sized tears
with her. ''Mother" would open her
letters at the window, and if Dan was
feeling brave hearted and getting along
we'll both would rejoice, while both
would still be anxious ii he complained
and was discouraged.
Almost every week for O. year and half
the old lady received a letter. and just
as regularly she came to post an an
swer. She wrote in a quaint old hand,
but the boy could make out every word,
and once when he wrote that her writ
ing was improving she felt all She pride
which school girl could havv shown.
He improved as well. By aad by he
wrote Detroit plain and faif, and he
took extra pains to commence Eis "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 tS actually
grow younger. Little Dan had many
friends in the postofice, andi had the
mother been i'll any carrier Would have
hunted till midnight to fnd} her and
hand her the looked-for lette9. Three
or four weeks ago when she opened her
letter she wept and smiled asF over the
first. Dan wrote that he was coming
for a week, and her heart was :'ull. She |
said she'd Lave the cottage 1ohking like
new for him, and she'd be at the depot |
to welcome him first of all. Every body
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 niore kiud
words boy can have the better will he
seek to dc. .-...-.-.
There was no letter the next Tuesday.
put the two excused it's absence by say
ng that Dan was getting reaGy to come
nome. That was early in February.
md he was to come about the first OF
March. The next Tuesday there was a
etter, but the handwriting was not
title Dams. It was strange, business
hand, and the clerk felt chill 90 over
Ter as she turned it over. ut might
De good news, but she feared not.
Mother" came in at the regular hour,
md she turned pale as she took the
Envelope. Her fingers tremEsed as she
'pened it, and she had to wipe the mist
'ut of her eyes before she could de-
ipher a word. She hadn'5 read over
our or five lines whom she uttered
noan and sank right down. like one .
rushed by some awful weight. They
lfted her up and took her Eome, the {
etter clasped in her stiff fEgers, and ]
hough she came ont of the saint after ,
while her heart was broken,s sand in a
'eek she was in her grave.
Dan was dead !! The letterisaid that I
Q had been taken suddenly Ill, and
nat nothing could save him. The blow
as too heavy for one with sher gray {
airs and childish heart, and her little
Id cottage is without tenanx. za :
No more letters commencinss & Dear j
tother,'' come for the deadj and the \
hands which used Ito linger s
'ndly over the words: "My Hear boy,
IAN" are folded over lifele@z breast. 8
lere to rest till the aLgel5 unclasp {
lem.-Detroit. Free Press. !...'- I