The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-09-28
MISS BEAU.

The letters had all been given out ut
the Cherry Hill PoSt.oili &c, and the
crowd would have scattered but, for the
peculiar actions Of "Col. Joc," the
Postmaster. "Coloncl" did not signify
Joseph Dole's connection with the
United States Army. 1t merely meant
that he rode his team horse oncc or
twice year before Il company Of militia,
shining in a cooked hat, and II coat
trimmed with gold lace and gilt but
tons. All the rest of the year he at
tended his little store, gave out his few
letters, and helped "Aunt Nancy" with
the homework.
Although the Colonel handled letters
every day, he never received any him.
self. How could hep lie had neither
father, mother, sister, brother, or child (;
and he was not the man to spend letter
paper and ink on strangers. But Col.
Joe, somehow, got all the news without
the trouble of writing and answer ng
letters. 1t was the fashion at Cherry
Hill for all letters, not specially private,
to be read mt the Office, and the news
passed round for the benefit Of neigh
bors and friends.
But this time Col. Joe had q letter
himself. 1t had q foreign stamp on it.
The boys saw that, and began guessing.
The Colonel looked at the direction
through his big-bowcd spcctacles, and
then over the top of them. lie screwed
up his eyes, and then opened them very
wide, and raised up his brows till he
looked like an owl. lie scratched his
head; he put his hand over his eyes, as
if to call up some dead memory; and
then he sank down, as if exhausted, in:
to his chair, the arms of which had been
almost whitfield off by active customers,
and exclaimed,
"Well, if l amt beat now!"
All this time a dozen curious boys and
girls had stood waiting for the news.
But the Colonel's hour had come to pay
back the reserve of some village girls,
who always put their letters in theil
pockets, and walked of as independently
as If it was nobody's business but theii
W what was in them.
Finally the Colonel, having tantalizet
himself and the spectators long enough.
read the letter, making up grimaces ex
pressiye OF aHazement, and exclaiming,
"Well, well, If that don't beat all /" ant
the like, rs he went on.
When he closed the letter, he put i
away carefully in his breast pocket, ant
began to weigh out sugar for a little boy
who stood for some time on one bar,
foot, waiting for it. AL hope being
gone of learning what were the content
Of the letter, the young folks began t,
retire, when the Colonel ran hastily t,
the door, and shouted to the most dis
tant boy:
"'liphlet!"
"Hallo!" replied the boy.
"You just step into Betsy Clappcr'
as you 60 by, and tell her | want to Sc,
her very particular and alone. Tell he
to come down to my house after l shu
the store, and that me and Miss Dol,
will see her safe home!" Colonel 10,
screamed.
"Ycs, but what shall I say you wan
her forP"
-.s SIN tell her when she gets here,
was the non-committal answer.
People had oftep heard, the Colone
say he wished Betsy Clappcr was il
Guinea, or anywhere else than on Cher
ryt Hill for she, being a milliner, sol
I, ribbons, and combs, and ruches, an,
other articles, which. iaterfered with til
Coionel's general trade. Every bod
knew they were not good friends; an,
now the Colonel and his wife were in
wiling her to visit them when other pee
pie were asleep, and promising to "se
her safe home" What could it a
meanP was the question asked at eyer
dinnor-table in town when the tard
boys came in with the mails, and tn
news of the Colonel's strange letter, an
his stranger invitation to Miss Clappei
Miss Clapper was by no means C
attractive lady. She was tall, gaur
p and so, and had the misfortune to hav
touch Of some trouble which sent tn
blood to her nose rather than TO tn
checks. She was, however, u goo
woman and a kind neighbor, and mos
people forgaye her h~omeiiness, esp,
cially as she did not increase it by loat
ing herself with the inery she supple
for other folks. Miss Clapper was we
aware OF the Colonel's hostility, an
shrank a little from accepting his kin
invitation. Maybe she was afraid /
was going to spring some trap on h,
in a commercial way; but she resolve
to 60, and to keep a sharp watch of h
words. n