Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1876-04-27
The P0stsOhce.

We kept the post>ofice at the fair
You know what that Il. People come
and ask for letters, aud of course we di.
rec; any envelope that happens 10 turn
up, hand it out, and they pay postage.
We had al! sorts of things at the fair
fish ponds and grab>bag5. 1t was mean
to pat 50 many tracts in those, | do say /;
and as told you we kept the post>oflice,
and don't know how it cane into my
head to write two letters just alike ::
Meet me at the oak tree if you have not
forgotten the past" and put them into
pink envelopes; but we wrote trash of
all kinds, of course.
The oak tree was just outside the room
where VT held the fair, the big room of
the academy; and there was nice beach
there, 50 it struck me to write the notes
"Giye one to lady and one to gem
tleman,," said |. AMI Ann LINN. who
delivered the letters, laughed merrily.
"WhoeTer gets them will be sure to 20
to the tree" she said and almost as the
spoke up CAME DR., Steelwaggoh, the old
bachelor in Bluehil, and putting his
head in at the window, said slowly.
Young ladies, are there any letters
Cor me?"
"Ies, sir; o"e for DR.. Steelwaggon,o
cried Anni tossing me a pink envelope,
and | addressed it. lie paid liberal
postage-ho was sure to do that-and
away he went.
Watch him for halt an hour, and you
will see him go to the cid oak" said
AM. And sure enough in less tLan
that, we saw him make his way out of
the hall and sit down under the tree in
the moonlight.
"Ncn never lcsc their vanity" said
Ann.
"Do women? Let us discover" said
|. And saw cd Miss Barnett coming
toward the office, and | drc,ted the 9th.
cr envelope to her.
In moment up sho came smiling-a
pretty old lady in black silk, with the
incest little ruiflas of real lace at her neck.
Have you letters for me, my dear?"
she said.
'One, Miss barnett" said Ann.
She handed out the pink envelope
number two, as she spoke.
"lfl were a young lady [ should
think this was love letter !" she said
as she walked away.
"Will she 60 to Tie oak?' ask d.
"We shall soon see," said Ann.
And though she did not 20 soon. it was
not leng before we saw Lcr gliding out oil
the ball and walking very slowly indeed
toward the beach where DR.. Stcclwapgon
sat-
lie aross as she CAME near, he bowed. |
Sh: courtesied. They sat down together.
After awhile they rose and walked |
away arm in arm.
Didn't | tell y)u?" said Ann.
"Of course when they met they had
a chat" said |. "Thoy are two old |
beighbors."
But Ann would joke and say all sorts
of things, of course.
Well, we were busy with the fair, and |
forgot all about the little incident soon,
and whom the fair was over there was
still good deal to do, until one day VIC
all went to the ministor'sh house to count up
what we had made, and talk things over,
when, as we were counting the gains of
the post-ofiice, the minister's wife sud
denly cried out:
"Oh, girls, We are to have a wedding
here tonight, and the poSt>office brought
it about. Miss Barnett is to marry DR..
Steelwaggon, and all because of two let>
ters that they got at your office.
"You see, long ago, when she was a
pretty young girl. and he a handsome
young man. the two were engaged, and
loved each other dearly. But they quar-.
reled somehow, as lovers do. now and
then, and separated. From that day to
this they have never spoken to each 9th
er. But neither Of them, as you know,
has ever married, and lately Miss Bar
nett told me she had begun to think that
the doctor must have loved her more than
8he thought, else he would have had a
wife. Men can always marry If they
please, you know. And then she knew
very well there had never been any one
10 bo, ELL A.