The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-06-28
MILLY MTDGE'S LETTER.

Mail Agent Harry Bassett, having dis
tributed the contents of the Government
pouches taken on the train at Wood City,
lit cigar, and threw himself into his
lounging chair. He was the sole occu-
pant of postal service ear. No. 20, and
be must have felt lonely with the mail
boxes looking at him like so many ex-
pressionless demons. To his right lay
a heap of mail pouches, some well filled.
others almost empty, and The stove at
his left kept the apartment warm.
1t was a crisp N'yember night, and
Mr. Bassctt had heard one ofWo6d City's
weather prophets predict a fail Of snow
before dawn. Harry was styled "a half
frozen man" at home, and during Che
winter days and nights his stove was
kept red, and, consequeptlN warmer
blooded persons, like the conductor and
messenger, kept out of the postal car.
What the mail agent fell TO thinking
about that night | do not know. He
had little family one hundred miles
away, and doubtless his thoughts were
with Ellen and the children.
The car was running at the rate of
thirty miles an hour, over one of the
smoothest roads in the country. Harry
Bassett's thoughts might be travelling
faster than the train, and in an oppsite
direction.
He was far from asleep, but very
thoughtful, when he became conscious
of the presence of another person in the
mail coach. His back was turned to
the door that opened upon the sole plat
form that the car boosted of, and he
had not heard the portal open or close
Still an unseen visitor Wa .ilL2 ear,
and the presence filled the mail agent
with a feeling akin to fear. -
For moment he sat still, half inclin-
ed to laugh at himself, and half to spring
up and confront the person, whoever it
might be. t.- t.,. -f. ID
| will not deny that Bassett almost ex-
pected a blow on the head, when he sud-
denly thought of the valuable mail he
had received at Wood City The post-
master himself had handed him the
pouches, and had informed him that the
contents were worth twenty thousand
dollars. And while distributing in the
car, Bassett had remarked to himself
upon the unusual number of registered
letters, each of which was very valuable.
Perhaps the visitor was a mail robber?
And it was not until this thought passed
into Bassett's brain that he whirled mis-
lounge, and turned his face, toward the
other end of the car.
There stood the presence which had
aff1ighted him. +tt - y
In the mellow rays of the lamp stood
the 1.-THE figure of maidenhood, and the
postal service man felt like laughing at
himself.
The girl, for Harry Bassett's visitor
had not passed her seventeenth wear.
was very beautiful. The very pallor of
her face, delicately nodded and almost
classic in outline, gave her a Spirituel
expression not to be described. Her
ewes were black and fun of luster, and
her hair. which seemingly had escaped
from the comb, fell in abandon over her
shoulders. She was neatly clad, and
there was a crested ring on the betrothal
finger. -ere.r ~ az ga
Harry Bassett, naturally quick of
comprehension, took in every thing at a
glance; but could not find it in within
himself to break the silence and dissi-
pate what might, after all, be bat a
dream.
But the silence was broken, while he
debated, by the visitor.
She came forward with here fixed
on the heap of pouches moi. onthe AGENT.
and said:
II want my letter."
She spoke imperatiyely, but in voice
as soft and sweet as the padnish6
zephyrs of the prairies.