Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-06-13
MILLY MORE'S LETTER.

III Auu5 0uuCer. JOD dunter l6 my
husband We keep the Anoher Port post
olico and store, and sell groceries and
garden sass, oolioo, shoes and medicines,
like other folks in our line when anybody
asks for 'em.
When ship comes in, and the sailors
como home to their wives and mothers,
trade grows brisk. The housckcepers do
their best, and the raisins, and dried cur
rants, and eggs, and butter 60 off finely, and
its worthwhile to lay in ribbons for the
girls, and smoking tobacco and long pipes
for tho men.
jack and his wages mako old Anchor
Port brisk for while, but at last he sails
away, and all the women seem to ask for
will be lettors--lotters, letters, when they
have right to expect them, aud whom they
haven't, all tho same.
It's "Please Aunty Gunter, look over
them, and see if there aron't one for mo-"
and it's "Please, Uncle Gunter, it might
have got mixed up and overlooked some.-
how" often and often-God ho]p the poor
souls!-aftor jack lies at the bottom of tho
sea, and nothing will ever reach them but
the news of his shipwreck. But plenty of
letters come after oil, and sometimes we had
to read them for the folks, Job and I, and
80 we got to know something Of their lives.
Milly More could read and write herself,
but still I always knew when sho had
letter from Will Masset. knew it by the
handwriting, and I knew it by tho bushes,
and by that happy look in her face. When
he came home, she bought ribbons and bits
of lace by the apronful; and knew where
the packages of candy that he bought wero
to 60. And used to keep Job from fish.
ing down in Pullman's creek of afternoons,
because ], knew that was where Milly and
Will lked 70 walk. Courting time COMES
but once in life time, and always like to
SEQ it prosper.
At last he sailed away, second mate Of
tho Golden Dove; and when ho camo back
from that voyage they wero to be married.
It was sad day whom that ship sailed.
Mrs. Captain Rawdon and her girls wero
crying on the shore. Twenty women from
tho Port and Eve from the Hill were there to
see her set eail.
was grim, gray day, and tho voyage
was to be long one.
It was under our old sycamore that Will
took Milly to his breast.
"Don't fret, darlingp' he said "I'll
come back cafe and sound. I couldn't
drown now; I'ye too much to live for"
Poor boy! in spite Of that, the Golden
Dovo went down in mid seas, and only three
mon reached Anchor Port to tell how Capt.
Rawdou, and the rest wero lost, at dead Of
night in most woful storm.
Captain Kincaid brought the news up to
Mrs. Rawdon. He stopped at our store to
tell about it. A nice old man. A bachelor
still, at fifty-eight, and as handsome, with
his white hair and red cheeks, as picture.
Thatewas twelve months ago, the night I
went into the store to sort some things out,
as always did Saturday nights. Through
the week Job used to get everything mixed
up-letters in my tea boxes, candles 10 the
letter box, eggs whore they oughtn't to be,
and all the places askew. It was a warm
autumn night, and Captain Kinoaid's vessel
was in port, and he had plenty of custom.
Job served the people while 1 tidicd up.
found half the last mail in sugar box, and
clothes pins in the coffee canister, and Just
dumped them cut.
"Gather up your letters, job" said T.
"What possesses you old MANI"
And he laughed and piled 'em up. And
I made vow to myself that I'd keep the
sugar-box full after that, so that he should
had twenty.four pounds of sugar known
as "coffee crushed" because it was prepared
especially to use in the coffee. That was
the finest sugar Anchor Hill folks often
bought, though had little cut and pow
dered by me, in case Mrs. Rawdon, or Mrs.
DR.. Speer, or the minister's lady should
send 10; and I took tho paper up and tilted
it over the japaunod box, pouring it in q
nice smooth stream, when who should come
in but Milly More. She was not dressed
carefully, and hor eyes were red with CRYING.
She asked for some tea, and while Job
was weighing it out she whispered to mo:
ooh Aunty Gunter, have you looked to
day2 Isn't there letter from Will? He
said no couldn't die. + don't feel as if no
could. Mightn't ho write, aftor oil? Do
look"
"My pet" says I, "it's year ago that
Golden Dove went down. It isn't likoly.
Aud He don't lot those live that want to
always. It isn't likely, dear, but I'll look =
j took the lotters In my hand one by ono.
Many Of them would mako hearts glad
before the shutters were up that night: but
mono for MillyI It couldn't bo expected, Of
course.
told her SO; but I took her into nv
little back parlor, and made her sit down.
talked as good as could to her; but
! what good does talking do7
'Oh, Aunty," says she, ~ knowit scoms