The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-02-21
ROMANCE OF A POSTAGE STAMP.

OreathCd more freely after it was over.
1t was temptation resisteG-but I felt
better after having done it. As l was as
sorting the letters preparatory to putting
them in tho mail bag for New York, one
letter turned and sent a jealous shock thro'
me that made my heart throb and my brain
swim with a sudden dizziness. might
have expected TO have seen it there, but
not the less did it affect me when I did see
it-'J oseph Norris, India Dock, New
. Iork'-that was the address-and [ knew
it was his. | had dear little nO.e in the
same handwriting next to my heart then
"a few graceful words thanking me for a
book | had sent heT-a little note that I
had read over countless times, and kissed
it often, wondering whether it would dis
please her to know how fOndly l cherished
it. thrust the hateful letter out Of nv
sight, and leaned my head on the table.
lived over again the hopes, The fears, the
wTctcheGuess Of the last twenty-four hours.
The day before, while distributing the
mail matter, I came across a letter address
ed to myself, and on opening it, I learned
=
relative, whose name I bore, I had been
left in California al Inheritance Of 500, 900.
What change fcY strokes Of q pen had
Notwithstanding Karl Bergman, post
master, Of a secluded village in the State Of
Connecticut, into Karl Bergman, the DOS
SCISSOR Of a competence, well invested.
yielding a certain income And how be-
fore my good fortune bad thought of An
uie Merrill as one separated from me by nv
poor circumstances, my salary barely SUD
porting my mother and myself and how
could | ask any woman to share my power
ty Now that that burden Of poverty was
most unexpectedly lifted from ne, l felt
a. liberty to tell her the hopes I mover
dared ID entertain till now. What would
her answer be? That I would learn that
very night. In the same mail with nv let
ter was on6 addressed to her, post marked
New York. Her correspondence all passed
through my hands, but I had never seen that
writing before. It was no weak, wavering
feminine style. 1t was large, clear and
decisive, the writing Of a selfpossessed .
man. Who could the writer be ? Apnie's
uncle. DR.. Merrill had many correspond .
onts in New York. But this letter was the +
first that had come to her since she came /
from the great city a month be- .
fore and bad been received into her uncle's
beart aud home. But other thoughts put ,
the question of the letter out of my mind. /
I sent by 4 messenger a few hurried lines
TO prepare her for our good fortune, and
then counted the hours that would pass
before ] could offer my Inheritance to An.
ME encumbered with its possessor. When
| reached home l found her there before
me. My mother, who had taken her into
favor from the first, her sweetness and or
phnned situation proving passport 20 her
heart, had sent FOR Annie to communicate
The good news to her. She was strangely
Iuiet, lhought, and there was n troubled
ook in her blue eyes I never saw there be
'Ore. In fact, after a while 4 subdued
ceiling stole over us all. Ann;e's disqdieti
esmsd to impart itself to US, was think
ng how | could venture to tell her all my
iopss, aud my mother, guessing what my
thoughts were left US together most of the
NStl4AiE' Ous liig hCttA% l0t4Cu Au6 II WAS
'nly when I was walking home with Annie
o DR.. Merrill's that I found courage TO
peak. She led me on 5y saying that
must not think from her silence that she
lid not rejoice in the happy change in my
prospects, as no one could be more sincere
n her congratulations than herself. I an
usrsG hat my good fortune would be val
el.ss to me unless | could share it with
he girl [ loved.
"Tbe girl you love?'' she repeated ques-
ioningly.
''The girl l love-" l answered in tones
hat she might have interpreted, but failed
D do 50.
''She ought TO be a happy woman" she !
ontinued. MAY ask if know her?''
''If you know her, I cried. ''If you !