The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-04-08
THE LOST LETTER.

- if,f IL
THE LUST LETTER.
~ ~
0acoo carter ana ALBERT harrison
were. %eTe merchants TSs ants hslng IN Adjoining
DetWeen tnem IN poynooo nad not DE,
chneo IN MANHOOD. Eacn possessed
seernng tralts OF cnaracter, tnougn tne
ewo men were quiVe unIKe:
MI. carter was m9en peioveo lot "a ms
genIie nature ana kindly 9uantles. Inc
shortcomings OF ms Ieitow-men were
always viewed Dy MIN with a. charitable
eye. Mr.. harrison, on the contrary,
though an honest, true man, was harsh
ana lnnexioie, ana quick 10 condemn
any deViaSion IN others from the code
OF 6ectl9uae Ialo down I0r nlmseI'
one prlgnt morning ne sald to ms
SOD, as ne sealed letter ne had Just
W1isIen:
faul, want you TO carry this letter
10 the postohce: Don't stop on the way.
1t must go out In the next mail.
faui TOOK 1t, put on MS hat, ard went
whistllng down the street. On his way
he had to pass the home OF Caleb Parker,
his most intimate friend.
Haliool called Caleb from the pl-
azza; I've Just had streak OF luck:
Unc,e Roger has given me splendid
NewIoundiand dog.
ooh, that's jolly +" returned Paul,
eagerly.
Come IN and see him." urged Caleb
Paul glanced at the clock on the
cnurcn-steeple. Ii lacked q full halt
hour to mall-tlme. Thoughtless OF the
diso6edience he was committing, ne
yielded to the temptation before him.
A lew minutes could be easily spared.
He hurried with Caleb to the shed
where Rover was tied, and spent five
minutes admiring and praising the
splendid puppy.
linen he continued his walk. But on
reaching the postothce, he found, to his
great dlsmay, that the letter was miss.
ing
he was sure he had carefully put ii
In his pocket. What should he do? He
remembered pulling out his handker.
cnle! "niie taxing TO caleb, and think
ing It was probable 1t fell out then, ne
9ulekly Ietraceo ms steps 70 MT
Iarhel mouse. ne toio Oaieo ms
trouoie, ana the TWO mace Inorougn
search. But the letter could not be
1onna; Faui was In agony;
apoug as soon De Killed as TO e
nome anu teIi Iatner. ne toio me MOI
10 spop ny the way, ana ne IL Whlp me
aWfully."
Do you know what was in the let
teri" inquired Caleb, after thinking &
little.
res. Father wrote to Mr.Garter tt
send him twenty barrels of -four, to last
till be gets supply from the West"
"Ihen save yourself whipping By
holding your tongue. Don't say wore
to your father about it.. Come to my
room ana write another letter, and sigr
your fathers name to it. 'Twont do any
harm, and twill bring the flour all tht
same. Only keep whist"
Paul hesltated. he knew Caleb wal
a wrong counsellor; that frank anc
straightforward course was the only righ
one.
But he had been twice severely pun
ished for small acts of thoughtless disc
bedlence, and the pain of the blows VA
fresh in his memory.
Well, on the whole, Caleb, CUES
I'll follow your advice. I can't Sc
what hurt it can do"
They went into the house. Paul tool
the offered pen and ink, and quickl..
wrote thus:
"MERRITowN, May g..
Ma; scARrER-Dear Sr: wish to purchas
OF you twenty barrels OF good Hour, to be sen
immediately. A. HARRISON, per 2. H.
Paul had seen mis- fathers clerk writ
letters on business, and sign them i
this way.
len minutes later ne deposited tn
letter IN the postofhce and went home
Did you get my letter in before tht
mail wentY" asked Mr.. Harrison, q
Paul entered the parlor.
The letter was there in tine," wa
the evasive reply.
A growing uneasiness now took pos
session OF the boys heart, and he reali
feit sorry ne had not braved his father
dlsPieasure, and owned the truth. H
mad been guilty OF crooked dealing, an
his act as such acts always do) lei
something to dread. 1t was too lat
now, ne reasoned, to retrieve the mi
take; but what might come of il.