The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-09-23
A Faithful Letter Carrier.

Most children have seen a United
States postman. with his plain uniform
and letter-bag. The letter carrier quick
step. too. you have noticed, as if he
were walking for q prize.
Now l will tell you of a postman who
wore no uniform. never uttered word
to any one he met, and always distrib-
uted his mail without being late. He
could not read word, and yet gave
the mail to the right person. He had
no salary, got up and went to bed when
he pleased, and, though he had not a
dollar in the world, he was contented.
The queerest thing about him is that /
can't tell you his name. nor did he
wear a number, as some carriers do.
moreover, he carried letters in the
country and not in the city; and this,
too, one hundred and fifty years ago.
Through the woods he walked on his
round, and if it came to be dark. there
were no lights to guide him. When he
got to the place where he delivered the
letters, he did not pull the bell with
quick jerk, as the postman does, nor
knock, to summon some one to come
and get the mail. If any one thanked
him tor the mail he brought, he never
said, You're welcome" Altogether,
as you must admit, he was funny let.
ter-man.
But the funniest thing is that he was
not \ letter-man at all. He was a let
ter-dog. More than one hundred and
fifty years ago, by the aid of the Gen.
eral Court of Massachusetts,, there was
built by the settlers of Brunswick and
Topsham (on the Androscoggin River
in Maine) a fort named Fort George, as
defense against the Indians. A pic
ture of these ancient works shows that
it was made of stone. with little win
dows, like portfolios, near the top of
the walls. Within was house, and the
roof peers over the ramparts. A tag
floats from the staff, and heavy door
is in the front-a point carefully guard.
ed. Barracks for fifteen men were
prOvided-a small force, but enough to
keep the Indians at distance.
About ten miles away, ON the Ken
nebec River, was q little settlement
called 1.-The Reach" where now the
city of Bath, a famous ship-building
place, is pleasantly built along the river
bank. The very few families living at
1.-The Reach kept up communication
with the fort, for it was their place of
refuge in war, and supplies were to be
brought there in quiet times.
The mail route of the carrier I am
telling you about was from this fort to
1.-The Reach" through places where In
dams were hidden. waiting for some |
VuhSfn vxySfhiv, nh %
their arrows. The faithful dog would |
carry packages of letters from Bruins.
wich to the settlement. and bring back |
answers. When he got to the house at !
The Reach" where the mail was to
stop, he would howl in an anxious way;
hen the letters would be taken from |
him; but still he would wait and not |
stir until another bundle was given
lim-the parcel of mail matter for
hose in the fort. Then he would put
he letters. not in letter-bag, but in q
place more safe-his mouth!
OF he would start again through the
onely forest. Foxes and rabbits and
BIRDS might start up near him, but he |
remembered his errand, and turned
neither to the right nor to the left. In
wO hours he would cover the distance,
md howl at the fort gate for the mail
o be taken in. In case of great dan
.er, when word would be written, the
log would always rush away as if he
NEW what was the matter!
wish I could tell you that, after
working hard and faithfully, the wise
log died quietly at home; but, alas!
.fter awhile the Indians discovered that
he dog oft seen was conveying inform
'tion from the fort to the houses down
he river, and they soon found chance
o kill him. At last, one cay when
le was trotting through the thicket,
lolding fast to his parcel, a slight
ound was heard, which his instinct
old him was the light tread of q fox;
ut the next instant an Indian burst
Trough the underbrush, and death
him then and there! A brave
nan dies, and praise is given long
fter: the trusty dog falls when he IS
Ding his duty. and not even his name
, recOrdedi-Wide AUdke.
Sir James Weir Hoxg made a fer.