The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-11-05

4 =
mouth, was standing upon the threshold
of the drinking-house.
The rain was pouring down at that
moment; q fierce blast swept it into
Pere Martins face, prevented him from
walking and bent to the ground the
stalwart trees.
The postman was a little ahead OF
time, and the demands of the service
do not go so far as to forbid the ac-
ceptarce of momentary shelter when
it offers itself under such circumstances.
He, therefore, went into the house
and sat down beside the fire which
cracked on the hearth. The man who
had invited him to enter threw upon it
some dry branches, which were soon in
flames; a heavy vapor arose from Mar.
tins soaked garments.
The stranger interrogated the post
man as to the hours of the departure
of the mails, and asked him host OF
questions about himself, his service and
everything concerning it.
"You krow me then?" said the post
man.
"Parbleu! Everybody loves and
esteems you here; Pere Martins value
is well known. + hope you viii not re-
fuse to drink with me. Ho! Madam
Roster, two glasses of your best
brandy"
A woman waited on them and re-
turned to her occupation.
"What dogs trade you follow, Pere
Martin !" said the man. "Win it take
you much longer to finish your round 2
You doubtless have yet to go to the
Landa Grise, to Plessis. 7 know some
one who is impatiently waiting for you
there. I am obliged to pass in the
vicinity. If you wish it / will relieve
you of yorr letters"
"Thank you I viii deliver them my
SELF"
aTha5's yourself out and out. After
all you are right. It is your duty to
deliver them
While talking with loauacity which
did not encourage the postman he took
I'D the sack the latter had placed beside
him, seemed to feel its weight and
turned it over and over.
s'Let my sack alone, please" said
Martin, coldly. =" You have disar-
ranged all my letters. I shall 10 longer
know what to do"
The other humbly excused himself
for his awkwardness.
'sThe evil is reparable, added he.
e Seat yourself at this table, and you
VIII have no trouble to arrange the let
tiers according to the route you should
take"
The postman emptied his sack before
him, and began to arrange his letters.
His questioner affected to keep dis
creetly at distance, but found an op-
portunisy to cast furtiYe glance over
his shoulder.
Asa-t-t s'-ss:s
work he heard furious sgrowls behind
him.
'Pere Martin, help me to prevent
your dog from strangling mine," said
his new acquaintance.
The postman arose and caught his
dog by the skin of the neck. The ami
mails fury contrasted with its habitual
gentleness.
This fact seemed strange to Martin.
He felt distrust of the communicative
stranger grow upon him. He was
about to replace his papers in the sack
when the man, as if to see what was
the state of the weather, opened the
door.
At the same instant the wind swept
impetuously into the room, which it
filed with a thick smoke, and lifting
the letters spread out upon the table
scattered them in every direction.
The postnan uttered an exclamation
Of anger.
"Bah it is nothing" said the person
who had caused the accident. "We
two will speedily gather them up"
And without needing the refusal Of
Martin, who wished to avoid his help
and do the work alone, he began to
search for the letters.
When they had collected all they
could fra the postman carefully ex-
amined them then he seemed worried,
as if he had not the full number.
care any missing" asked his COM
panion.
cit appears to me that there was
another letter.
"Bah! either you are deceived or
you forgot it at the postofhce."
"That is quite possible"
He said to himself that it must be so.
However he resumed his hunt and
searched beneath the furniture. He
found nothing and concluded that his
memory had not served him faithfully,
for he watched his companions move
ments and it did not seem admissible to
him that he had stolen letter. Never
theless he fastened to depart, regret
ting that he had entered the drinking
bouse. The man who had cbasted with
him inspired II him a veritable repul.
sion, and it was his rule, because of the
habits of discretion which the postohfce
imposes upon all its agents, to keep at
a distance all who do not appear to him
worthy Of confidence.
The storm had somewhat abated it's
fury, the rain soon ceased to fall and
bright sunshine lighted up the country
when the postman reached the nearest
village.
a woman was at the door of her house
awaiting his passage. She was still
young and, without possessing remark
able beauty, had neat and sympa-
thetic countenance.
"Monsieur Martini" said she to the
dostman, shave you letter for me-"
"No, Madam Andre, lave not"
"That's strange; my husband should
have written to me to day; you cannot
imagine how much his silence troubles
me-"
She grew pale and seemed scarcely to
have the strength to sustain herself.
The postman assisted her into the
house and handed her a chair upon
which she let herself fall. Two charm
ing children fixed on her sad and anx-
ious looks.
"You will receive letter tomorrow,
Madam Andre" said Pere Martin; "the
delay o. day is easily explained: yoDr
husband was disappointed, some unfore-
seen business suddenly demanded his
attention and he missed the mail"
y r