Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-04-05
+ panlon. ''Ihd1lys time This Is
W metal, uexcusabk In youi"

-
Z metal, me1cuaabhj in youi"
= 3 I vouid not hsxa confessed It to anv
80 but You, "sngvt66iied Werder. II
WI tell you how \ oasne to be so : When
E hrst cams here q had 80 much to do.
ard I have : dialihe4or letter-writinQ So
I pq it OF fronad to day, week
-after week, until was really ashamed to
write without sending something with
the letter, for you know she had not al
ways the money to pay the baker and
the butcher
"But did you not at single stroke
make ~. Gh02'
"Yes, yes, 1 know 1t we'll. l am
a wretch AS you say. l had 1000, but
in one night it was all gone again. fin
tended writing Alice the day after my
success, but that night I passed gam
bllng-house. turned back and entered
it. drank, played, lost, and was again
beggared. Should have written her an
empty letter then, after having spent six
months without sending her single
dollar? So l have waited and waited
till now. But when she gets this letter
she will be 500 richer, poor little girl,
and then she will forgive all my neglect.
l know that we'll. beforehand"
"She should forgive you nothing,
Hugo" said his companion. s<~'
"Ah, yes I deserve no forgiveness,
but Alice is dear, loving little darling,
and SO true, that I know she will over
look all my shortcomings"
"Mrs. Alice Werder." The postmark
was California, and the address was in
Hugo's well-known handwriting. Was
it possible
The little postmaster read and re-read
the superscription. Surely there was no
mistake. The letter had come at last |
"Oh, how glad she will bel How her
tender eyes will sparkle | 1t is worth
money to be able to give her this letter, {"
said the old postmaster to his wife.
"Poor childl" IS
"Poor child, indeed" repeated Che
wife, as she caught the stitch she had
dropped. II am getting so blind, )" was
her murmured explanation.
But should not wonder if heartfelt
tears had caused the sudden "blindnessy
of the good, sympathizing old soul. I
81 cannot imagine why she does not
come to-day" remarked the ittle old
man, when the afternoon had siowly
passed and evening was setting in
'.Take the letter to her, Sophie. Poor
thing, perhaps her child is too sick for
her to leave it,"
"My rheumatism makes it 50 hard for
me to 60 out. 1 will take care of
things here, and go you-it is but few
steps to her house."
"Well, then. when I have closed the
postoffice. if she does not come before,
l will CO." was the old mans answer .
go rather at once," continued his
wife. "The thought of the poor, young
thing makes me sorrowfuL. How strange
she looked Yesterday when she asket
if you were suro there was no letter fof
her, and when you asked about her ohild
how strangely she answered: 1T Is not
very well to-day, but guess it will be
better Tomorrow and how sadly she
laid her hand upon her heart, as though
it hurt her there" s-~-1s~-
"Yes, yes; poor thing!' was tho old
| mau's<en renlv
Rap! Rap! Rap
The wind softly fluttered the dcwy
leaves Of the bushes about the little
home the stars came out in the blue
heavens; the moon looked down with
a pale, calm, gloomy face upon tte
little old postmaster as he stood silently
waiting at Alice Werder's door.
Rapi rap! rap! But still no answer
came.
Surely she cannot yet be sleeping,
thought the old man.
But sh, Alice was sleeping. HEAVIER
had called her-those who sleep as shi
slept never awake again on earth. Thl
life was too hard for her. All, Alice
with your dead child on your b:east-
ah, Alice, could you but have hoped
single day longer
"a letter for me?" was the questio
OF Hugo Werder.
"a strange handwriting. he, m
own letter and two locks of light, silke
hair! What does this signify?'
Hugo Werder's face grew DEATH
white, and his hand trembled, as wit
I the palsy, as he read this letter, write
in the unsteady hand Of the old pos
] master:
Enclosed is returned your letter.
came too late-they are both dea1
May Heaven forgive you; your negle'
has killed them. Here is lock OF yov
/ wife's hair snd one Of her chld'a- The
!, 10Th 1laov, IN one crave Again, ms