Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-02-21
POSTAGE NOT STATED.

yailing consciousness that my hands and
feet were very large, and the added mys-
terry in the case of the former members,
that they were always red and never
knew what to do with them in company.
l was making a visit at grandmOther's de-
lightful, old-fashioned country home, when
one morning the dear old lady called me to
her
Here is something for you, Jim," she
said "an invitation to childrens party
at Mrs. Edwards"
"Childrens party y repeated, probably
with a shade of scorn in my voice, as indi-
eating that was no longer to be placed in
the juvenile category.
mot children exactly" corrected grand
ma, with smile at my masculine dignity
Young people, should have said Mrs
Edwards daughter Florence is IA, and Tom
Byrne and all the boys-young men. l
should say" with twinkle of amusement,
will be there"
had sundry misgivings that l should
not enjoy the party at all, being as yet
very much afraid of girls, though begin
ming to admire them as mysterious and
fascinating beings However, accepted
the invitation, as found that all the boys
/ knew were going, and the party was
to be quite swell affair for the village
When the evening came it found me
with the rest, seated in large parlor very
unhappy because of my arms and hands,
which would by no means arrange them
selves in any graceful or becoming manner,
and extremely bashful, but full OF admira-
ton for a lovely black-eyed girl about a
year younger than myself, whom knew
to be Tom Byrne's sister.
She sat some distance from me, but she
had given me sweet smile when / first
came in, and now from time to time cast
glances at me, which increased at once my
bliss and my confusion.
Various games were suggested and
played, but they were of quiet character
such as Twenty Questions" Proverbs"
ETC., so that l had no opportunity Of ap-
! preaching any nearer to Mabel, who
showed herself very brilliant in her ques-
tions and and answers during the progress
of these intellectual amusementS.
Then somebody suggested that we
should play Post Office"
Post Office! What is that? How do
you play it ?" l whispered to Tom Byrne,
my next neighbor.
Don't you know how to play Post
| Office ?" he asked, with a scorn at my
ignorance. "Oh, well, suppose you city
| fellows don't know anything"
II never heard of this" / assented
meekly.
well, I'll tell You how it is: A girl
asks for a letter for some boy and then you
! have to ask how much postage, and if she
says one cent you have to kiss her once"
"Oh !" said l.
"Yes," replied Tom, land you kiss her
twice for two cents, and three times for
three cents. It's quite fun if its "a pretty
girl" he added, judiciously.
II suppose So" replied, vaguely.
But forgot to tell you" he added, ''if
she says postage not stated then you kiss
her as often as you like Hush! they are
| going to begin"
To be sure, one of the oldest boys was
to be appointed postmaster, and one girl
after another went out into the entry,
each presently knocking at the door and
asking for letter, whereon the boy called
for sheepishly followed her into the hail.
and to Judge from the sounds of screaming
and scuffiing which generally followed,
paid his postage under considerable diff
culties.
| watched the game In state of bewil-
dering alarm. What if girl should call
for me- But no one did, and l was half
disappointed half relieved, that / was ex
empt, when at last it was Mabel Byrne's
turn to 60 out.
She left the room with lovely blush on
| her beautiful face. The door was solemnly
closed upon her, and then, after brief
pause, there was faint knock. The post
master opened the door few inches.
What do you want ?" he asked.
There is letter here" she replied.
For whom ~
For Mr. James Hill"
How much to pay?'
Postage not stated" was the faint re-
ply.
They all laughed loudly and looked at
me, for that was my name. The blood
rushed in crimson floods to my face. l
got on my feet somehow, and with my
heart torn between a wild desire to 90 into
that hall and wish to sink utterly away
from human kind | stumbled out of the
room.
The door was closed behind me and l
found myself almost in darkness, as the
hall was but dimly lighted. l paused a
moment and then / heard the faint sound
of quick breathing; another heart was
beating as violently as my own. For once
in my lite l knew what to do with my
arms. ] caught hold of her. | scarcely
know how. The darkness gave me the
courage and held her in a close clasp and
pressed my lips to her cheek in three or
four rapid, half-frightened kisses, before
she could free herself from my embrace.
There! there Mr.. Hill," she said with
faint merry laugh, don't be so bashful
again I'm sure your bold enough now!"
Have paid my POSTAGE" | stammer-
ed
Indeed, yes; enough and to spare.
Come, let us 90 back to the parlor."
She led me in willing prisoner, and
the rest of the evening l was her bond
slave; her partner in all games; her COM
panion in the dance, wherein l excelled
the country boys and gloried in the ac-
complishment), and, at last, crowning de-
light of the evening, her escort home.
This was all. The next day l returned
to my home in the city, and Mabel Byrne
became only a memory; strong at first,
fainter as the time went on, but sweet
always. When l saw other girls l COM
pared them mentally with the picture my
imagination painted of Mabel, and they
never seemed half so fair and sweet as she.
But then / did not see many other girls
My bashfulness, instead of diminishing,
seemed rather to increase upon me as the
years went by l avoided society, and was
so much of a recluse from the ladies that
my mother was quite worried lest should
become a confirmed old bachelor. Perhaps
one reason why / retained my diffidence
was that my pursuits were among books
and not amonng people. / had made the
science of geology my study, and at the