Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-04-24

'Why, Wnat on eartn dlu you open
your apron for, little galP" said he, by
way of soothing her.
ITO let you-get - the eggs"
sobbed the child. II thought you were
going TO take them"
And so Twas" he answered, but
you ought not to have let 90 your grip
till had hold of them. Well, well,
they won't hatch now, that's certain"
he continued, with touch of philoso-
ply in his tone, but there's no
more use crying over smashed eggs
than over split milk; you ought to be
glad there are so few of them; and
what were you asking me to do with
themph
ITO give me a stamp, please, sir.
But oh, what will mother do now! Her
letter can't go and she said it was to
start at once and go in haste!"
The sobs grew louder as the little girl
seemed to realize more and more the
extent of the disaster
TO go in haste" repeated Mr.. Hug
gins, with smile of superior knowl-
edge. Yes, see, she has written on
it in haste, in haste. Well, that might
have done some good, perhaps, fifty
years ago, when letters were carried
about the country on horseback; doubt
if it will hurry up the steam cars very
much. But for mercy sake, little gal,
do stop cryingN' he calculated sudden
ly as the deepening sobs smOte his
heart anew and brought him back to
the business on hand. Didn't tell
you there's no use crying over smashed
eggs! So, look up now and tell me what
is the great haste about this particular
letterP'
20, | don't know 'zackly, sir" an.
swered the child, tearfully, "but | know
it is something very particular indeed,
and will break mothers heart "a most to
know it hasn't gone. You see, she had
been over to Miss Riley's and she come
back with the tears all running down
her cheeks, and she hunted round till
she found this paper and pencil, and
wrote the letter with her hand all in a
tremble. But after it was all done up,
she just remembered that she hadn't a
stamp. and ran as fast as / could to
Miss Riley's, but she hadn't one, nor
any money either, and mother just sank
down and cried as if her heart would
break, and then, sir-wasn't it lucky
! knew a stamp cost three cents, and |
just thought of my old hen, Buff, who
was laying eggs that l wanted so to
hatch, and there was just three in the
nest, but l couldn't see mother cry so,
and | ran out and brought them in to
her, and she was so caldwell, l wish
you could have seen her-and she said:
Thank God for the eggs, jess. and run
as fast as you can, for this letter must
60 in haste, in haste, that's just what
she said-but oh, the eggs are all broken
now, and what will mother dor
The long story came to an abrupt end
with fresh wall of grief.
well, don't take it so to heart,
child" said Mr.. Higgins with his gruff
kindliness. There's no great harm
done; the letter can't 90 till tomorrow
any how, for the mail has been gone
these three hours"
"To-morrow!' repeated the little girl
In dismay. 20, sir, mother won't sleep
wink tonight if she knows that; she
said day might make it too late, and
that if you would read it, you would
know it must 90 in haste"
But that's Ill nonsense, child"
said Mr.. Higgins, beginning to lose
patience. There's nj such thing these
days; letters now all 20 one way and
IN one time, and that's deal quicker
than they once did. But you run home
now, and if You like you needn't tell
your mother anything about the wait
ing, nor the eggs either I'll put a
stamp on for you and send it as soon as
| can"
The little eyes beamed like stars
through the falling tears. 20, sir, if
you wouldr' she cried, "and when my
hen lays three more eggs l will be sure
to bring them to you.
She turned quickly to the door, but
pausing there, as if with an nnconquer-
able impulse, she looked back, saying {:
And if you please, sir do make it go
fast, for that's what she said-in haste"
That child has got more heart than
head" thought Mr.. Higgins to himself
as he silently watched her depart with
out making further efforts to explain
mail regulations. He knew the little
customer quite well as the child of
Widow Carson. who had come to the
neighbOrhOod just after the first Of those
terrible floods that had sent so many
homeless ones back from the banks Of
the treacherOus Ohio. 1t was said that
her husband had persisted in the waves
after placing his wife and child In
safety, and here she had lived ever
since in little log cabin not far from
the store, where with her small patch
of corn and potatoes she supported, as
best she could, herself and Jess and the
little yellow dog. But only few days
previous to this, Mr.. Higgins had felt
compelled to refuse her any further
credit, till the bill, slowly frightening on
his big book, was paid up, and it was
doubtless because of this that she had
not sent to him at once to ask the ad-
vance of stamp for this all-important
letter.
Meditatively he looked at the en-
velope, with the address scrawled in so
tremulous and Impractical hand that
he doubted much whether it would ever
reach its destination, and the words of
Jessie returned to his mind-"She said
if you would read it, you would know
it must go in haste"
1t seemed a sufficient permission to
the kind thought in his heart, and open
ing the awkwardly sealed covering, Mr..
Higgins with difficulty made out the
words written evidently by a hand
tremulous with emotion:
II have just heard you were seen in
Rockport yesterday, looking for Jess
and me; it seems too good and wonder
full to be true. but write at once to
say that we are here, and God grant
my letter may reach you in time. | will
write in haste on it, and l will pray
day and night that He will make it go
quickly. for Jess and are in such need
that unless you come to us soon, l do
not know what will become of US. We
have mourned for you so long az dead
that can scarcely write now for the
beating of my heart at the thought of
seeing you again"
Though Mr.. Higgins was often
called a rough, cold man, yet there was
certainly a strange moisture in his ewes