The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-03-26
In Haste.

1t was when postage stamps were
three cents apiece, and eggs twelve and
a half cents dozen that Mr.. Higgins,
the proprietor of the little country store
at Elkton, sat at his high desk, one
dreary afternoon, with his head studious-
ly bent over his book making out an ac-
count of sales.
"Please, sir" suddenly interrupted
thin, small voice proceeding from the
space i'll front Of the desk, "will you give
me stamp for these three eggs, and you
needn't mind the change ?"
Mr.. Higgins slowly lifted his eyes from
the big book, to look for small speaker
below him.
1t was mite of girl, not more than
six years old, who held letter in one
hand and with the other tightly grasped
her apron gathered together for the safe
keeping of three eggs lying within.
Mr.. Higgins senses had been so alb
sorbed in the difficulties of his long sum
in addition, that it was several moments
before he could recall them and bring
them down to level with the little head
lifting itself eagerly up to him but reach
ing out his hand mechanically, be took
the letter and supposing he would i'm
medlately take the eggs also the little
girl lncautlously opened her apron, when,
alas, with pip. pip pip as though
they were kissing each other a hasty
goodbye, out rolled the eggs, and with
a smash smash smash ! lay Oh the floor,
a medley OF gold and silver, and ivory
Shells
For one moment the poor little messen-
ger stood silent with dismay, and then
lifting her distressed face to that of Mr.
Higgins she burst into wall SO pititul
that the heart of The storekeeper was
touched with compassion.
"Why, what on earth did you open
your apron for, little gal ?" said he, 10y
way of soothing her.
"Io-let-you-get- sob
bed the child. II thought you were
going to take them"
"And so was, be 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 philosophy in his tone,
but there's no more use crying over
smashed eggs than over split milk; you
ought to be glad there were so few Of
them and what were you asking me to
do with them?"
$40 give me 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 y
he SObS GREW lou1ar q 1ittla uirl
seemed to realize more and more the eX-
tent of the disaster.
''Io 90 in haste" repeated Mr. Hug
gins with smile of superior knowledge.
''1es, | see, she has written on it 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 crying" he ejac-
ulated suddenly, as the deepening sobs
smote his heart anew, and brought him
back to the business on hand. "Didnt
| tell you there's no use crying over
smashed eggs2 So look up now and tell
me what is the great haste about this
particular letter ?"
ooh, don't know zackly, sir" stam-
mered the child tearfully, ''but | know it
Is something very particular indeed, and
1t will break mothers heart Almost 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 hunted round till she found
this paper and a pencil and wrote the
letter with her hands all in a tremble.
But after it was all done up, she Just re-
membered that she hadn't 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-I knew stamp cost
three cents, and | just thought of my old
hen, Bun, who was laying eggs that |
wanted SO to hatch, and there was Just
three in the nest, but | couldn't see
mother cry so, and ran out and brought
them to her, and she was 50 glad-well,
| wish you could have seen her-and she
said, Thank God for the eggs, Jesse, and
run as fast as YOU can, for this letter must
go in haste, in haste, that's just what she
sald-but oh, the eggs are all broken now,
and what will mother do !"
The long story came to an abrupt end
with fresh wall of grief
"Well, don't take it SO to heart, child"
said MIR. Higgins with his grutf kindness.
"There's no great harm done the letter
can't go till Tomorrow ANYHOW, for the
| mail has gone these three hours"
"Tomorrow !" repeated the little girl,
IN dlsmay 'Oh, 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 go in haste"
"But that's all nonsense, child" said
| Mr.. Higgins, beginning to lose patience
"There's no such thing in these days !;
letters now all go 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 waiting, nor the eggs
either. III put stamp on for you and
send it as soon as cam
The little eyes beamed like stars
through the falling tears. "Oh, sir, if
you would " she cried, "and when my
hen lays three more eggsI will be sure to
| bring them to you"
She turned quickly to the door, but
pausng there, as if with an unconquera-
bic impulse, she looked back, saying,
And if you please, sir, do make it go
fast, for that's what she said lin haste"
"That child has got more heart than
head" thought Mr.. Higgins to himself,
as he silently watched her to depart
without making further effort to explain
The mail regulations. He knew the little
customer quite we'll as the child of Widow
Carson, who had come to the neighbor-
hood just after the first of those terrible
floods that had sent so many homeless
ones back from the banks of the treach-
erous Ohio. 1t was said that her husband
had perished in the waves after placing
his wife and child in safety, and here she
had lived ever since in a little log cabin
not far from the store, where with her
small patch fcorn and potatoes she sup
ported herself and Jess and the little
yellow dog. But only a few days previous
to this, Mr.. Higgins had felt compelled
to refuse her any further credit until the
bill, slowly lengthening on his big book,
| WAS maid I'M and If was douhtlaSc ha