Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-27

the sweetheart, tooP"
Susie laid her hand on his, and lifted
bright and laughing face frankly to
his. "This Is an extra" she said
gayly. II didn't expect to see you,
Dick. What is that you have in your
handP" She bent over to look at it
with manifest curiosity. He handed
1t to her
ats only an old love-letter from
Uncle Jack to Aunt Selma" She was
only looking at the superscription, her
face paling and flushing.
Hysteria again glanced in at the
window.
"Do you know what 1t is worthp"
she asked with an effort. "Have you
many of these, that you treat them so
carelesslyp"
"No, said Dick. "Is 1t a stamp not
in your collectionP 1t is only very
little one, only half the usual size, and
wish it were larger; but you are twice
welcome to it, and that ought to
count" AS she did not answer he
added with burlesque Of generosity:
keep 1t, Susie, even If IT'S one OF
those that are worth whole dollar to
collectors. l don't know where to sell
1t, even for cent. Put it in your
book" His voice and manner at an
other time. would have reused great
mirth; but no answering smile ap-
peared on Susie's face.
'1ts one / never hope to own," she
replied gravely. This little piece of
paper is worth over four hundred dol
lars. It's Brattleboro fve-cent stamp
on the original letter-back. The only
one that was supposed to be in the
world was sold last month for five hun
dred and seventy-fve dollars. Any
dealer would give you two hundred
and fifty dollars at sight of this.
"Are you quite sureP" asked Mrs.
Ferris wonderingly.
ayes. l know it. Where did it
come fromp"
Dick led her to the open trunk. With
n gasp and sob she knelt down beside
1t, and with flushing face and trembling
hands began to sort out the letters into
little heaps. Dick had not spoken, but
watched her eagerly. The same
thought, perhaps not perfectly formu-
lated, had come to each.
Those most carefully examined were
placed in her lap, and by the time the
last bundle had been hastily gone over
not less than ninety were lying there.
Then she bent over, put her face in her
hands, and began sobbing, Mrs. Fer
ris and Dick tried to comfort her.
Dicks efforts were the more effectual.
'Never mind, my sweetheart" he
whispered, "think of it only as
dream. 1t won't pay the mortgage,
but it will pay rent, should we need it.
Let us thank God for what he gives
u.s."
By strong effort of will she raised
tear-stained, radiant face, shining
with delight.
You don't understand. The mort
gage is paid. Tho farm is saved. o
Dick! o mother"
When her emotion had subsidized, and
in reply to their eager. questions, she
took the selected letters and explained
the treasure.
"Here are two used Brattleboros on
letter backs worth almost any price,
but dealer will pay $3.50 each. For
these eight st. Louis stamps he will
give, say, 1925. He will sell them for
four times that. This set of three on
one letter is alone worth more than
Sl25. Here are six New Havens, the
first | ever heard of. The genuine
signed reprints sell for Sl5 each. Put
them at 800. These two thirty cent
stamps of lS69-notice that the shield
~ upside down-are worth $50, and
would bring 800 at sale. Here are
| thirteen red horsemen one cent stamps
of 1851, worth $40 each. Here are six
six cent envelopes of 1867, worth $500
if we could wait for buyers. See these
four curious double stamps, one cent
and three cents? Those are worth
$40 each, but the fourth is one
never heard of. The one cent
head is upside down. 1t must be
worth $50. Here are over dozen of
the rare Scent envelopes of 1858.
Prof. Jennings paid S42 for the one he
has. These two War Department en-
velopes are worth $50 each. These
two Goliad and these five of Baton
Rouge can not be bought for $400.
Here's one envelope with twelve
1-penny stamps on it. They have V.
R. in the corners. Dealers charge $40
each and pay $40. Here are five rare
Sandwich Island stamps any dealer
will pay 5000 for" She gathered up
the remaining letters. "For all these
dealers charge 800 or more each. No
matter how you are cheated, you can
get from 1000 to 81, 200 and what is
lacking we can borrow"
"How can get the money for them
before Saturday." asked Dick.
"Whom shall take them TOP"
"You can take the five o'clock train
to New York. l will give you the
names and addresses of the three prin-
cipal dealers. l have their catalogues.
Come down stairs and we will divide
them into three packets, so as to offer
not more of one kind than we can help
to dealer. will mark on each let
ter the price dealers charge for the
stamp so that they will not beat you
down too much. These are all on the
letters, so there can be no question of
their genuineness. This is Wednesday.
You can get back Friday night"
Her energy and faith brought hope
and comfort.
Dick was back Friday night. He
brought $1,S50 in greenbacks and a
number of the stamps, which it was
not necessary to sell. These were
added, with many that remained in the
trunk, to Susie's collection, which was
not sold, for ''nest egg" The dupli.
Gates only were sold, but to advantage,
for that purpose,
The marriage was not postponed,
"Neyer destroy postage-stamp"
said Grandfather Ferris last week to
young man who had torn an envelope
in pieces to get out letter. 'If you
take an old mans advice you will
start a collection. If my daughter
Susie hadn't started one four years ago
we might now be on the town."
That was not fair to Dick, but old
people are forgetful.-M Y World