Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-31

Filled with surprise and all KINDS ol
spcculations and conjcctures concern
ing wealthy deceased relatives far re-
moved, OF whom had ever had any
knowledge, | lost no time in comply
ing with the mysterious request in
every particular, and the next over
land mail carried my missiyo to Cal.
cutta. When sufficient time had elapsed
for reply 60 reach me | became very
anxious, and looked for the arrival oil
every Indian mail with an eagerness
little short of an uninsured merchant
expecting n valuable cargo.
Months passed away and no news ar.
rived. Then | came to the conclusion
that my handwriting had not proved
me to be the person required, and that
| should never hear any more OF the
matter more especially as my mother
assured me she had never heard of our
having any relatives in India. Mean
time, friend of mine, very ingenius
person, who had recently patented an
invention of great prospective value.
came to me and asked me if had any
money to invest in profitable specu-
lation. Unfortunately had not, but |
promised to try and borrow it. | was,
however, unsuccessful.
Believing my effort to be hopeless, |
went round to his office with sad
heart to tell him. lie was not in, and
| did not sec him that day, and before
another day dawned | received my
long looked-for letter / opened it
with an eager, trembling hand, hoping
1t might contain some good news on
which to build a future hope. Judge
of my surprise and delight on finding
an inclosed draft for one thousand
pounds, payable to my order. Could
1t be real or genuine? Were not my
senses deceiving mep To come, too,
Just at the moment when, as | be-
lieved, five hundred pounds would Sc
cure me fortune, made it seem more
like magic than reality With an almost
swimming brain, | read the letter ac-
companying it. The writer began by
calling me his dear friend, but warned
me that 1 should find the name of a
stranger attached to the epistlc.
"You may remember, however" the
writer went on, "that somewhere
about four years ago person came to
the postollice where you We're then n
clerk, and inquired of you what time
the mail closed that was to 20 out in the
next Australian packet; that you told
him he was already half an hour toe
late; that you pitied his distress at thi,
announcement, and offered to get hi,
letter posted il possible. You succeed
ed and received his fearful thanks
and. at his urgent request, wrote YOU
name for him on card. | hope yoU
remember all this, because the writer's
that individual, and desires to live il
your memory, rs you ever will in his
Now. kind friend, let me tell you of tht
importance of that letter and its valu'
to me- had rich, unmarried uncle
who was IN n deep decline. He ha(
been told | was dead and had willet
his vast possessions to other relatives
, | heard of this, as it were. by accident
aud that he was about to sail for tn
4 East Indies, never TO return. A lctte
= by the next packet might possibl
: reach him in Australia. | wrote it
= and rode many miles to post 1t; but
a would have been too late only for you
kindness. 1t did reach him. however
4 on the eve of his departure, and cau5e
4 IN important alteration in his will, TO
q | was the only son of a favorite sister
!. He sailed for India, but died o
= the passage; aud If my lettc
!. had missed that packet h
Z would never have received il. The di
il ference to ne would have been fort
;, uno. was poor then-l am rich now
h VIII you accept this trille-not as u r,
A ward, but token of friendshlp-froI
|, one who has ever, and ever will bt
!, grateful. That single minute of timt
n which YOU so kindly improved, mad
II the difference of Il world to me; and
~ it is ever in my power to change yor
I fortune for the better, | am yours
n command. Iwould have sent this +,
n membrancc sooner, bnt there has bee
,s some litigation, and have only n
/ Gently come into pos session OF N
ii legacy. You will, Of course, pardO
. my having sent for your address an
# card, to avoid tho possibility of a mi
,s takei and my absence in India, on Il
O. return of your letter, must be II
% apology for my long delay in con
,ee municating with you since. "
!. This was tho substance of q lett
il that made the difference of world
,s me-for Inow had the means of ente
ing into partnership with my friend
I. and that resulted In u fortune, and
10 much happiness rs can be found In tn
sphere of existence. 1t would be dit
id cult to calculate the changes effect
and the persons made happy by tn
4. simple act of posting n letter; that
I, we 90 down to poSterlty, and consd
#. the dcstn nies altered by that one triilil
thing, we shall perceive how great t
n comes the smallest deed of our live
1t may be the stone in the fountain.
at Philadelphia CaR.