The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-27
the train moved Cd. The postal o<ilcer

aud while ono kneelcd on my breast tho
others choked me and searched me for
arms. As soon as / got chance 20
speak / showed my document and ex-
planned Profuse apologies were offered
and accepted However, my collar was
torn OF and my clothes suffered in the
scuflle.'
'Did they give You your letter."
"Thc car was packed up TO the roof
with sacks of mail matter. The official
said:
"'My dear sir, from four or five hun
dred thousand letters you can't expect us
10 pick out yours. Besides, we are for
hidden under any circumstances to deliver
any mail en- route.
'What did you do"
"There was nothing for me to do ex-
cent to grin and bear it. took n seat on
the mail bags in order to rest myself, and
think the sacks were not as comfortable
rs pillow. They seemed to be full OF
hard and irregular shaped articles mixed
ND with letters. wondered il 1t was pos
siblc that was sitting on the identical
bag that contained my affectionate letter
to tho countess. Perhaps there was MOTH
ing between me and that accursed docu-
ment except an eighth Of an inch OF
leather, and whistled quietly, Thou art
80 near and yet SO far.
IL should think, Jacques, that your
conscience would have troubled YOU"
mo. my conscience did not trouble me,
but nv stomach made me wish that
were dead. There is no doubt that
suffered internally. | am very sensitive
about smells, aud the car was full OF them.
There was evidently something rotten in
Denmark, az far as the postofiice depart
mcnt is concerned. The worst smell was
that damp leather. Judging by the smells
in the car, the people Of France were in
the habit Of sending Limburger cheese,
sausage seasoned with garlic and the like,
through the mails. 1t was very warm,
damp weather. The motion OF the cars
made things worse inside of me. In order
70 be more comfortable the clerks re-
moved their shoes. AT last the crisis
came on. Ineeded fresh air. My bosom
beaved convulsively How / wished l
had not eaten that hearty breakfast. oh.
Amelia, Amelar l groaned, how little
do you know how my bosom heaves for
thee, How little dost thou dream what
sacrifices | make on account of my love
for theep"
you must have enjoyed yourself very
much on the excursion"
THAT was only the beginning Of my
,ufTerings," resumed Jacques. After
the spasms and commissions in my breast
had subsidized, owing to the vile smells and
the racket could not get wink OF sleep
until about 8 O'Clock in the morning. The
clerks kept distributing mail all night,
and do you believe it, when they came
across that letter they woke me up to
show it 10 me, but refused 10 give 1t to
me- / could have murdered them"
"Did you get it at LAST"
ITO cut things short, when we got to
Lyons the postmaster was very polite, but
he said he could not let me have the letter
because the order was not countersigned
by the postmaster general. kept right
along with that letter, undergoing all
manner Of exposures and hardships, until
il got to Var, which is very small coun-
try town. had to ride to that place on
a wagon without any springs, alongside
Of the driver, the letter bag containing
that Internal document had written to
Louisa and addressed to the Countess
Amelia being under the seat. ] could
not bride the mail carrier, as had only
about twenty francs in my pocket. in-
tended to make final appeal to the post.
master at Var, and, If successful, return
Mt once to Paris. The more | thought Of
this plan the more became convinced it
would not work Var was only few
miles from the villa of the countess. You
know what gossips these country people
are. In few days at most the countess
would hear that a strange gentleman from
Paris, without any baggage except a
gold headed cane, had arrived at Var and
had obtained from the postmaster a letter
addressed to her. From tie description
she would know who 1t was. That would
never do l learned that half an hour
after the mail arrived at Var, letter car
r,er set out on foot with the mail for the
villa of the countess and the immediate
vicinity | determined to get my letter
from the carrier by hook or crook.
"That was nice way TO get to the
penitentiary."
II knew that well enough, but rather
than have Amelia read the letter to Louisa
j WIS W " ltAO Ab ~ OesA
arrival at Var the bag containing my let
ter was turned over to the postmaster. l
went to the local tavern and got square
meal / saw the letter carrier start out
on the road to Amelia's villa. l Joined
him, and we soon became quite familiar
He was dull, stupid peasant. l had a
flask with me, and, after taking small
drink myself he took healthy pull at It,.
encouraged him in his debauchery, and
in passing through village set 'em up
again. After two more pulls at the flask
he was beautifully drunk, and staggered
helplessly. Coming to gully, tripped
him up. He fell like log. A moment
more and under the pretext OF helping
him up, had opened the bag and secured
that long sought letter and showed 1t into
my pocket. heard noise, and looking
up saw a dog cart. There was lady
driving. / felt myself turning pale all
over, for the lady was none other than the
Countess Amelia herself. She recognized
me, but at first she was too astonished to
speak. thought to myself; old boy, II
you have got any presence Of mind, now is
your time to show it,
sCroof Codp ccroap,pd AmnliQ what