Mohave County miner., 1888-04-21

/ and while one kneeled on my breast the
| Others choked me and searched me for
arms As soon as got chance TO
| speak I showed my document and ex-
| planned. Profnse apologies we're offered
and accepted. However, my collar was
torn OF and my clothes suffered I'm the
scuf1e.p
ibid they give you your letters'
"The car was packed up 70 the roof
with sacks OF mail matter. The ofDcial
said:
"sMy dear sir, from four or Ave hun
dred Thousand letters you can't expect NJ
| TO pick out yours. Besides, we are for
hidden under any circumstances TO deliver
| any mail en- route"
"What did you dor
'yThere was nothing for me 70 do 81
| cept to grin and bear It. took seat ON
the mail bags In order TO rest myself, and
| think the sacks were not as comfortable
| a. pillow. They seemed to be full Of
hard aud irregular shaped articles mixed
up with letters. wondered IL IL was pos
sible that was sitting ON the Identical
bag that contained my afYectionate lettes.
10 the 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
20 near and yet so far"
II should think, Jacques, that youf
| conscience would have troubled you:"
mo, my conscience did not trouble me,
but my stomach made me wish that I
were dead. There is no doubt that I
suffered internally. i am very sensitive
about smells, and the car was full Of them.
| There was evidently something rotten In
Denmark, as far as the postoffice depart
ment is concerned. The worst smell was
that damp leather. Judging by the smells
| In the car, the people Of France were I'm
| the habit OF sending Limburger cheese,
| sausage seasoned with garlic and the like,
through the mails. II was very warm,
damp weather The motion of tho cars
| made things worse inside OF me. In order
to be more comfortable the clerks re-
moved their shoes. At last the crisis
came on. needed fresh air. My bosom
heayed convulsiveiy. How I wished I
had not eaten that hearty breakfast. 'Oh,
Amelia, Ameliap / groaned, how little
do you know how my bosom beaves for
thee! How little dost thou dream what
sacrifices make on account Of my love
| sor theep" .....
"You must have enjoyed yourself very
much on the excursion"
THAT was only the beginning of my
| sufferings," resumed Jacques. after
the spasms and commissions in my breast
bad subsided, 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 1t, when they came
across that letter they woke me mp to
show IT to me, but refused TO give Il to
4 sxn n h-,- -
"Did you get IL at lastr'
"To 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 q very small coun-
| try town. ! had TO ride 20 that place ON
o 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 7 could
not bribe the mail carrier, as had only
about twenty francs in my pocket. In
tended TO make final appeal to the pat
master ut Var, and, IL successful, return
et once TO Paris. The more thought OF
this plan the more became convinced 10
would not work. Var was only q few
miles from the villa Of the countess. You
know what gossips these country people
are. In q few days at most the countess
would hear that q strange gentleman from
Paris, without any baggage except
gold headed cane, had arrived at Var and
had obtained from the postmaster q letter
addressed TO her. From tie description
she would know who It was. That would
never do. I learned that half an hour
after the mail arrived nj Var, a letter car
rier set ont 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 q nice way to get to the
penitentiary."
81 knew that well enough, but rather
than have Amelia read the letter to Louisa
was willing TO take any risks. On our
arrival at Var the bag containing my let
ter was turned over to the postmaster. I
went to the local tavern and got o square
meal. ] saw the letter carrier start out
on the road 10 Amelia's villa. Joined
him, and we soon became quite familiar.
He was duh, stupid peasant. I had q
flask with me, and, after taking small
" II.
/ encouraged him I'm his debauchery, and
I'm passing through village set 'em up
again. After two more pulls at the flask
he was beautifully drunk, and staggered
heiplessly. Coming to gully, trfpped
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 IL into
my pocket. heard noise, and looking
mp saw dog cart. There was lady
driving. ! felt nd Delf turning pale all
over, for the lady Wis none other than the
Countess Amelia herself She recognized
me, but at first she was too astonished TO
speak. thought to myself: old boy, IL
you have got any presence OF mind, now Is
your time TO show it,.
"'Great Godr screamed Amelia, what
has happened' How do you come to be In
this condition, Jacquesp ........
"'Amelia, do you believe In omensi
Night before last, while was writing to
you, ! heard yon call my name three
times
As I said this tears ran down my cheeks,
for had caught fearful cold, and pull
ing out MY handkerchief to wipe my eyes,
out dropped that accursed letter. I
grabbed 1t and again showed IL into my
pocket.
"sYou heard me call your name,
Jacquesp asked Amelia, her eyes as large
as saucers, with 8mazement.
eyes, Amelia, and / left on the next
train, just dressed as ! was, TO come to
you. thought 1t was one Of those mys-
terious warnings that notify people Of the
death Of loved ones, and, Amelia. on, how