The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-02-09

the general delivery widow. had now
to see who called for this package. One
evening. quarter of an hour before the
office closed, gaunt-looking woman.
poorly dressed and walking with limp.
entered and approached the window,
The Postmaster handed her the package
and asked:
swell, is Tom any betterp
"a trife, sir, but not much" she re-
piled.
"He is getting lots of mail!"
eyes, sir. He does lots of good. The
soldiers say it is sure cure every time
That evening as the postmaster and
sat together in my room at the hotel.
carelessly referred to the woman and
her letters.
"Say, the day will come when Uncle
Sam will give that family pension" he
replied.
"For what reason'"
"For caring for the health of SC many
of his bows down at the front. That
woman's husband is laid up with fever
sore. They live out here about seven
miles. They make sort of porous
plaster out of roots and tallow which
will prevent any one from taking cold if
worn on the chest. This plaster will
drive out rheumatism or neuralgia in
two hours, and is great thing to heal
hurts and wounds -
"Do they have any sale here?" asked.
"No, guess not. The folks laugh
at them. but they 60 off like hot cakes
in the army"
Then he sells a good manyr
Gle sometimes gets fifty letters =
week, and each one with fifty cents in
side"
ale and his wife live alone, ehp
"No. They have a nephew with
them, believe. He is said to be q young
man from Ohio who was drafted in the
army, and ran away to escape service.
guess he is knocking about the woods
most of the time"
| No one but thoroughly honest old
man could have been SO simple, was
satisfied, now that had the case in my
hand, but there was more of the ground
to be looked over. l engaged the Post
master to 20 out with me next day to
look at tract of land lying on the road
to AZ. f. MS place. The mans name
was Roberts, and when l asked why
his letters did not come properly adj
dressed, the Postmaster explained:
Il can't just remember what the
woman said about it, but believe he
used to have partner in the business,
and is afraid to use his legal name"
The next day we drove ont to inspect
the tract of lard, and so shaped thing,
as to cut across the woods and make a
call at Roberts cabin. | had hoped to
discover some evidences here to confirm
my suspicious, but l did not do as
well as expected. Roberts was supposed
to be almost helpless with his allment,
but as we approached the place caught
sight of man walking briskly between
the house and the barn, and afterward
knew that it was the cripple. 1t was an
ordinary log house, divided into two
rooms. When we reached it the man
was lying on lounge, and seemingly
asleep, but the fresh earth on his boots
had not yet dried. Not sign of the
letters could be seen, and when spoke
about his wonderful plasters and my de-
sire to purchase | was informed that he
was Just out. 1t was plain to me that
both Roberts and his wife were under
constraint, and though the postmaster
was my guarantee they were shy of me.
Common hospitality forced them to offer
us bite to eat, but knew they felt re-
lieved when we took our departure.
As soon as we reached the shelter Of
tho woods sent the postmaster across tc
the horse and buggy and secreted my.
self to see what would happen. In
about twenty minutes Roberts appeared
At tho door, carefully looked about him,
, and then went to the barn, which stood
| about ten rods from the house, and hung
An old sheepskin on peg near tho door.
This door faced highway which Wal
so little used that it scarcely showed ,
wheel track. 1t struck me that he had
hunu I'm tbe sheenskin "a q sioral anf