Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-31
Toms Letter.

Toms Letter.
like to stand about the general-deliv-
cry windows at the postoffice and watch
the faces of men and women who receive
letters or are disappointed and turn away
to betray anxiety, regret and dependency.
The owner of a box or drawer comes
briskly In, turns his key with snap,
and grabs and pockets his letters as so
much merchandise. It is business with
him. He has written letters to A, B, G.,
and D, on such and such matter, and ex-
poets replies beginning with Dear Sir"
and ending with yours truly"
But it is different at the general-deliv-
cry windows. Letters come from the poor
who cannot afford conveniences-for the
very, very lowly-for sailors, mechanics,
teamsters, seamstresses, washerwomen,
strangers. and all those who go to make
up the seven-tenths of city's population.
-Four out of every five who approach the
windows do so with faster beating hearts.
A letter is hoped for from far-off Russia,
from the hills of Italy, the Alps of Switzer-
land, the sun-kissed plains of Spain or
France, from mother England or old Ire
land, from who can guess where? Has it
arrived? Does it contain good or bad
news? Is father, mother, brother or sister,
dead? | always rejoice with those whose
faces light up as letter is handed out,
and | always sympathize with those who
are turned away empty-handed.
One day IN months agone an old woman
"a poor, lame, and gray-haired woman
whose vocation | never asked-came up to
me in the corridor in half-afraid man.
ner and asked:
Would you mind, now, about asking if
there is a letter for Mrs Ann Taylor?"
/ inquired, but there was none, and al
the mother In mothers heart welled up
into her throat as she whispered:
Dear, dear, | am so very sorry Shall |
never hear from him again?"
And that same day week met her there
again. You would said we would not
recognize each other again, but we did
She came over to me with anxity in her
face and said
Would you take the same trouble for
me again to-day? [ dreamed last night
that | got letter from him. =
Nothing for Ann Taylor, was the re-
ply of the clerk; and when repeated the
message she clasped her wrinkled hands,
and gasped:
MAY the Lord be merciful, but I fear
he is dead!''
And so the weeks went on, and at least
once each week | met the poor old body in
the corridor, and inquired at the window
If there was letter. None ever came nor
did ever question her, but one day, as
her heart overfoweC and tears came to
her eyes, she walked with me out of the
| thrOng and said:
''He-he ran az, a- from me two years
ago, ny-my boy Ton. I'm widow, and
! he was my youngest and the on y one left
to me. He wasn't bad boy, but he got
with wild lot, forgot the prayers of his
mother and ran off. =
And you have not heard from him
since?''
Never a word, God help me- I'm fear.
ing he's-he's dead"
| / comforted her as we'll as | could, but
she went away sobbing. That night
dreamed of being on an island in midocean
and on walking down to the beach corpse
was lying there. 1t was that of boy of Is
| lying ON his back and his blue eyes wide
open and staring at the blue heavens above
As looked at him his lips moved and
caught the word "Mother!'' Then, still
In my dream, hurried away. and jour
neyed for days and days until I found the
/ old woman who was ever a1lG ever hop
ing for a letter. | took her back with me
to view the body of the drowned boy, but
it had disappeared, and her walls Of an
guish broke my slumber.
Two days later | entered the postofict
to find my poor old woman waiting for me
A letter was handed out before | could say
a word, and as ] placed it in the mother
hands / knew it was from her boy. She
was too excited to read it, and too i'm
patient to wait minute, and so | read i
for her. 1t was from Tom, and mailed
from a town in Texas, and carefully fold
ed inside was postofice money-order fol
$50. He wrote that be was well and do
ing well, and should hereafter write reg
ularly. He expressed his contrition, ask
ed forgiveness. and wrote like a boy who
had made up his mind to do right in al
| things.
And as l read little crowd gathered
around to listen, seeming to realize how i
all was, and as finished the glad tear;
of the mother reflected their moistur,
and the general sentiment was aptly ex
pressed by a messenger boy, who said:
Say, let me out o here before my sane
gives way!
Since that letter came | have not one
seen Tom old mother, but | know she /
weeping tears of joy, if any at all, AM
that her prayers to God have tone of re
ioicing. May her fond old HEARTH
heart of a true mother-never have t
grieve again for her last born.