New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-17
THE MYSTERY OF A VAGRANT LETTER.
HOW MIssIvE FINALLY REACHED sALL1E
DICKENS THREE DAYS. LATE.

DICKENS THREE DAYS LATE.
Several facts combined TO make it wonderful that
the letter upon which this story turns should have
gone asray. Jack Jenkins 10 whom Mrs Jewett
gave It one June evening TO post, was never known
to forget such an errand. In this regard, If in no
other he was supremacy qualified 10 make model
husband Then again, he knew that the missNe
urgently reiterated an invitation to Salle Dickens
In wringham Ia suburb Of Boston,, to come down
10 Norwich, TO join a Jolly parry of young folks
who were 10 see the college boat races at New
London two days later; and, though this IS a
history, not a romance, nobody was more eager 10
promote that scheme than the susceptible JACK.
And finally, It is a matter of official record, that
the Norwich postoflce stood for many years almost
uuequalled in New-England for the accuracy with
which mail was dispatched from that important
centre of Uncle Sans postal system.
BY getting the letter into the box that night,
Mrs Jewett calculated, It would go up the New
England road on the early morning train, reach
Boston at 10 O'Clock, and be in Wringham before
noon. Then If her pretty and vivacous cousin
took the 6 o'clock train she would be in Norwich
before bedtime the night before the races. Miss
Dickens's failure to telegraph In response, however
betrayed the fact that something was amiss; anu
as high winds delayed the oarsmen's contests 1Or'y-
eight hours, it was, nevertheless. possible by means
of Western Union wires and further letters 10
capture the winsome maid after ALL in time for the
not have been thought Of second time, had not
the vagrant misslve, when 1t finally reacho4 It's
destination, three days late, bore the possn'ark
not of Norwich but of "Plainf1eld," station
on the New-England road fifteen miles up toward
Boston.
Even had he not been subjected 10 endless GOOD
nalired ouizzing, jenkins would have investigated
this mystery For his reputation was at stake
lie knew, better than any one else, That nc hal
actually dropped the tiny packet into tho Iet'er-
hole of the outside door of the postolce, tho portals
~ that institution having closed for the night half
an hour before. He distinctly remembered hearing
the city hall clock chime out nine while executing
his mission The postmaster Of Norwich listened
10 the story considered N carefully, but could
shed no light; neither could the postmaster OIL
however he wrote saying that apohecary In
his village had casually mentioned mE curious
an adySrtisinc circular Of Norwich wholesale
drug house the Planfed pill and potion pedler had
found a small letter. directed in feminine hand 10
some one whose name ne cVau no, al ~" >.
could the rest Of the address lie repraed hut as
tbe starnD on the envelope uncancel o. IN" us
coverer had posted the letter afesh, easily guessing
that somehow 1t had gone astray aihCugh, unaDle
highly Interesting: but the explanation naeaed ex-
naming jenkins now consulted the senior partner
ar r%V am As certain as Of anything that
have moi becn inside your before for six weeks
BROOKS eale ,b 'r redstaI e' wien did Won send
out the, new pTicests to our customers Up the Nov"
England road - ,.. IL. F., -r.. 81 or,,.
after a moments reflection.
same night murmured Jenkins.
Did you post them yourself'' asked the master
druggist.
yes, sir"
".Tust before 8 O'Clock, sir. couldn't get them
m before the postOfce closed and so as there were
only $50 in the lot dropped them through the letter
hole In the street door" go
That's how" remarked tho presiding gehius OF
the establishment. our circulars were nclosed "
large. unsealed envelopes Whose maps were 10 4 anG
inward. No doubt they gaped more or less Your
letter you cav was small You dropped II INTO that
boy about ten minutes after Brooks was there. 1t
struck our circulars edgewise and instead OF landing
between Two Of them, II slipped part way into one, no
doubt and the Job was finished next morning, uIi-
Willingly by the postal clerk who sorted up ana Pre-
pard that basket Of mall matter for dispatch but who,
~ course was in no sense blamablc7
Chief Clerk " Billy CaruthcrS, up az The pOstotlce'
declared this theory not only plausible, but ucqu,s-
tionably correct Mrs Jewet ins sted that nor only
was Mr. Jenkins's vindcation complete. Dut also
that she was glad the thing had happched' u was
so exceedingly curious. And as for The ch@fhlins
sallle Dckefs-but, as remarked a moment ago
this is history, not fiction.