Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-10-25
Toms Letter.

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 a snap.
and grabs and pockets his letters as so
much merchandise. 1t is business with
him. He has written letters to A. B, c,
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 Door
who cannot afford conveniences-for the
very, very low y-for sailors, mechanics.
teamSters, seamstresseS. was LerwOmen.
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-otf 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 Il letter is handed out.
and always sympathize with those who
ttiC lhi lltb away tlllplN -IitlIlNltNt.
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 a half-afraid man
ner and asked:
Wv ould you mind, now, about asking if
there is d letter for Mrs. Ann TayIor?"
| inquired. but there was none. and all
the mother in a mothers heart weIled 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 anxiety 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 wrinked hands.
and gasped:
May the Lord be merciful, but 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 overlooked and tears came to
her eyes, she walked with me out of the
thrOng and said
''He-he ran away from me two wears
ago, my-my boy Tom. m widow. and
he was my youngest. and the only 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 well as could. but
she went away sobbing. That night |
dreamed of being on an island in midocean.
and on walking down to thebeach Il corpse
was living there. 1t was that of a 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 | found the
old woman who was ever and ever hop
ing for 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 postoffice
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 mothers
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 it
for her. 1t was from Tom, and mailed
from a town in Texas, and carefully fold
ed inside was postofice money-order for
$50. He wrote that he was well and do
ing well. and should hereafter write reg
ularly. He expressed his contrition ask
ed forgiveness. and wrote like boy who
had made up his mind to do right in all
things.
And as read a little crowd gathered
around to listen, seeming to realize how it
all was. and as finished the glad tears
of the mother reflected their moisture
and the general sentiment was APPLY ex-
pressed by a messenger boy, who said:
Say. let me out o here before my sand
gives way
Since that letter came have not once
seen Toms old mother. but know she is
weeping tears of JOY if any at all. and
that her prayers to God have tone of re-
jOicing. May her fond old heart the
heart of a true mother-never have to
grieve again for her last born.
II.r. IL. s.,FS