The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-08
Annals LETTER.

flying before the wind over the village, have
seen the doors open anywhere all over the
valley and men, women and children come
forth, with TN cans or dinner baskets in
their hands. and turn toward the mills.
Some plodded slowly along; some made
great show of haste. The children ran a
while. then stopped to pick up green apples,
chase stray pigs or pick wild cherries, and
ana then ran faster.
As they passed the Postoffice some stepped
In and came out again with letters in their
hands, which they read as they walked on,
for the mill people were generally strangers
who came from distance 10 get EN- 10Y
ment-foreigners of many nations, English
aud Irish mostly, but mingled with Ger
mans, Swiss and SwedeS.
At the clang of the bells one woman had
appeared at the door of a poor little house
on the roadside, to whom the fresh, bright
morning had not brought either freshness
or brightness. She was sturdy, well-bullt
woman, with q fiat Danish face and mild
blue eyes. Her dress was of some unusual
wooden stuff, made with short, spare skirt
and with jacket much Ike mans. On
her head she wore a clOSe-kuitted hood or
cap. Her skin was fair, Der hair fiaxen aud
her expression extremely innocent. She
would have looked young but for the brand
Of horizontal lines that trouble always sets
upon a woman'S forehead. Comparatively
young, at least for she was past girlhoOd.
She seemed to know everybody, but to
have no intimates among the other mill
wOrkeTs-tO them she only nodded as she
went in. When she came to the POStOfi Q
she paused for moment and stood looking
in at the door. Her feet seemed inclined to
ascend the steps, then she shook her head
and turned away.
mo" she said. "Best not make a fool
OF myself What did hear the Postmaster
say yesterday?
"'Thats Anna Danner. Every morning
for ten years she has stopped for letter.
She never gets Cne but there she comes
No, pll not make a fool of myself. l
shall never get a letter." and she turned
away.
Still keeping on toward the mill she
turned down TO the lower road, along which
a railway ran, and then took the track. A
fear of being laughed at had entered her
soul, and she fancied that If she went along
with others she might hear some one say:
"Oh, there's Anna Banner, who never
gets a letter and always asks for One.'
AS she gave the little jump from jutting
rock which was the step from the lower
road to the upper, the owner of the store,
grocer, dTy-gOuds merchant and postmaster,
came to his door. He held letter in his
hand and looked after her.
"Well, If evprl' he said IF that don't
beat mel That gal has been for a letter
every day for wears. and the first time got
one for her she goes apast Hi, ANIMAL Miss
Banner, therel HIP
Anna heard him. She looked over her
shoulder.
You didn't stop for no letter this morn
ing!" shouted the old man.
Annals face flushed scarlet. and she hur-
Just as I thought" she said. "They
begin to make fun of me as they did of
Crazy Peter in Copenhagen, who was al
ways asking if the ship had come in. See
what fool I've been. OIL oh! OH"
There are in the world certain still, I'M
expressive women to whom rldleu!e w0nd
seem the worst calamity on earth. They
can bear trouble, pain, grief. but to DO
made fun Of" kills them.
Anna was one of these. Years before she
had been engaged to Claus CriStOfer,
young sailor, who had pledged his eternal
faith To her and then sailed away. She had
aited and waited, but he had not returned.
She had good offers OF marriage and had re-
fused them. Suddenly she discovered, or
thought she did, that people were laughing
at her for waiting for Claus ChTistOfer-
for believing he would return, and she left
Denmark for America TO work for her bread
among strangers. To one true friend she
gave her address. If Claus ever came back
or was heard Of there should be letter for
her. Through al those ten years she had
hoped for one, and never before had she
guessed that any one noticed none ever
came for her Now her humiliation was
excessive.
"Why, I want to know said the Post
master; "sAe thinks Pm pOking fun at her,
she's a furriner and this letter has come a
good way. Well. suppose she'll stop in
going back. Poor soul, she always seems
so lonesome like"
Meanwhile Anna plodded on. After
awhile she heard scream from the bank
overhead:
Miss Danner! Miss DannerI Why
didn't you stop for your letter?
1t was a well-lneaning boy who called to
her. He had letter from home and was
glad over it, and something in the lonely
figure troubled him.
But she hurried on seeming not to hear,
only believing that she was Knocked again:
and the boy, fearing to be fined If he were
late, ran Oh.
Later, man on horseback passed her,
and shouted down:
You don't seem 10 vally your letters,
young woman. Guess you don't expect one
from your beau"
Anything is joke In the country.
Anna did not quite understand the words,
but the tone was that in which Jest is
uttered. She felt the blood rush TO her face
The mill was in sight, and she saw group
OF people look at her.
LUOuE0Is
Then the face OF Claus CTiStOfer arose be-
fore her. She remembered his last words,
his kiss, his embrace, the farewell.
"Oh, Clausl Claus!' she sobbed. "Can
it be? Can it be that you, also, Knocked me;
that you never meant to come back; that, as
the girls said, was fool?"
"AnDal AnnaP shrieked twenty voices.
"AnnaP
They were pointing at her. So she thought.
Pointing as the children in Copenhagen did
long before at Crazy Peter, who watched
for his imaginary ship to come in.
The blood rushed TO her face. She began
to run, hoping to pass them and get to her
frame and hide herself behind her work.
"Aunal Anna! AnnaW shrieked the
voices, and the fingers pointed still, and
some were rushing toward her.
Then there was noise, a rush, shrek
beyond human power She knew too late
that their voices. their gestures, their wildly
pointed fingers were kindly warnings of the
danger of which she was unaware; that the
express train on the down track was behind
her
At dusk that evening a solemn group
stood about the counter of the old store.
The chief legal gentleman Of the place
was among them.
3" 1t was awfnlly sudden" said one.
Almost as if she wanted 1t to happen"
said another.
No; she was thinking of something
else," said woman. =" She acted dazed-
like"
And you think it's sort of justifable for
us to open the letter, Squirrel" asked the
Postmaster.
Yes. In that way you may know who
her friends are and notify them," replied
the Squire.
Then silence fell upon the group, and the
red seal of the travel worn envelope was
opened and one of the workmen present
In cal 1an f1,DF ly off ru6 To Int.
pref.
That is what he read:
Anna, my beloved, the time has been long and
the waiting weary, but my heart has never
changed. am home again in Copenhagen, and
my first love is my last
Olsen has seen you aud knows you live and are
In health. send the money for your journey.
Come home ana we Will b. married at once. /
have so much 10 tell that cannot be written, but
most OF all this: love you, aud know you love
me. Your betrothed husband.