Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-17
LOVE BETWEEN BARS.
A Gallant Postman Who Passed Let
ters Through an Iron Gate
TO A BROKERS' PRETTY DAUGHTER
Wins the Latteris Heart and With Her Aid
the Old Gentleman's Too.
A NICE ROMANCE OF NEW YORK LIFE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH 7


is New York letter carrier-now more gen
orally called postman-who can give some
interesting and valuable pointers on this
text. That is, he was postman, for he has
gone out of the service of Uncle Sam to take
better job.
There are a good many grimly grand
brownstone mansions in Fiftieth street and
in one of the most pretentious of these is
laid the scene of operations of the modern
young Lochinvar and his sweetheart.
Of all the box tappers,
| His legs were the best
The idol of that mansion was a lovely girl
of succulent seventeen-a little short-who,
while not quite ripe for the conventional
debut in the swell society for which she
was destined by her fond parents, ardentIy
cherished in her maidenly bosom that secret
longing for companionship which is given to
all healthy young creatures Of both sexes.
The Nearest Man in Danger.
Sometimes it finds vent In an elopement
with the family coachman, or secret mar
riage with the groom who rides behind her
at respectful distance in the park, or some
such scandalous mesalliance. The nearest
decent man has the best chance. For, con-
fine the body as you may, the poetical and
hallowed sentiments of young womanhood
soar abroad regardless of brownstone walls
backed with brick and iron basement bars
set securely in cement.
"There is no more locksmith about this
| story than the parental decree that the
young lady was too young to have male
company Of any kind. In this decision the
maid acquiesced like the dutiful and loving
child she was. Being sensible as well as
warm-hearted and impulsive girl she did so
| uIf vic TO q -of
course, as countless other girls obey
their parents. Nevertheless, she cast
many shy sheep's-eyes at the OCCASION
ally manly looking young men who
| passed along the street. They were COM
| paratively few and didn't confuse her much.
If she compared some of these with her
hearts ideal, it is but natural. So it is quite
as natural if they fell far short. She had
| figured him out good many times in secret
conclave with her boarding-school chums,
but as yet had seen nothing like her fanci-
full creation in the streets of New York.
And possibly never would.
The Only Strange Man.
The only person outside of the household
servants with whom she had speaking ac-
quaintance was the person who delivered
the mail: Her fond papa loved to have her
bring his letters and towsel his iron-gray
hair moment as he sorted the family from
the official business. The mail was handed
to her through the great iron bars under the
high stoop that give such prison-like as
pect to the houses of the New York rich.
The young man who delivered it was some-
how impressed with the idea that the fair
young girl was in prison, and felt that he
was delivering to her in her iron cage. A
very foolish sentiment, very foolish, indeed,
and dangerous one to entertain even for a
moment.
He delivered hundreds of letters to serv-
ant girls and other domestics and to chill
dren and their parents through such bars
every trip, but that made no impression on
him. He was nice-looking young man,
with brown eyes and a tender yearling mus
tache and strong, manly face, darkbrowned
in the sun. He had passed the civil service
examination, and had prompt manner and
springy step. What more do you want?
Let us call him Willie Smith, because that is
not his name. Lillian would fit her eq qually
well. For what is the use of dragging them
all out before the public, now that every
thing is satisfactorily settled?
He Had Sufficient Courage.
Now, Willie is by no means bashful
young man. He isn't afraid of girl Just
because she lives in fine house and has
blue eyes and fair hair and the most perfect
hands in the world. In fact, Lillian thought
him awfully impudent. But when he first
saw her face through the bars, her lovely
fingers clasping the cold iron, it didn't need
the smart red house jacket to remind him of
Charlotte Corday, and he answered her
pleasant nod with coldly respectful bow.
The next morning, however, he had her
on his mind in detail long before he reached
the house. He was afraid she wouldn't be
there. But she was. She could see him
delivering up the street She watched him
ring bells and shuttle his letters and caught
him glancing her way long before he
reached the house. So she ran down to her
place behind the bars and was there in
picturesque attitude when he suddenly
turned down the three or four steps leading
into the paved area. She saw his face light
up when he greeted her, the first ''Good
morning, Miss"
Good morning." she replied with
smile; anything for me?"
81 hope-no, I'm afraid not" He had
nearly said, 'I hope not" and she laughed
'Fine morning. he added, as he handed
several letters through the bars.
A Mistake That Caused Her Pain.
eyes; fine morning for-for walk" said
she, rather more confusedly than necessary.
For walk! What a suggestion to make
to letter carrier! She remembered with
might think she was making fun of him!
Poor fellow!
Every morning thereafter she exchanged
pleasant words with him for the mail. Every
morning thereafter he became more eager to
receive that simple greeting. This went on
for weeks, nothing more. Yet it was fact
that be admired her from afar off on the
other side of the iron bars that guarded her
and her fathers house from the common
world. She could see that The thoughts
of it pleased her during the day. What
pity he was not gentleman! Why not. a
gentleman? Was it to be not a gentleman
to have no money and to work for living?
What was the difference between the uni
form of a letter carrier and that of an army
or navy officer after all? The quality of |
the cloth? When she detected herself
thinking of this she blushed in the privacy
of her own chamber. She was angry at her
self for thinking of him at all. And she |
would then return to her music OF her fancy |
work with renewed energy.
Phenomenally Prompt Service.
The morning mail used to be late some |
times-now it was prompt to the minute
She could have told just when he was at the |
corner without looking out of the window. |
Her father said something about it one |
morning and remarked that the service had |
greatly improved under the new postmaster.
Fortunately for her she was not in light |
where the color in her face and neck could |
be marked. She knew why the service had |
improved. But if her father suspected any
thing of the kind Willie Smith would have |
vanished-been discharged, perhaps, for
"ofensive partisanship."
The young mans admiration grew stead
IL -l..l - I