Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-12-06
BY POSTING A LETTER

l had been in the postOffce about three
years when one day as was standing at
one of the general delivery windows stout,
rustic looking man, red, heated and ex-
cited, came rushing up, letter in hand, and
catching his breath between the words ex-
claimed:
Twill you be kind enough to tell me
what time the mail closes that is to 90 out
In the packet Albions"
st is closed already" said I, gancing at
the time "You are too late by half an
hour"
The man turned deadly pale and looked
as If he was about to faint.
"Gracious heaven!' he calculated, lean
ing against the wall for support. II have
ridden SO miles since sunset last night to
post this letter. and am too late at last. /"
"Quickr l interrupted. Give me the
letter. The mail has not yet gone. Per
haps there may be time"
Your letter is mailed" said when
returned. sit will go, if not already gone"
"Thank you. God bless you," he ex-
claimed, with considerable emotion, tears
filling his eyes. "Your name sir if you
please" he added, reaching in his hand and
grasping mine with fervor there was no
installing.
''Never mind the NAME" returned, with
light laugh. ut was only tritiing act,
and if it has served you in any way you are
welcome to it,"
please give me your name,' he rejoined
II would like to know it,"
Iwrote it down on card and handed it
to him.
He walked rapidly away, and nevers saw
him again. only thought. over the mat.
ter, and then it gradually passed out of my
mind and took its place among the thou.
sand trif1ing incidents that are forgotten.
had been over six years engaged in post,
al affairs when one day, to my great sur.
prise, l received letter, postmarked and
dated London, which contained these words:
IF you will send your address and
card, with your name written on it as you
were accustomed to write it three or foul
years ago, you will hear of something tt
your advantage"
This was signed by name I had neve,
heard of before, with full superscription
for the return letter Filled with surprise,
Host no time in complying with the mystic
rious request in every particular, and the
next packet carried my missive in safety
across the great waters.
Weeks and months passed away, and ne
news arrived. Then l came to the conclu
sion that my handwriting had not proved
me to be the person required, and that ]
should never hear any more of the matter.
Meantime friend of mine, very in
genious person, who had recently patented
an invention Of great prospective value,
came to me and asked me if I had any
money to invest in profitable speculation
Unfortunately" said l, II have MOTT
takes all my salary to live in respectable
manner"
II am sorry" he rejoned, "for would
rather have you for partner than any 9th
er know of. There is fortune in my in
vention-I know it-but it will take somt
capital from $1,000 to ST, O0W to get it prop
erly before the public, and as have not
the means myself must unite with somt
one who has"
He then laid before me his plans, and 81
we'll satisfied me of the success of bis
scheme that was quite depressed at thu
fact that could not join him. Although
l really had no prospect of raising tn.
money, begged him to wait few days
and let me make the trial, which he will |
ingly consented to do.
In the meantime my friend found man
ready to advance the capital and become
his partner in case should fail to do so
and believing my efforts to be hopeless
went around to his Office, with a sad heart.
to tell him not to wait any longer for me.
He was not in, and l did not see him
that day, and before another day dawned
received my long looked for letter.
l opened it with an eager, trembling
hand, hoping it might contain some good
news on which to build future hope
Judge of my surprise and delight on find
ing an inclosed draft for s., 600 payable tc
my order.
With an almost swimming brain read
the letter accompanying it. The writer be.
gan by calling me his dear friend, but
warned me l should find the name of
stranger attached to the epistle.
"You may remember, however," the writ.
er went on, that somewhere about four
years ago a person came to the postof1ics
where you were then clerk and inquired
of you what time the mail closed that was
to 70 out in the next packet; that you Of
fered to get his letter posted if possible.
You succeeded and received his tearful
thanks and at his urgent request wrote
your name for him on a card.
"Now, kind FRIEND" the epistle proceed.
ed, ''let me tell you of the Importance OF
that letter and its value to me. had o
rich, unmarried uncle who was in deep de.
cline. He had been told was dead and
had willed his vast possessions to other rel
atives
II heard Of this, as it were, by accident,
and that he was about to sail for the East
Indies, never to return. A letter by the
next packet might possibly reach him in
England.
1T did reach him on the eve of his de-
parture and caused an important alteration
in his will, for was the only son of ia.
vorite sister. He sailed for India, but died
on the passage, and if my letter had missed
that packet he would never have received it.
" was poor then. am rich now. Will
you accept this trife, not as reward, but
as token of friendship, from one who has
ever been end ever will be gratefuls"
This was the substance Of letter that
made the difference Of a world to me, for
now had the means of entering into part.
nership with my friend. and that resulted,
as you see, in a fortune and as much hap
piness as can be found in this sphere of ex.
istence. English Magazine.
Painting Among EsaSIan Women.
The Egyptian women Of the time of the
1c,1 ir,ta o1x Lso1,