Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-07-17


was sorry for David.
About month after the engagement
John Alroy was made postmaster of
Garrett. He. was young, quick and
clever, and handsome.
Joyce was busy ut the store, so Mary
often went to social gatherings without
him, he calling for her later on in the
evening He did not dance Alroy did
1t gradually dawned upon him that
Mary danced good deal with the post
master. He also found that the post
master often met Mary by chance when
she took sunny walks
In April he made his usual spring
trip to buy goods. He had been away
O week when he received letter from
Mary. She asked to be absolved from
her engagement with him. The calm
ness with which Mary met him told him
his doom.
'It is Alroy, OF course?" he said.
''lt may seem to you that treat you
badly" she returned, "but l never
knew what love was till l met him !"
and Joyce went away.
Throughout the summer he saw little
OF the happy pair, invented business
excuses taking him much from home.
Winter came, and the store claimed
him. April loomed up-the anniver-
sary of his shattered hopes-and he
heard that Mary would be married in
June. In June the marriage was put
off till autumn.
This was the reason. The postofiice
at Garrett was third-class. Out of his
salary the postmaster was expected to
defray all Office expenses. In a sec
ond-class Office, clerk hire and other
liabilities were met by the Govern
ment, while the salary of the master
was considerably increased. Alroy
proposed to raise his Office to second
class. SO rs to be in position to mar
ry To do this he must prove that the
business of his office had increased for
year to such an extent that it
equalled existing second-class offices.
Late i'll the summer he said that this
was SO. In September an expert dis
covered that, while the sale OF stamps
for year equalled that of an Office of
the higher grade 1T did not represent
n corresponding increase in mailed
matter. Alroy was accused of fraud.
In January Joyce was summoned to
act as grand Juror on the Goth of Feb
ruary, in the city, more than a hun
dred miles away.
The afternoon of the 18th brought
Garrett binding snow-storms: the
streets were deserted, business was ct
standstill About four o'clock and
nearly dark, lady entered Joyce's
private room at the store. 1t was
Mary Hammond.
81 have heard" she said ut once,
"that you are u grand juror in the
February term. The postmaster
case comes up before you. "
Joyce's heart gave bound. lie
had not thought OF that.
'Ihe grand jury, am informed, u
che went on, "decide if there is sutfi.
cient ground to make out case to &c
before the court. You will have voice
in deciding whether or not there is q
case against the postmaster
Joyce's eyes We're lik- Goals of fire.
''If it We're in your power, you would
convict the postmaster, she said.
Joyce found his voice
of l knew him to be guilty, yes,
he said
"He is guilty" she went on. "Tht
stamps were bought by me, with the
thousand dollars of my fathers insur
ance. ] proposed the fraud. Low
! for him made me do as l have done
love for me made him do the rest. F"
Without another word she went from
the room out into the snow-storm.
Joyce trembled in every limb, TIL
insult drove him wild. She knew tina
he still loved her, and she called upol
that love to save Alroy even at the cos
of honor, The outrage of it Alrc.