The Bessemer indicator., 1893-08-12
THE poSTMASTER'S DAUGHTER
She nobbed the Mn,i, nut the In
spcctur Kept ficr secret.

She nobbcd the Mntf, nut the In
spcctor Kept ficr secret.
An inspector had queer expcfioi!ca
in Maryland. AZ his train reared this
village he walked into the ma cor and
asked for the mail clerk, showed his
commission and put in a letter address
cd to .Ia.iics L.tchster iictitiou;
! name: Tho letter contained SO bill.
Iiis insfectSt stohd on the biutioltii
of the mail car wlitI ttic t-;tIi stqiil.at!
and the pouch was thrown oil 4 boy
took the pouch over his shoulder ana
started up the village street There
was II crowd of visitors inside the office
'vla swarmpd towards the little desk.
The inspe,t5t@ ~aftei fifteen minutes
until they had all gone 10 set ,fhcir
mail IIe entered the place. hahd,
come girl, seventeen years old. dressed
III aij OLD fashioned bodice and light
coloycd skirt, sat behind The wire graft
It'd " Il rocking cl,nir sewing. say. the
Indianapolis Journal
rs there IL letter here fer Danes
tapcaster?' he asked.
mo. STIR antf; nfter sorting some let
tcCs in case marked I.
"Arc You the postmaster!
NO. | am the assistant. My father
Is thr postmaster"
"'t''o suAusd ,be pouch that came in
by the last .la!t''"
81 did"
"No one to help you?"
NO sir
''Masbc it's stuck in the pouch. I
haze heard hf sueN things, Won't You
loolSi'
/, She took. the pouch. turned it Upside
down, si.GtE Y nht f"oked inside No
letter. q.
Won't you let me come in and help
you look for it,
No. No one is allowed in here"
The inspector drew out his commits
sion May | come IN nowf" he asked
"Tcs;;" busting: a beg Your par-
don"
Il mailed Il ist'ot inyscif 10 James
Lancaster" the inspector sa.t! Ut is
a fictitious nnmc-I.ancaslcr. The let
ter was put in that pouch by the mail
clark an the train, who took memo
randum OF II find irctnd the pouch i'll
my presence. When that isiict was
put of at the station ! followed 1t and
kept it in sight until 1t was taken into
ed 1t alone and that no one else touched
IL. Where is my letter."
II never saw u. sir 1f rou doubt
me you can search me.
The inspector began 10 pace the floor
in deep thought The girl, more beau
tiful than ever in her excitement sat
down in the chair, crossed her legs
and hcGan to rock herself TO and fro.
Call your mother utsd she "an search
you in my presence
My mother is dead"
Again the Inspector paced the floor.
As he walked back and forth he no.
ticcd the swinging feet of the post
masters daughter. One of her stock
iuGs had fallen n little and under it
WAS the shape of an envelope.
Your stocking has dropped" he said.
The girl turned scarlet and then
white and stopped rocking. She caught
her breath and almost fainted. Then
she recovered. took the letter from its
hiding place, handed 1t to the inspector
and burst into Il flood OF passionate
tears. The girl had admirers, as WAS
natural: her father WAS misery, not
giving her the money even that was
needed for Il bright bit of ribbon. let
alone Il new dress. She had been
tempted TO take money from The mails
for bits of iinery. The inspector bitter
ly accused the old man OF being the
one to blame.
II suppose you will arrest hcr?' he
said.
"Will you mnl>e restitution of the
sum stoi,n:"
II WIS handed over.
"Will you arrest herr
III did. what would be her future.
No. Unless you or she tells this will
never be known"