The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-18
Cur family Starg.
M%ELLlCENT'S. LETTERS.

The postmaster at Chelsea station
had q conscience, of course. Every
body has. The public servants into
whose hands the governments postal
affairs are intrusted are not generally
credited with being the possessors OF
such an i~nconvenient article, but the
worthy official vt the aforementioned
point was an exception to the rule.
An explanation Of the statement
may be given by telling you that not
only was Silas Gardiner the distributor
of the mailsbut q deacon in the Baptist
church as we'll, 80 although that same
conscience was composed OF many of
the ingredients that also are con-
although 1t oftimes became so elastic
as TO allow of his reading postal cards,
letters not securely sealed and 80 forth,
we may be sure that never was he
guilty OF such an offense without ex-
periencing many severe twinges of that
troublesome monitor.
On Thursday afternoon there came
an unusually strong temptation. The
four o'clock mail came in, bringing q
letter that sent the blood surging in
crimson waves over Postmaster Gardi-
ner's ACE and made his heart beat
against it's prison like a trip-hammer.
1t was not u very important-looking
letter; just u small, square, white
envelope addressed in an even business
hand, but 1T was the name that pro-
duced the postmaster's paroxysm Of
curiosity. 1t was no remarkable thing
for Miss Mellicent Darrell to be the
recipient of letters, but never before
had she received one penned in the
free, dashipg hand that graced the
envelope that lay before him. He we'll
knew that, for not a missive for Miss
Darrell had passed through the Office
that he had not examined the writing
closely.
Through the long hours of the even
ing while the neighbors we're congre-
gated in the little room there was q
conflict in the postmaster's mind.
to solve the Question TITO be or not
to be-" ITO do or not to do" BY $40
the little room was deserted. Securely
fastening the outer door and the one
communicating with the sitting-room
of his sisters family, the postmaster
removed the oil lamp from it's &C
customed place on the bracket on the
wall of his desk in the corner and then
once more took up Miss Mellicent's
letter.
He held it up to the light he put it
back in box No. ID; he took it up and
looked at 1t again, and then carefully
broke the seal and removed the closely
written sheets from their covering.
He looked at them a few minutes as
they lay there exposed to view as if
wondering how he had dared to be so
bold. But the Rubicon was crossed !:
there was no retreating and he pushed
couragcously forward and read Miss
Mellicent's letter.
The postmaster's life had always
been very prosaic. There was but one
thing in his remembrance that had
ever shed a roseate glow over the COM
m%onplace, monOtonous eXpanse of years
that he had lived through and that
was an unavowed affection for Millicent,
Darrell. He had worshipped her from
afar when they had gone to school
together at the little red-brick house
at the foot Of the hill. Time had but
served to strengthen this childish
devotion. Through youth and the
first years of manhood she had been
his star of Bethlehem, as it were, fully
as unapproachable as though she had
in reality occupied q position in a world
far beyond the sphere wherein he
dwelt.
She may have been aware of the
homage that was hers, but no en-
enlargement was given the admirer,
who was too fainGhearted to give ex-
preston to his regard by word Or sign,
but who hopelessly waited for some
one else to winthe prize that he so much
valued. But for reasons best known
to herself alone Miss Darrell preferred
a life of single blessedness to one of
double Indebtedness, and passed con-
tentedly and comfortably into a state of
old-yoaidenhood, and the postmaster
settled down into q chronic, lOve-lorn
melancholy, from which comatose con-
dition he was partially aroused, now
and then, by the thought that she
might yet change her mind and honor
some fortunate being with heart and
hand.
So that was the situation when Miss
Darrell went down to the seashore one
summer to visit her brother. Silas
Gardeners heart was filed with mis-
givings during her absence, lest what
he had long feared should come to
pass. 1t was about a week after her
return, in the autumn, that the carrier
brought the letter, the very appearance
of which was sufficient to produce
such agitation in his breast, and q
perusal of which confirmed his instirc-
tive belief in some entangling alliance.
That night as he read and reread the
words that were intended for Miss
Mellicent's eyes alone, his heart grew
heavy, for every line breathed forth
an unmistakable devotion, which,
Judging by the frequent illusions to
future happiness, was not unrequited.
1t was near morning when he COM
pieted his deliberations over the letter,
and carefully locked it in a seldom
used compartment of his desk. The
next day Miss Darrell drove over to the
Office with her niece and namesake,
who had accompanied her on her return
to Chelsa station, and inquired for
mail.
AT the disappointed rs that all ?"
with which both ladies received the
contents of box No. 13 u wave Of re-
pentance rolled over the postmaster's
soul and the letter secreted in his
private desk arose before him like an
accusing angel.
came for Miss Darrell on an average of
Onc a day-letters whose tone ranged
through the various phases of human
passion, from most tender affection to
extreme anger at their failure to elicit
areply, and each as it arrived was read
by Mr.. Gardiner with q sort of q grim
satisfaction and deposited with its pre-
decessors.
Miss Mellicent's niece was CRYING.
"Ican't understand It," she said to her
elderly relative, between sobs. GIVE
been here five weeks and not O word
hau .haoc1 f,opo Cha,laa WHIT