Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-09-26
BY POSTING A LETTER

| 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-
caimed
"Will you be kind enough to tell me
chat time the mail closes that is to go out
h. the packet Albion"
ut is closed already" said !, glancing at
;he time. "You are too late by half an
hour"
The man turned deadly pale and looked
AS il he was about to faint.
Gracious heavenl' he calculated, lean
ing against the wall for support. II have
ridden 80 miles since sunset last night to
post this letter, and / am too late at last. !"
"Quick~ ] interrupted. Give me the
letter. The mail has not yet gone. Per
haps there may he time"
"Your letter is mailed" i said when
returned. 1T will go, If not already gone" ="
THANK you. God bless you" he ex-
claimed, with considerable emotion, tears
filing his eyes. "Your name, sir, il you
please" be added, reaching in his hand and
sping mine with a fervor there was no
mistGkng.
"Neyer mind the name" returned, with
a light laugh. "It was only a trifing act,
aud if it has served you in any way you are
welcome 10 it,"
please give me your name," he rejoined
II would like 20 know it,"
wrote it down on card and handed IL
TO him.
He walked rapidly away, and never saw
him again. / only thought over the mat
ter, AID then il gradually passed out of my
mind and took its place among the thou
sand trifing incidents that are forgotten.
had been over six years engaged In post
al affairs when one day, to my great sur
prise, received letter, postmarked and
dated London, which contained these words
IF you will send your address and a
card, with your name written on il rs you
were accustomed To write it three or four
years ago, you will hear Of something to
your advantage"
This was signed by a name / had never
heard of before, with full superscription
for the return letter. Filled with surprise,
lost no time in complying with the mystic
rous request in every particular, and the
next packet carried my missive in safety
across the great waters
Weeks and months passed away, and no
news arrived. Then came to the conclu-
me To be the person required, and that
should never near any more of the matter.
Meantime a friend of mine, a very in
genious person, who had recently patented
an invention of great prospective value,
came To me and asked me If l had any
money to invest in a profitable speculation.
"Unfortunately," said /, IL have not-it
takes all my salary to live In respectable
manner"
II am sorry" he rejoined, "for would
rather have you foy partner than any 9TH
er / know Of There is fortune in my in
vention-l know it-but IL will take some
capital (from 81, 600 To &, 1000 to get IL prop
erly before the public, and as have not
the means myself | must unite with some
one who has"
He then laid before me his plans, and so
well satisfied me Of the success of his
scheme that | WAS quite depressed at the
fact that | could not join hi.l. Although
i really had no prospect of raising the
money, begged him To wait a 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 j should fail to do so,
and believing my efforts TO be hopeless
went around to his office, with sad heart,
to tell him not TO wait any longer for me.
He was not in, and ! did not see him
that day, and before another day dawned
received my long looked for letter.
/ opened it with an eager, trembling
hand, hoping it might contain some good
news on which to build a future hope.
Judge of my surprise and delight on find
ing an inclosed draft for s., 900 payable TO
my order
With an almost swimming brain read
the letter accompanying 1t. The writer be-
gan by calling me his dear friend, but
warned me / 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 person came to the postoflice
where you were then clerk and inquired
of you what time the mail closed that was
to 40 out In the next packet; that you Of
fered to get his letter posted If possible.
You succeeded and received his fearful
thanks and ut 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
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 a ia
vorite sister. He sailed for India, but died
on the passage, and IL my letter had missed
that packet he would never have received 1t.
II was poor then. am rich now. Will
you accept this trihe, not as reward, but
a. a token of friendship, from one who has
ever been and ever will be gratefulp
This was the substance Of a letter that
made the difference of world to me, for
now had the means of entering into part
nership with my friend. and that resulted,
as you see, in fortune and as much hap
plness as can be found In this sphere of ex-
{stence -Enulish MaQazine