Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-04-24


that the pCStmark showed it to have
been mailed in December. 1861. The
address upon it in a hand that from
the first must have been light and del
icate showed that il had been sent to
reach Daniel n. Carter, Centerville,
in a State that shall be nameless.
Why, it's to old Preacher Carter"
sail some one.
How do you knOw?' asked another.
Why it's Daniel II. Carter and his
names Daniel Henry. 1t must have
been sent years before he went to
preaching. Let's open il"
open it?" said the second speaker.
Is that letter addressed to you? No,
sir; it's addressed to Daniel H. Carter,
and he's the only man who has any
right to its contents That envelopes
got q United States stamp on it and 1
don't care how long it's lain here; it
means protection to whatever it car
ries. That stamp would hold good q
day after Judgment"
The speaker was evidently a man OF
weight or his argument was particu-
larly effective, for there were murmurs
of approval in the crowd and voices
that said in several tones and keys
I'VE amt got no right to open it.
"The sQuire's right.
Better send it to its owner"
1T might cost the county something.
anyhow said a young sprig of the
law; that is if it's anything particular,
whose benefits Mr.. Carter was prevent
ell from taking advantage OF by this
delay
The upshOt of it all was that the let
ter was sent across to the building
which had been fitted up and was do
ing service as postoffice in lieu Of the
Old one. and sent out by the carrier
who had the Rev. Daniel H. Garter up-
on his route.
The Rev Mr.. Carter was an easy,
good natured and pious bachelor who
had been pastor of the Methodist Epis-
cOpal flock nc Centeryille for almost all
the years since he returned from cred
table service as chaplain of a regiment
during the civil war. III was true that
he had passed by all the religiOusly
inclined spinsterS and charitable wild
ows i'm the town, but i'm spite of this
almost objectionable offense he was
the church with the experience of many
years had grown used to its bachelor
parson.
That morning when the postman
rang his bell he went to the door and
received his letter with his usual smile
and thank YOU"
To him the envelope seemed rather
dusty on one edge and a bit old fash
Toned. he imagined, but then some
years had passed over the Rev. Daniel
Carter's head and his sight was not so
gOOd as it had once been. SO. without
curiosity, he laid the letter down on his
study table and went down to break
fast
The bread, butter and eggs were par
ticularly good that morning and the
tea was just to his taste so perhaps
the minister fingered q little longer at
his morning meal than was usual 1t
was at any rate a rather long time
for man who had on his study table
q letter which had been on the way
for nearly thirty-fye years.
But at last the pastor made an end
of eating and again sought his study.
He picked up the letter and adjusted
his glasses with leisurely care. He
glanced at the pOStmark and let his
eye roam over the address. but ne did
not seem to see well. so ne took off hi4
glasses, rubbed and polished them and
set them on his nose again.
He looked at the handwriting and as
his hand went up to smooth his brow
q flush Of recognition came into his
eyes. His hand dropped quickly and
he looked at the pOstmark again. Then
with a sudden gasp and the perSpira-
tiOn standing out upon his brow he
dropped into q chair. Only for a mo-
ment he sat there staring into vacancy,
and then with trembling fingers he
tore the missive open and devOured
its contents with his eager eyes.
When he had finished it the letter
dropped from his grasp and he put his
hands over his face. His frame shook
with sobs and tears trickled between
his fingers When his paroXysm Of
grief had about Subdued his voice
came munIed from behind his hands
i'm these words
Great God I thank Thee that Thou
hast revealed to me this thing
lie picked the letter up and read it
again. lt ran
"Belmont.-NLy DearDaniel-Wh
ashamed to come and tell me yourself,
Timid boy. Have you not seen that l
love YOU? 1t shames my maidenhoOd
TO write thus, but as YOU say, one can
write so much more boldly than one
can talk. Yes. I will be your wife;
come to- me when YOU will, it cannot
be too soon.
ELIZABETH DEERING.'
Elizabeth, Elizabeth cried the
minister. how have paid for my cow
ardice I thought YOU had met my
proposal with scOrn and deemed it un-
worthy even of an answer. and I was
glad 10 so into the heat Of battle and
care for the suffering and dying. 10
bury the dead, and-to try to forget.
But in all these years I have not for
gotten"
Then suddenly a thought occurred
to him and he sat upright in his chairI
A moment more he had his hat on and
was out of the house. Had any Of his
congregation met him as he went Wild
w fying down 20 the station they would
sadly have considered the advisability
of retaining such a pitifully demented
creature as the pastor. His hat was
set far back on his head. his hair flying
and his coat flying wide and an open