Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-20
A DELAYED LETTER.

They were tearing down tho Centerville
courthouse One Of the workmen found q
letter upon which was the faded address
ADaniel ii. Carter"
.Why, it's to old Preacher Carterp said
some one.
"How do you knowf" asked another
"Why, it's Daniel III. Carter and his
names Daniel Henry. 1t must have been
sent years before he went to preaching.
Let's open It,"
"Open itf" said the second speaker. "Is
that letter addressed to your No, sir. It's
addressed to Daniel II. Carter, and he's
the only man who has any right to Its con-
tents That envelopes got a United States
stamp on 1t, and don't careAlow long it's
lain there. It means protection to what
ever 1t carries That stamp would hold
good day after Judgment"
The speaker was evidently q man OF
weight, for his argument was particularly
effective, for there were murmurs OF ap-
proyal in the crowd and voices that said In
several tones and keys:
"We amt got no right to open 1t.
"The squire's right"
"Better send 1t to its owner"
"It might cost the county something,
anyhow" said young sprig OF the law
"that is, If It's anything particular, whose
benefits Mr.. Carter was prevented from
taking advantage of by this delay"
The upshot of it all was that the letter
was sent across to the building which had
been fitted up and was doing service as
postoffice in lieu Of the old one and
sent out by the carrier who had the Rev.
Daniel III. Carter upon his route.
The Rev. Mr.. Carter was an easy, good
natured bachelor, and had been pastor at
Centerville for almost all the years since
he returned from creditable service as chap
lain of regiment during the civil war. 1t
was true tina he had passed by all the re-
ligiously inclined spinsters and charitable
widows in the town, but In spite OF this
almost objectionable offense he was well
beloved and deeply revered and 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 bit old fashioned, he
imagined, but, then, some years had passed
over tho 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
breakfast.
The bread, butter and eggs wcro partic-
ularly 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 a man who had on his
study table letter which had been on the
way for nearly 30 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 he did not seem to see well, so
he took off his glasses, rubbed and pol.
ished them and set them on his nose again.
He looked at the handwriting and as his
hand went up to smooth his brow fash
of recognition came into his eyes. His
hand dropped quickly and he looked at the
postmark again. Then with a sudden gasp
and the perspiration standing out upon his
brow he dropped into chair. Only for
moment he sat there staring into vacancy,
and then with trembling fingers he tore
the missive open and devoured its con-
tents with his eager eyes.
When he had finished it, the letter drop
ped from his grasp and he put his hands
over his face. His frame shook with sobs
and the tears trickled between his fingers
When bis paroxysm Of grief had about sub
sided his voice came muffled from behind
his hands in these words:
"Great God, thank thee that thou hast
to me this thing
He picked the letter up and read 1t again.
1t ran:
BELMONT.
MY DEAR DANIEL-whati Ashamed to come
aca tell ne YOURSELF Timid boyl Have you
not seen that love your 1T shames my maid
enhood to write thus byt, as you say, one can
write 30 much more boldly than one can talk.
Yes, will be your wife. Come to me when you
will 1t cannot be too soon.
ELIZABETH DEERING.
Elizabeth Elizabeth cried the min
lister. "How have paid for my cowardice!
i thought you had met my proposal with
scorn and deemed it unworthy even of an
answer, and was glad to go into the heat
of battle and care for the suffering and dy-
ing, to bury the dead, and-to try to for
get. But In all these years have not for
gottenp'
Then suddenly a thought occurred to
him, and he sat bolt upright in his chair.
A moment moro he had his hat on and
was out Of the house. Had any of his con-
gregation met him as he went wildly fly
ing down to the station they would sadly
have considered the advisability of retain
ing such pitifully demented creature as
the pastor. His hat was set far back on
his head, his hair flying and his coat fly
ing wide and an open letter daring in his
hand. He took the train for Belmont. The
two towns were 20 much nearer than they
were 30 years ago.
They had grown, and he was hardly out
of the suburbs Of one before he was into
the suburbs Of the other.
In the middle of Belmont they set him
down. Could any one tell him where
Miss Deering livedp He asked the question
with a trembling and failing voice. 1t had
been past 30 years ago, you know.
Miss Deering-whatl Miss Lizzie Deer
ingP Why, any one can tell you where
good Miss Lizzie Deering lives. It's right
nj ho or,d't