The morning call., 1895-01-15
PLEASANT OUTCOME OF POSTING A LETTER.

when / am leaving home, MISS heZla was
saving. sit will be worse than useless,
because it will be six and eightpence
thrown away if I call on Mr.. Lehskill with
out those papers he sent for my signature;
and there they are at the present moment
tied up with green ribbon, and sealed with
violet wax, in the second drawer OF the
writing-table in my bedroom
"You can write 10 mother, and she or
Sophv will forward them, she was re-
minded.
Eyes. but look at the delay it involyesi
To be detained here doing nothing, abso-
lutely nothing, Is downright provoking"
My dear aunt, you can help me with
my commissions. Think what f0rmd-
able list ! have"
81 shall telegraph Immediately said
Miss keZia. But no, that would be too
expensive, too troublesome. ! shall have
TO write, and wait for reply as patiently
as | can Dear me, there a great deal OF
talk about the wonderful discoveries OF
later wears. but what are they? The much
Wanted telegraph only carries messages;
if it could whisk that little bundle OF pa
perS from Sllipton postoffice to me, should
think great deal more OF IL than IN It's
present imperfect, unsatisfactory state.
Phyllis smiled, and was doing again,
when her aunt's voice, speaking lrrltably,
brought her back TO the waking world.
Don't you hear me, child? DO ring the
bell again How very inattentive they are
here!"
Perhaps they are at supper, or as tired
as I am" suggested the yawning Phyllis,
who. remem bering how often the maid
servant had been summoned on some fry
olous preteXt, was not at all surprised II
she declined to hear the tinkle-tinkle OF
the spinsters bell.
''But my letter to Your mother is ready,
u -, tn1- 4of EaF
est office. | shall lose the last post! | be-
ieve l ought to go myself" Miss Kezia
went on yet more plaintively. ''even at the
risk OF catching a severe cold, and being
laid ND with the infiuenza, for these care
less clearinghouse servants are never to be
depended upon. They will either throw
my note aside till it suits their own conve-
nience, or put it in one OF those pillar
boxes, in which | have no confidence"
"I'1l take it for you, Aunt Kezia," said
Phyllis, running into the adjoining room
for her hat and jacket. II am gone,
ma'am," she sang, merrily, "and anon,
ma am, I'll be with you in trice! ! sup
pose 1 shall have no difficulty in finding a
postotfice."
''Nfy dear, they are as plentiful in Lon
don as blackberrieS,' replied Miss kezia
MAKE haste, and then we will have some
chocolate, and go to bed.
accustomed " llSh aSAiN
fearlessly, at her country home, Phyllis
set off on her errand, without reckoning
ON the vast difference between q rural To-
cality, where every inch of ground was
familiar, every person she met neigh
Dor or friend, and the wilderness of streets
now surrounding her.
If poStofiices were as plentiful as Aunt
Kezia asserted, she had only to walk on
till she found one. So at brisk pace she
scudded along, till the street opened into
a quiet square.
Along one side OF this admiring the old
fashioned houses, and promising herself a
visit by daylight TO the gardens in the cell
ter, went Phyllis, peering down by-streets
for glimpse of postoffice, and SO on and
on, till she found she arrived at a wider
thOroughfare, along which vehicles were
rafting. Here there were rows of shops,
some closed for the day, some well-lighted
and busy. Among these her rowing eyes
soon caught sight of what she sought.
Miss Darton's missive was dropped in the
letter-bOx, and the young girl, exhilarated
bV her brisk walk and the novelty of her
surroundings, was attempting to retrace
her steps.
Perhaps she had not taken sufficient
heed OF the many turningS and wlndlngs OF
the route, for it was evident that the square
in which she found herself presently was
and after wandering all along the four
sides she came to the annoying conclusion
that she must have lost her way.
However, Phyllis was neither eXCita BILE
nor cowardly. She was alone, but she was
not afraid; for If there were dangers sur
rounding her, she was if ignorant of them.
Vexed she might have felt at her own
stupidity, but nothing more, If she had not
suddenly bethought herself that she did
TO l-Upyg fha nc of fhn Sffoaf in xghi h
Aunt KeZia was lodging.
Should | recognize the house; at least ]
think So" she murmured, doubtfully. 81
suppose l shall have to keep on looking till
l find it. l cannot be very far away"
And now she tried to walk back to the
wider thoroughfare, and the Office at which
she had posted the letter: but it was a be-
wildering task.
BY the gaslight no distinguishing marks
could be discerned; the same rows and
rows of houses, turn which way she would,
confused the little country girl, though
she persevered till she was breathleSs and
footsore.
She would have appealed TO policeman
long since if it had been merely a case of
inability to find certain street; but she
could not tell him what street it was, nor
even supply the cognomen of the landlady,
whom Miss Kezia had merely addressed as
lily SOOQ NOUldu
To be taken to a station-house like stray
child would be too absurd; yet, on the
other hand, what was she to do?
Her strength was failing too fast to allow
of her walking about much longer; indeed,
Phyllis was beginning to feel SO utterly
spent that but for very shame she would
have sat down on doorstep and cried
heartily.
As it was, few tears did force their way
into her hazel eyes, and putting her hand
into her pocket for her handkerchief it
came in contact with the little packet she
had received from her father.
Colonel Templeton, 40 Ervington
square, Kensington-I recollect that direc-
ton well enough" she cried, joyfully. 81
will go there. | shall not be afraid to say
how / am situated to dear dads old friend.
Aunt Kezia will be dreadfully frightened,
but it is no use dwelling on her trouble till
l am out of my own"
With reyiying hope Phyllis ran across
the road to intercept the man i'll blue who
was stalking along the opposite pavement.
"Can tell you the way to Kensington ?"
he echoed; II should think l could. But
are you sure that's the place you want,
because you are going toward Regent s
Park?'
Phyllis repeated Colonel Templeton's
address, adding the query:
as it far2"
Farther than such very young lady
as you are ought to be going by herself at
SO late an hour"