Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-01-31

will be dark in half-hour. But
don't care a snap about being alone.
And what is likely to be the conclusion
OF this business? The girl Invariably
marries some other man, and is happy
with the new fellow. And the first
chap-who cares what has become of
him? Now, there is that Bob Bryant,
why hasn't he written? Two months
have I been away from civilization,
and not line from anybody, only old
rigamarole rubbish from railroad di-
rectors."
just then there was a shout away
off in the distance. John Dallass drew
out his map, and was, apparently,
deeply engrossed in the study of it
when his men came in. At once the
engineer found fault with them for
being behind time.
"See here" said the spokesman, at
was roughwalking through the slough,
and we went to where the mail was,
and it was ten miles out of the way.
There was nothing"
where's the fourth man ?" inquired
Jack Dallass, angrily.
You cut me too short, boss. There
was next to nothing, only a letter for
you. The fourth hand, the man that
sorts the mail, he said this here letter
had been there q month, and that an
other mail was expected, but we could
MT all stay for it, so the fourth man he
allowed he would wait. See here,
boss, that young chaps got girl in
the east somewhat, and he said he'd be
blowed, or something like it, if he
wouldn't wait and see if she had wrote
him. So we lit out without him. He'll
he up afore long"
John Dallass felt like forgiving the
fourth man, especially since the letter
he had now in his hand he recognized az
coming from Robert Bryant. While the
men were building fire Mr.. Dallass
read his letter. There was nothing in
it. Club talk and nonsense, absolutely
unsatisfactory. Stop! There was a
postscript. Saw Miss Royal at the
theater. She looked cbarmingly. Such
an amusing play! I had heard she
was going abroad. / asked her about
it. She seemed to put some insistence
| Al uuI 3 I'LL.
What crumb of comfort was there?
1t was ever SO small crumb, and vet
Jack Dallass read it over and over
again, until the last flicker of the light
went out. and then he lay down in his
blanket and did not go to sleep. for
lie heard during the night the coming
of the fourth man. 1t was too dark
to see whether he had mail satchel.
In n moment the man was stretched his
length before the fire and was asleep.
At dawn Dallass was awake. Yes, the
man had a small bag. He had used it
for a pillow. The engineer flched it
from under the heavy sleeper's head.
The contents of the bag were exam
ined. There were newspapers and blue
envelopes. "Beastly instructions, i'm
possible to carry out, and requests for
more details which they may whistle
for" cried John Dallass, impatiently.
"What, no letter! Not even from Bob Y'
Then in fevcrish haste Dallass shook
each newspaper, and out tumbled a
letter. "rhe COMPOUNDED lazy fellow
must have rammed the whole mail in
together" Jack Dallass' face did not
bear an aggrieved look. He did not tear
open the envelope, but did the opening
carefully. 1t seemed sacrilege to lose
a shred of the paper. 1t was barely
dawn, but there seemed to be Ger
tain luminosity in the mans eyes
which would have permitted him to
have made out a certain handwriting
in the dark. Then he read:
"In conversation of purely busi-
ness character Robert Bryant Informed
Miss Royal that g new line of road was
being built to Puget sound. MIR. Bryant
having expressed himself favorably as
to the future of this enterprise, and
Miss Royal having need for some minor
investments, she had begged Mr.. Bry-
ant, who is familiar with Wall street,
| to purchase some of the bonds at the
current figures.
Great heavens! What does the girl
mean? All in the third person! She
| is cruel, cruel" And it goes on: "Nliss
Royal would never have been led 10
make this venture if she had not by
chance read in some newspaper an ac-
count of this road, and she takes the
liberty of inclosing the cutting, and
| her curiosity is some little excited, be-
cause there is the name of an engineer
having charge of the road which she
thinks has been ludicrously mis-
spelled"
That's ALL" cried Jack Dallass, the
tears in his eyes. tShe is cruel, ma
licious with her persiflage, aud 1 never
| will forgive her. Let me see this rub
bishly bit of printing. I'm, UNI. Great
| advantages II X union of the re-
mote Pacific I'm, UNI. Wealth of
the Indies pouring into the lap of the
remote west Rot md drivel. What
is this at the end of this printed balder-
dash? It's underscored: John Dali
lass, the well-known young engineer,
is now occupied in making surveys
| There is a pencil line under that, and
| Please, John Dallass, be Mt Seattle
as soon as you can. My aunt wants to
| see the Alaskan glaciers Thank God!
! No third person there, and when," said
John Dallass, reyerentially. recalling
the Talmud, your friend calls for an
ass, hasten and buy saddle"
| Why did John Dallass leave that
morning for Seattle? Maybe it was
for the special benefit of the Puget
Sound railroad.-N. y. Times.
| The Mount Lebanon Shakers have
invented q great many valuable
things. They were the first to make
brOOIns nv machinery. tho first tn mi