The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-11-12
A POSTMISTRESS PRO TEN,
BY Tom Hall.

| quaiDtances, ard decided to offer my
sef To her. Miss Violet Pierson. O
New York, was as good as she wa
beautiful. and was an heiress besides
| arranged with my partner for a shol
yacation, aud proceeded to New Yor
and offered myself, one fine June day
to the yoUng lady, in person. Viole
received my proposition with as muc
dignity as | made it. assured me of he
esteem, told me she would cJlsul
with her parents and give me an al
swer on the next day. AS had neve
llad the pleasure of meeting either ia
thcr CT mother, | left with her a pho
tcgrarh of myself with my autograph
Oh The back, that they might in som
manner judge of my character. If
had been pleading the cause CT anothe
! Should have marked it Exhibit A..
But l have always been careless of m,
oNtl interests, and TO tell the truth
was so embarrassed during the entir
interview that l lost for a time all M
business acuteneSS.
After leaving Niolet's Fifth avenue
home, l proceeded on my way dowl
town to meet, for the first time il
several years, my old college chum
Jack bennett. AT Union Square, at
tempted to board a cable car as II
swung aroum what l know now as
Dead Mans Curve. And then
Then | awoke in the Presbyterian
Hospital, with Jack bending tenderly
over my bed
''Not wOrd,' said Jack, caution
ineiy. You are not even TO think
You had severe cGncussidn of the
brain, my dear fellow, and nothing
but complete rest will get the contents
of that head of yours back into shape
Il must see Victet at once,r l wthis-
pered.
drop that said Jack, authorita-
lively. You have been seeing violet
and every color of the rainbow ever
since you were hurt. Not another
word now.'
With that he left me. 1 will hot de.
scribe the monotonous existence of the
next three weeks of my life; but a day
came eventually when they put me
Oh the cars. destined for a quiet little
town in the AdironIacks, where a
quiet life. the air of the woods, and
absolute rest from all the worry and
care OF this world were TO complete
the cure. 1t was a pace recommend
ed by Il friend of Jacks, who had once
beql threatened with insanity. He as
sued Jack that no human being could
po sibly find anything 10 think about
in that town except sleeping and eat
ing. Hence it WAS just the place for
me. SO off Jack shipped me, clad in
robe mine llld beQl ruined in the ac-
cidenD. and with linen of all descrip-
tions, from the same place. Jack and
l We're exact macs in size, so he had
not troubled himself to go through my
trunk for supplies. And as he said
good-by 10 me the dear fellow showed
do.lars in bills into my
hands, a ticket into the ribbon around
my had, and a long fiat parcel done up
in brown Wrapping paper oTto the seat
beside me. He told me TO write to him
for more mCmty when the sevdliy-five
WAS exhausted, and made me promise
to look AT the conterts of The package
four times Gaily-before each meal and
on going to bed. Jack said it was his
by the way, Jack was
always peculiar.
That n;ght l slept under the hOspi-
tai roof of c,eanly Old widow. a Mrs.
White, in the little town of L. l
had been enjoined to stay there at least
six weeks, so l paid her in advance
my board AMI washing for that time.
This left ME about Sc in cash. most of
which | hil out in cheap novels, to-
bacco, pipes, writing materials and
stamps. And l adoiped my room with
the contents of The brown paper COW
,red parcel. 1t proved to be framed
motto. and the mandate on it was
Dent Worry
l spent the first few days of my stay
n writing letters-the first and longest |
If which, YOU may be sure, was to Miss
Violet Picrscn, explaining at length |
he reahon for my failure to call upon |
Ter again, and my present condition. |
And begged her. of course, to let me |
Know my fate mt once by mail. In |
'pite of Jacks motto | wtlS already be- |
ginning TO worry. On the third day |
# my stay | wdlt to the little village
'0st office and asked for letters for
Ir. Frank Wheaton. | expected to find
II the village postmaster the usual
emile cid man so common in such
laceS. But framed in the little arched I
1indCw Of that country post office was
be head of 81 venus worthy the hand
nd brush OF Titan. My embarrass-
lert in the presence of Miss Violet
'ie1'son was absolutely insignificant
with my trepidatiOn in the
resence of this auburn haired rose
heCked, star eyed postmistress. In
Tolsl, WAS smitten at first sight.
''if this be love-" though /. 1--WE got
bad. Il1 I've got something more
, worry about, too
''Have you anything by which TO
ientify yor!l-self:" said the pretty
with smile that dis
Osed Two rows of pearly teeth.
'Will Old letters do:" | ased, falter-
lgiy.
Il guess so,' she replied. But I'm
OF very wei informed and | have to
Q careful. You see. I'm only Post
distress pro tenn. This is the way |
Dend my vacation. It's fun for city
rl, you know. and it gives my uncle.
le real Postmaster. Il chance to 20 up
the woods and rest"
''Of course, you must be careful"
id !. ensleavoring to conceal my EN-
behind Il patronizing air.
My mad is Of the greatest import a
bee But these letters will satisfy
III as to my Identity. With this ! [
'ew from the inner pocket Of my coat
bunch of old Letters ard handed {
lem to her. She glanced at them at |
st cTiously. Thdn she frowned and {
,ew the contents from several Of ,