The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-09
Stories of an inland State.

The car lurched frightfully. The blue
striped bags swung no:selessly and the
leather pouches swayed decisively from side
to side rafting their hooks together.
II one end of the mail car stood a man
at case Jabbing letters into pigeon-holes.
al the other end a man tossing papers and
packages into gaping sacks.
Another idiotp' exclaimed the man at
the letter case taking a dirty letter and
holding it up to the light Its strange
the dear public will never learn"
He walked across the swaying car AMI
passed the nissive ever to the man who
was bombarding the sacks and asked:
What do you say?"
New something"
'I can tell that, too. But new what?'
New York or Newark or New-Wen
what's the difference. Give 1t TO New York
and they can't read the name"
That's right. To the dead letter Office,
my dear
Jim" said the other man. did it ever
occur to you that we sometimes execute
people and never know it?"
Execute 'em, how"
Take that letter there. It may be a
last appeal or something of that sort May
devil that don't know anything or he would
never have used lead pencil to direct 1t.
It's probably asking for forgiveness or
something. 1t never arrives. The poor
devil of girl or a Maynard son blows his
or her brains out"
But we can't help It."
'No. But we fire it off to the dead let
ter Office and it's months before it gets
back to the writer if they can tell who the
writer is. He kills himself before that"
Well
"Well. We help kill him.
That's mighty far-fetchede."
1--WE might have authority to tear 1t open
when we couldn't read the address and see
who wrote 1t and write him back that he'd
have to address his letters in ink Then
he'd know they never got his letter and
that would satisfy his mind"
"Yes,. If we tore IL open! Weeping
Rachel. The department wouldn't do
thing. Oh no! Old Inspector Sparks would
be down on us in a jiffy.'
"But if We had the proper authority we
would tear it open and have the stain of
possible guilt off our minds"
Don't you worry about the stain on yopx
mind This letter here isn't the wall Of a
repenting son or daughter or the last ap-
peal for help from a deserted wife or any,
thing of the sort. It's probably some good
for-nothing tramp a-striking the old man
for a loan and the old man wouldn't ans
wer 1t if he got it,
Whats the postmark?"
The other looked at him and told him.
at is long way off. It's not request
for money. A fellow who's got the cheek
to dun, has got sense enough to use ink.
Do you believe in telepathy?'
mo"
"Wer do. 1 got kind Of a sneaking opin
ion that there's history and life in that
letter and we're killing some one by sending
it off to the dead letter office"
Small biography"
you don't understand. The whole life
isn't in that letter but clue to tia pitifui
tale. I'll just bet you am right"
The man at the letter case laughed, plac-
ed the letter to his temple and said:
There nowl see 1t all. II is letter from
beautiful girl who was stolen from her
parents twelve years ago. She has discova
cred her origin and her fathers where
about Her captors keep close watch over
her. She has written this letter under great
difficulty. She could not obtain ink and a
pen She wrote 1t on her knee in the dark
In the cellar with stubby lead pencil. She
tells her father where she Is and begs him
to telegraph the authorities at once. Why
It's as plain as day to me. Now we send
this to the dead letter Office. The girl never
hears from her father. Her captors sell
her to the Indians or something dreadful
That's pretty pathetic I can tell you. VITA
this telepathy of yours there is no need of
having to open up obscurely directed let
ters."
Come off," said the other man continu-
ing his work.
But the man at the letter-case did not
put the besmrched missive back into the
pigeon-hole. He glanced at the other man
quickly and slipped It into his inside pocket
'Il just see about that" he said to him
self
The mail clerk that night at home pulled
out the letter and looked 1t over.
That Gull got my curiosity up he said
to himself. And I have had a hankering
ever since to see what there was in the let
ter. might be able TO do some poor devil
good turn. The government would be none
the worse off II Il does break regulation.
But if there's money in It? There's where
/ stick. I'd be a thief then. I'll not open
1t There's nothing in 1t for me, anyway.
What do want with a pitful tale. The
newspapers are full of them. But, here,
what am / thinking OFF,
He took a glass of water and wet little
line along the back of the letter. placed
match near the ear of the envelope and
turned the match over and over. The let
ter opened and he took It out and read II.
1t was written poorly and spelt worse.
II read as follows:
Dear Mr.. Algernon Burr: You probably
do not remember me. i am Mrs. Tilford.
When you was a poor musician in this
town, kept your room clean for you. Then
I and a man named McGraw helped you
get out OF town. 1 expect you have forgot
ten US all, now you are famous. We all
heard about it. II must be wonderful 10 be
so great We saw your pictures in the
papers. I wish 1 could tell you how glad
I was. But the town didn't seem TO care
much because you had become famous II
hasn't got any repentance in it. But l was
glad. McGraw has gone away years ago.
1 was awfully glad 10 hear all about you