Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-04-20

| Even tue pOSlOulC6 SlOOu alOue, au
at least hundred yards from the
nearest house, with corner of Squire
Pomeroy's wood-lot coming up almost
to its back door, as if refusing to rec
ognize such struggling place as
town at all.
Mr.. Blodgett was the postmaster,
but he ran the village grist-mill-
which was far from everything else, of
course and seldom visited the Office
for stay of any great length. So it
happened that practically the entire
work Of the office fell upon his assis-
tant She was Mabel Loomis, who
lived with her mother a quarter of a
mile up the road on the uncertain
edge of the village.
The work of the Office, although
not perhaps hard in one sense, was
certainly wearing and exacting, and
the hours were long-from six in the
morning to seven in the evening, usu-
ally. Vacations and "days off, were
few, and the salary was meagre
enough; but Mabel never complained,
and she did the work to the lest of her
ability.
1t was q beautiful September morp-
ing; she had just finished putting up
the six twenty-four mail, and the boy
who carried it to the station had de-
parted. Only two or three persons
had as yet been in, so Mabel was sur
prised to see Mrs. Allison appear at
the general delivery.
"Why, good morning, Mabel" she
said. "You weren't looking for me
so early, were you, now. Well, I'm
going to take the train for Proctor's--
going up to see Libbie-and 1 thought
I'd drop in. Didn't know but might
have postal or something from her,
telling me to wait till next week."
"No, there isn't anything for you,"
returned Mabel
"Well, I don't know, you know.
You can't tell. But L suppose this
doesn't seem early for you"
mo. I've been up an hour and a
half"
''You don't tell mel Well, I think
yon have to get up too early, that's
what l think. Seems as if Blodgett
might stir out and open the place him
self, specially as you have to stay so
late at night"
''He comes in at noon, you know,
and stays quite q while. Then, the
work isn't hard"
"Well, it may not be hard, but I
should say that its wearing, if I'm a
judge. Sorting over letters and
pounding them with that thing, and
filling out money-orders and tearing
them off bias and just SO, and fixing
the registered letters and selling
stamps, ard jumping up to this win
dow for this body and that body and
the other body that want their letters,
and forty other things-I declare
'twould just poster the life out of me
in no time at ALL"
"Oh, 1 don't mind it," returned
Mabel, cheerfully.
"Well, ] must be getting along
continued Mrs. Allison. care you
going on the excursion next week."
''I'm afraid 1 can't get away >
} answered the girl.
+ Mrs. Allison was rummaging in hel
handbag, and her attention seemed
distracted.
Seems as if! Blodgett ought to pay
, you more" she said. "Blodgett is nc
| poor man, and his mill pays him righ
along, What I'd like, is to see yor
! appointed postmaster yourself. You're
twenty-one now"
ooh, thank you," answered Mabel
. with a rather sad smile, as Mrs. ALI
+ son went out. Then she sat down il
her chair by the desk, but the smil,
was all gone.
'I'm afraid there aren't many ex
, cursions for me this summer she
} mused, somewhat ruefully. 81 pre-
, sumo Mr.. Blodgett would stay her,
that day if I asked him. but 1 know
couldn't afford to go. Besides,
haven't any dress to wear that's suita
BILE. I wish / could earn more"
But there was no time for gloom
thoughts, for the boy was back with
mailbag, and people were beginning
to drop in more and more frequently
She plunged earnestly into tn
work before her, which, as work vii
always do-drove away the gloom.
, thoughts.
But she was not to be allowed t,
, forget the excursion, as several of he
! girl friends who came to the ofIic,
asked her if she was going. She an
, swered them as she had answered Mrs
Allison, and it made her a little angr,
to feel that her face flushed each time
for although none of them said wha
Z her first caller had said, she felt sur,
} that they all thought it. She wa
ashamed of the feeling, but she coult
: not help being disturbed.
Other reasons made her feel he,
lack of money much more than thi
> excursion. Mabel's father had dice
Ave years before, leaving his famil.
IN poor circumstances. Her mother