The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-12-05
; Mrs. Middlerib'S Letter
Story Of Wife Who Exasperated
Her Husband Internationally.

Cd1 lldhC Jul lAC pOolludL WI
Middlerib said. carefully studying that
guide to the authorship of letters. "It
isn't Perrysville 1t looks something like
Tonawanda, but don't know anybody
in Tonawanda. l wonder if it isn't in
tended for York? Cousin Ann Jackson
used to visit in York. Why don't they
make the postmark palmer, wonder?
l believe it's Indianapolis, after all!
Then it's from Eleanor Mcpherson,
whose husband you met last summer
in Canada. 1t isn't Indianapolis; it's
Lacon. That's where Lilias Marshall
lives. That isn't an L, either. No; it's
New Philadelphia, Ills. l can make
it out now. Don't you remember? Uncle
Abner Beasix went out there in the
grindstone business. wonder if any,
thing has-oh, pshaw, it's-what is it?
It's R; R-o-m-oh, now l see-R-o-m-e,
Rome. Why, it must be from oh dear
me, it isn't Rome; either. can't make
it out at all"
And she turned it over and looked
mournfully at the receiving stamp on
the back.
at was received here at o'clock
this morning" she said finally. Nov,
where would a letter have to come
from to get here at o'clock? If you
knew that, we could tell where 1t came
from"
LET me look at it." said Mr.. Middle
rib, who was beginning to fidget with
Impotence.
mo" replied the wife, turning back
to the postmark once more. II can see
what it is now. It's Spartansbufg, KY.
Sarah Blanchard went there after she
married. 1 expect she wants to- 1t
isn't Spartansburg, either; it's Gridley.
That's where Cousin JAMIE Buskirk
lives. Her husband went out there and
bought grist mill. / wonder If she's
coming on this summer? hope, If she
does, she won't bring the children. But
it isn't from her, either. l think that 1t
is Mount Pleasant-oh! it's from Aunt
Harriet Murdoch, and know they've
all been killed In that dreadful cyclone.
bles so. Do you know the last thing 1
said to her when she moved out west
I said. 1t isn't Mount Pleasant, Ell
Their. There are only five letters In it.
l can't make anything out of it."
Perhaps" said Mr. Middlerib, with
slight tinge of sarcasm in his infec-
tion-"perhaps we'd better send after
the carrier who brought it. He may
know"
'But it is so tantalizing," complained
Mrs. Middlerib, "to receive letter and
then not be able to tell who or where it
is from"
'Did you ever try opening a letter to
ascertain these facts?" asked her hus-
band.
The lady looked at him with an ex-
preston of speechless disdain upon her
features and half whispered, 'If that
isn't like man." as though any wom-
an ever looked into a letter until she
had guessed all round her circle of
relatives and friends and clear through
the United States postal guide to decide
whence and from whom 1t came.
This particular postmark, however,
was too ~blind" for the most ingenious
expert to decipher, and at last, with a
deep sigh and little gesture of despair,
Mrs. Middlerib yielded to the inevita-
BILE and resignedly opened the letter,
pausing once or twice in the act, how
ever to look longingly back at the tan
talizing postmark.
SAT last" groaned her husband, who
by this time was burning up with curl
osity.
But she laid the envelope down and
looked at 1t little while before she
turned to the unfolded letter in her
hand
Her husband by desperate effort
controlled his rising wrath, and in a
voice hoarse and strained besought
her to read the letter, as it was late,
and he should have been down town
half an hour ago.
She did not answer. She opened the
letter, turned the first page to look for
the end of it, went back to the first
page, settled herself in an easy posi-
ton and said:
'Well. will declarer' Then she read
ontin silence and Mr.. Middlerib ground
hisNteeth Presently she said:
"Hsmw
She read three or four more lines
with eager eyes and noiseless lips, and
suddenly exclaimed:
81 don't believe itw
Then she resumed her voiceless Pc
rusal of the document and a moment
later astonished her husband by look
ing up at him and asking:
81 wonder if that is SOP"
Mr.. Middlerib replied in hooking
tones that sit must be so or the post
mark wouldn't have said it," but her
eyes were glued to the page once more
and she made no response
"Ohw she fairly shrieked. did you
everT'
The writing man at the other end of
the table said he never had, but he
would if this intellectual entertainment
lasted much longer.
Its too bad" murmured Mrs. Mid
dlerib, turning page of the letter
without raising her eyes.
We'll what's too bad? he broke out
wrathfully "Who is the letter from,
and what is it all about? Either read
aloud or make your comments as men
tally as you read
'I've half a mind to co. she said, In
| firm, decided tones.
"Oh, have your" he interjected with
mild sarcasm. shall l go and pack
your trunks while you finish that let
teri"
II don't see how they can do it," she
said, after an interval of silence.
"Why don't you look at the postmark.
then?" he growled. Maybe that would
tell you"
She read on, silent and unimpressed,
for two or three lines further, and
then with an exclamation of astonish-
ment said:
How very low
"Ah, WELL" her husband snarled.
''I'm glad to learn something about
that letter at last. It's about your IN
Gle Marcus family, isn't it?"
She did not hear or heed. She glued
her eyes to that precious letter and
went on calculating at irregular inter
walls:
HIN"
"Oh, that must be lovelyw
sit can't be the samew
Il never heard Of such a thingp'
"Oh. my goodness"