Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-12-19
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Mrs. Mtddlerib'S Letter
story Of a wife who Exasperated
Hcr Husband Internationally.

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Mr.. Middlerib paused with his coffee
cup raised half way to his lips, as his
wife took the letter from the servant.
She turned it over once or twice,
gazed earnestly at the address, and
said:
81 wonder who 1t can be from?" She
looked at the stamp.
81 can't make out the postmarik5," /" Mrs.
NIiddlerib said, carefully studying that
guide to the authorship of letters. 1T
isn't Perrysvillc. 1t looks something hike
Tonawanda, but don't know anybody
in Tonawanda. 1 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, 1 wonder?
believe it's indianapolis, after all!
Then it's from Eleanor Mcpherson,
whose husband you met last summer
in Canada. II isa't Indianapolis; It's
Lacon. T!:at's where Liias Marshall
lives. That is;l': al l.. either. No; it's
New pkila aslcipii!G. rs. can make
it out ROW. Don't yoa remember? Uncle
Abner Bcasix went cut there in the
grindstone business. wonder if any
thing ha.;-o!I. pshaw. it's what is it?
It's r.; R-o-rl-oi, now see-R-o-m-e,
Rome. WHY. II must be from-oh. dear
me, it isn't Rome, either. l 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 it came
from"
Let me look at it, eati Mr. Middle
rib. who was beginning to fidget with
impatience.
NO." replied the wife, turning back
to the postmark once more. Il can see
what it is now. It's Spartansburg, Ky.
Sarah Blanchard went there after she
married. i 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, il she
does, she won't bring the children. But
1t isn't from her, either. think that 1t
is Mount Pleasant-oh! it's from Aunt
Harriet Murdoch, and know they've
all been killed In that dreadful cyclone.
can't open the letter, my hand trem-
bIes so. Do you know the last thing
said to her when she moved out west
said 1t isn't Mount Pleasant, Ell
ther. There are only five letters in it.
can't make anything out of it,
Perhaps" said Mr.. AIiddlerib, with
slight tinge of sarcasm in his infec-
perhaps we'd better Send after
the carrier who brought 1t. He may
know"
"But it is so tantalizing," complained
Mrs. AIiddIerib, ''to receive a letter and
then not be able to tell who or where it
is from"
ibid you ever try opening letter to
ascertain these facts?" asked her hus-
band.
The lady looked at him with an ex-
preston of speechless disdaln upon her
features and half whispered, "If that
isn't like man." as though any wOm-
an ever looked into n 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. hIiddlerib yielded to the inevita-
bic and resignedly opened the letter,
pausing once or twice in the act, how
ever, to loqS longingly back at the tan
talizing postmark.
'.4At last" groaned her husband, who
by this time was burning up with curl
osity.
But she laid the envelope down and
looked at it 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:
We'll. l Will declareP' Then she read
on in silence and Mr.. Afiddlerib ground
his teeth Presently she said: