Middletown transcript., 1899-04-01
PeSEuISERESS HF
D0WNINGVILLE
By HAYDEs cARRUrH.

BY HAYDEN CARRUTH.
When you come TO think of it, Down
ingyille was a village of magnificent
I distances, with Almost half-mile fem
! the tannery to the saw mill, and with
only scattering houses between. The
school-house and the two churches had
each failed TO establish centre.
! Even The pos. office stood alone, at
least hundred yards from the nearest
house, with a corner of Squire Pom
eroy's Wood-lot coming up almost to
its back door, as il refusing to recognize
such struggling place as a town at
all.
Mr.. Blodgett was the postmaster,
but he ran the village grist-mill-
which was far from everything else, of
I course-and seldom visited the office
I for stay of any great length. So il
! happened that practically the entire
: work of the Office fell upon his assis-
I tant. She was Mabel Loomis, who
} lived with her mother quarter Of
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, usually. Vaca-
tions and "days Off were few, and the
salary was meagre enough; but Mabel
never complained, and she did the work
to the best of her ability.
1t was beautiful September morn
ing; she had just finished putting up
the six-twenty,four mail. and the boy
who carried 1t to the station had de-
parted. Only two or three persons
had as yet been in. 60 Mabel was sur
prised to see Mrs. Allison appear at |
the general delivery.
"Why, good morning, MabelE she
said. 'sYou weren't looking for me
SO early, were you, now. Well, I'm
going to take tie train for Proctor,s-
going up to see Libbie-and thought |
I'd drop in. Didn't know but might
have postal or something from her,
telling me to wait till next week."
mo, there isn't anything for your"
returned Mabel.
"Well, l don't know, you know.
You can't tell. But suppose this
doesn't seem early for you."
"No. I've been up an hour and a
half.n
"You don't tell mel Well. think
you have to get up too early, that's
what | 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 while. Then, the
work isn't hard"
"Well, it may not be hard, but I
should say that its wearing, If I'm
judge. Sorting over letters and pound
ing them with that thing, and Rlling
out money -orders and tearing them off
bias ard just SO, and fixing the reg gist-
cred letters and selling stamps, and
jumping up to this window for this
body and that body and the other body
that want their letters, end forty other
things-I delare 'twould just poster the
life out OF me in no time at ALL"
sOh, l don't miud it," returned
Mabel, cheerfully.
''Well, | must be getting along"
continued Mrs. Allison. "Are you
going on the excursion next week."
"I'm afraid l can't get away
answered the girl.
Mrs. Allison was rummaging In her
handbag, and her attention seemed
distracted.
''Seems as-if Blodgett ought to pay
you more" see said. "Blodgett is no
poor man, and his mill pays him right
slol g. What I'd like. is to see you
appointed postmas er yourself. You're
twenty-one now.n
"Oh, thank gou," answered Mabel,
with rather sad smile, as Mrs. AlIi- !
son went out. Then she sat down in
her chair by the desk, but the smile Q
was all gone. ~
sim afraid there aren't many ex-
cursions for me this summer,n she
mused, somewhat ruefully. 81 pre- g
sumo Mr.. Blodeett would stay here =
that day II I asked him, but know I
couldn't afford to go. Besides, / 9
haven't any dress to wear that's suit
able. wish could earn n. .ore.'' y
But there was no time for gloomy y
thoughts, for the boy was back with .
mail bag, and people were beginning
to drop in more and more frequently. q
She plunged earnestly into the work q
before her, which, as work will always
do-drove away the gloomy thoughts. Il
But she was not to be allowed to 3,
forget the excursion, as several of her Il
girl friends who came to the Office Il
asked her If she was going. She an d
swered them as she had answered Mrs. D
Allison, and it made her little angry d
to feel that her face flushed each time Il
for although none OF them said what d
her first caller had said, she felt sure d
that they all thought it. She was d
ashamed Of the feeling, but she could
not help being disturbed.
Other reasons made her feel her lack q
Of money much more than this excur-
sion. Mabel's father had died flye
gears before, leaving his family In poor v
Her mothers health Il
was not good. and there two younger ii
sisters and little brother who we're