The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-03-11
THE POSTMISTRESS
AT DOWNINGVlLE
BY Hayden Corruth

BY Hayden Corruth

nOWNINGVILLE was village of
IL magnificent distances, with almost
a half mile from the tannery to the
sawmill, and with only scattering
houses between. The schoolhouse and
the two churches had each failed TO
establish a center. Likewise the rail-
road station had not attracted any no.
ticeable number of houses; it stood,
like everything else, by itself. There
were gardens or COW pastures or public
commons or other tracts of unoccupied
territory between the buildings.
Even the post Office stood alone, at
least hundred yards from the nearest
house, with corner of Squire Pom
eroys wood-lot coming up almost to it's
back door, as if refusing to recognize
such struggling place as town at all.
But after all, if there was a spot
that one might point to and say: This
is the center of Downingville, it was
the post Office. Geographically, it
might be isolated, but in another sense
1t was center, and held Downingville
together. Everybody had to come there
for the mail, and there was certainly
no other place where everybody had
to go for anything. But that every
body did come to the post office the as
sistant postmaster could very well tes-
tify, and she used to think sometimes
that the folks who got the least came
Oftenest.
Mr.. Blodgett was the postmaster, but
ne 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 assistant. She was
Mabel LOOMS, who lived with her moth
err 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 GER
tainly exacting, and the hours were
long-from six in the morning to Seven
IL the evening, usually. Vacations and
days off" were few, and the salary was
meager enough; but Mabel never COM
planned, and she did the work to the
best of her ability.
1t was a beautiful September morn
ing; she had just finished putting I'D
the 1924 mail, and the boy who carried
1T to the station had departed. Only
two or three persons had as yet been in,
so Mabel was surprised to see Mrs. Aili-
son 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 l 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 you,"-
returned Mabel. =
well, didn't know, you know. You
can't tell. But suppose this doesn't
seem early for you?"
mo. I've been up an hour and a
half"
You don't tell me! 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 awhile. Then, the work
isn't hard"
well, itmaynot be hard, but should
say that it's wearing, if I'm a Judge.
Sorting over letters and pounding them
with that thing, and filing out money
orders and tearing them off bias and
just so, and fixing the registered let
tiers and selling stamps, and jumping
up to this window for this body and
that body and theother body that want
their letters, and forty other things
! declare 'twould just poster the life
out of me in no time at ALL"
"Oh, don't mind it," returned Mabel,
cheerfully.
well, must be getting along" con-
tinued Mrs. Allison. Are you going on
the excursion next week?"
I'm afraid l can't get away" an
swered the girl.
Mrs. Allison was rummaging in her
hand bag, and her attention seemed dis
tracted.
Seems as if Blodgett ought to pay
you more" she said.
Mabel's face flushed. She had not
said that she could not afford to go on
the excursion, whatever the fact might
be. She had told the simple truth in
saying that she might not be able to
leave the office, even if she knew she
could not so on the excursion if it were
possible for her TO be absent; but she
could not resent what had been said. |
because she knew the woman had not |
meant any offense.
II think he gives me all that he could /
be expected to, considering what the
office pays" she answered.