The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-07-24
TIE J|LT|NG OF MASTER TOMM|E
By W. r. ROSE.


Letter carrier No 400 was swinging
back to the postoffice at a fine clip. 1t
was late in the afternoon, and he had
finished his last delivery.
Letter Carrier X had an east end
route 1t wasn't an aristocratic route,
but they were nice people. and they APP
preciated their obliging and good look
ing carrier, for carrier No. 400 was
really one of the most presentable men
on the force He wasn't exactly a
young man, he had stepped over the
80 line, but there wasn't a younger
man on the force who could outclass
him in any way.
In fact, he was what the feminine
lexicon would define as an eligible par
! ty. He was quite alone in the world;
he had a tidy amount in the bank; he
carried goodly sum Of life insurance;
he had no cause to fear for the future.
Added to this he was sober, faithful,
intelligent and hadn't vice worthy of
the name.
Possibly his only defect was an en-
tire Indifference TO the improving sex,
which certainly was not their fault,
| for he was, as has been emphasized, a
decidedly goodly man to gaze upon.
AS he turned the corner on to the ave-
nue. young woman carrying a small
handbag suddenly confronted him.
'Tf you please" said the young wo-
man.
Letter carrier No. 400 stopped. She
was comely young woman with dark
eyes and a clear complexion, and when
he had further noticed that she had a
dimple in her left cheek, 1t suddenly
occurred to him-he was a quick
thinker-that when you own as pretty
dimple as that, one Of them is quite
enough Besides this, her voice was
low and quite musical, and the carrier
who knew really nothing about such
things, felt sure that her clothes, al
! though quite plain, gave her a strik-
ingly neat appearance.
He stopped short and lifted his hat.
eff you please" the young woman
timidly repeated, 81 want to ask IA
vor."
Certainly" said the carrier.
And his smile seemed to reassure
her.
81 came to the city," she rapidly ex-
planned, ito find an aunt whom | had
not seen for years. / had written to
her / was coming and knew her adj
Dress But when | went to the house
l found she had suddenly moved away
out of the city, the neighbors said.
And now | am quite at a loss what to
do. l have never been in city before,
and do not know where to CO." The
young woman's voice trembled little.
'SThey told me at home" she added,
'.that If | got lost or wanted to know
where to find places l must speak to
policeman"
81 am not" said the carrier, ga po-
liceman, but that" he hastily added,
''makes no difference" He added it
/ just in time, for the young woman
seemed quite startled.
81 am only one of Uncle Sans post
men," said the carrier, but 1 fancy l
can meet this emergency quite as well
as If / walked a beat instead of a
route"
He smiled as he said this, and his
smile was so infectious that he fancied
the young woman fairly echoed it.
81 have itt' he cried. "You must go
to Mrs. Torrens. She'll take care of
you tonight anyway. Tell her what
you told me and say that sent you"
Here he blushed slightly. He was
playing quite a new role.
"And your name?" the young woman
timidly asked.
George replied carrier 400,
George Tolliver. Here's my card. Mrs
Torrens knows me. Go back to the
first street, turn the corner; it's a
white cottage with blue chairs on the
| porch"
She thanked him gratefully and they
went their several ways.
As he strobe down the street. car
rier 400 suddenly noticed that he was
whistling as he hadn't whistled since
he was a boy.
The next morning when he stepped
on the Torrens porch the door sudden
ly opened and the young woman stood
On the threshold She looked amazing
| ly we'll without her hat and wonderful
/ " neat with her white collar and cuffs.
"Mrs. Torrens said you were coming
UP the street." she murmured, "and |
wanted to thank you for your kindness.
She is a lovely lady, and l am to stay
and help her with her sewing for a
week, at least Thank you so much"
Carrier 400 walked up the street
firmly convinced that that was as pref
ty dimple as the law allowed.
He saw the young woman almost ev-
cry day, and the days he didn't see her
seemed quite empty and wasted, fDf
good Mrs Torrens seemed quite loath
to let her go. And one morning car
rier 400 said to her as he shuffied over
his letters, "You don't seem to bother
the postmen to any fatiguing extent
mo" she answered a little sadly,
"there is nobody to write. l am quite
alone in the world"
And if it needed any bond of sympa-
thy to draw carrier 400 TO this village
maiden here it was.
One day he boldly said to her, "Have
you seen much of the cityY
No, she hadn't. She guessed she was
little timid.
MAY l call for you Sunday morn
ing?' he asked with nerve that he
felt was really Earalyzing, "and take
you for little trip on the suburban
carsT
81 will ask Mrs. Torrens," she sale
with happy smile. Il would like tc
go ever so much
SO they went, as the weather was de
Iightful, and carrier 400 knew where
to order such nice luncheon, and
really, when they came back late II
the afternoon the man of the party fell
that he had never spent quite such
delightful day.
But, alas, there was dark cloud IL
the offing.
AS the carrier looked over his letters
the next morning there was one FOL
Mrs. Tom Trimble." 1t was in the
care of Mrs. Torrens, and the address
was written In stiff, vertical hand
He read this address to the nea
young woman at the door, and whei
she heard 1t she hesltated moment
and then with a merry laugh and /.