Hutchinson gazette., 1900-12-13
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= TIE VILLAGE PosTLIsTRESs,

= TIE VILLAGE PosTEIsTRESs, :
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When w vuwe 20 thipk Of II Down
!ngyllIe "vs y vliidgt OF magnificent
distances with almost u half mile from
the tauneTy to the saw miDl, ana with
only scattering hOGoes between, lbe
schOc,house and the two churches had
each failed to establish u center.
Even The postofflce stood alone. at
least n mndred yards from the near'
est house, with corner 0f squire
FGmC .Oy's wc1dlC, coming up allh.N
10 as Lack door, ns II refusing 10 re-
coglod2e such u struggling pace as a
sWn at a,'l,
Mr.. Blodgett was The postmasier
but he ran the grlst mill, which was
far from everything else, 5f course
and seldom visited the ol:ce for stay
Of any great length, 80 II happened
than practically the entire WORK OF the
office fell upon his assistant She was
Mabel l.oomis who lived with her
mother u quarter Of mile up The
road on the uncertain edge OF the VII
lage
The work OF the office, although not
perhaps hard In one sense, was ctr-
tninly wearing and eNdatng, ana lhe
hours were long-from IN the NOR
ming no In the evening uanally' Va
cation and days of" were few, ana
the salary was meager enough; hut
Mabel never complained, and she did
The work to the best OF her ability
II was q beautiful September morn.
ing; she hall just finished putting UP
the 6!24 mail, and the boy who carried
It TO the STATION had departed, Only
one or two persons had MS yet been in,
so Mabel was surprised 70 see Mrs
Allison appear at The genera delivery
"Why, good morning, Mabel she
said. You weren't looking for me ~
early were you, now? Wen, I'm going
TO ta1c the train, for Proctor Is going
up TO see Libbe-anH ! thought la
drop in. Didn't know but might have
4 \posta, or something from her telling
ne 10 wait till neyt week.
"No, 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?'
NO I've been up AN hour and a
half"
"You don't tell me! Well ! think YOU
have to g,t Ip too enrly, that what |
think. Seems MS II BIodgett might stir
out and open the place himself, espe-
rially as you have to stay 70 laie NJ
night"
"lle comes in at neon, you know,
nnd sruys quite while. Then, the
work isn't hard"
"Well, ~ may not be hard, but |
should say that it's wearing, If LIN
Judge. Sorting over letters and
pounding them with that thing, and
fihlhng out money ordIcrs and tearing
them or bias aud Just so, and the re-
pistcred letters and sel,ing stamps and
| Jumping up to this window for this
body and that body and the other
body chat want their letter, and forty
1ther things declare 'twould just
pester the life out Of me in no time at
all."
"Oh, | donT mind it," returned
Mabel chcerfully.
"Weu, must he getting along,
continued Mrs, Allison. Are YOU
going TO the excursion next week"
I'm afraid cam, get away AN
awCred the grrl.
Mrs, Allison was rummnglng in her
hand bag and her attention seemed
distracted,
Seems as II Blodget ought no pay
y,au more" she ,ald.' "Blodgu,t is no
poor MAN, and his mill pays him right
Glong. What I'd Ike is 10 see You APP
pointed posImarlter yourself. You're
81 now"
"Oh, thank YOU" Nn,wcrj Mabel,
with rGUher sad snrlle, Gls Mrs, ANll'
son went out. Then she SAT down In
her chair by the desk, but the smile
WAS all gone,
I'm afraid there aren't any eNrur-
SKINS for me lhhs summer she mused
pomtwhaa rutfUlN. 81 presume Mr..
Rlodwatt ,vould s,oy berp ihat day il
asked him, but / know couldn't
afford to 60. Besides haven't any
dress TO wear GhNts suitable. | wish |
could earn more"
p,u, there wns M, time for ploomy
lbi,uphr. ro,, ,he boy wos hack with a
matlbay am people were beginning to
Iron In mar. rreournlly.