Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-03-29

10 sYKES,s LETTER.

10 SNkES'S LETTER.
The small postodice window open
cd with slam. The villagers who
had gathered for the evening mail now
ceased the hum of gossip. and each in
turn fell into line. and passed up to
tn" window. There was Hiram Smith
who for moro than twenty years had
been a subscriber TO the Independent.
and felt sure of it's coming tonight.
There was pretty Susie Morgan. the
belle Of Enfield. who had recently re-
turned from the Academy and was cX-
pecting a letter from Boston. and little
johnnie Baker, whose haXon head was
far below the window. but whose
strong voice made itself heard as he
asked for Mr.. Bakers and Miss Sim
mon mail Then came others i'm sue
ccssion, the last in line being 10 Sykes.
who for many years had not failed to
ask Miss Martha IF there want nothin'
for 10 Sykes" SO often had Miss
Martha replied that There is nothin
for you, 10 Sykes that Polly from her
perch would say almost in unison with
her mistress, There's nOthin for YOU.
10 Sykes"
The days work being over Miss
Martha drew up the table, and seating
herself in rocking chair. took up her
knitting and settled down for Il long
quiet evening as was her custom. She
recalled the happenings of the day.
and more plainly than usual came to
her memory the face of 10 Sykes as
she and Polly had told him that there
was no mail for him. Night after
night, month after month, and year
after year she had told him the same
thing. At first his coming had anus
ed her. then she ceased to wonder why
he came so regularly. little dreaming
that the sight of her face and the
sound of her voice afforded 10 all the
pleasure he had in his narrow life.
Tonight it seemed to her as she re-
called his face that the lines were
deeper and his voice fainter than she
had ever noticed before, and that a
particular look of sadness came over
him as he turned away from the win
dow. She wondered why, and then it
flashed over her mind that Mrs. Per
kins had dropped in on her way to the
sewing society, and had told her that
folks thought 10 Sykes was gun' to
take a wife into his cottage. for more
than a week ago he had ben seen cut
tin down the weeds in his door-yard,
and today when drivin past, the blinds
were off the front winders.'
Perhaps then. he had expected
letter from his future bride and had
been disappointed. Lest she had over
looked so precious a letter, she went
to the bag and gave it an extra shake.
hoping that it might fall out, but the
bag was empty.
She had only seated herself again
when the sound of footsteps was
heard and who should enter the door
but 10 Sykes? In his hand he waved
letter. and long before he reached
her. he said, Here's two pennies. Miss
Martha please hand me a stamp. I've
got letter. and | don't want We TO
forgit to send it,. "All right. 10, I'll
see that it goes by the stage in the
mornin' and with a thud JOS letter
cropped into the box.
Now feeling perfectly sure that she
had OWNED JOS disappointment, and
being bit curious as postmistresses
often are she drew out the letter. and
was much surprised when she beheld
in a Cramped and almost illegible
hand, the name of Miss Marthy
Lyman"
Holding it up to the light as if to
read its contents without breaking the
seal. she stood for sometime, then with
tfufR Ming fl 1geTlrs~ she eGt the envelope
and slowly opened the paper before
her Just what it contained we do not
konw. for. with her usual discretion.
she never gave to the public any in
formation she gathered through the
pust-ohice. but we do know that late
that night Miss Martha's light was
burning. and all the next day to Polly
and herself she said. There's a letter
for you. 10 Sykes" and that evening
10 Sykes marched out of the office
holding fast to a small white envelope.
Although the contents of this letter,
too. are unknown. we do know that not
long after, at Washington. a petition
was received asking that Miss Jane
Lane. Miss Martha's niece, be made
postmistress of Enfield.
F. 4. MORSE.