The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-17
Why Teddy Failed TO Write.
IFrom the Record-Herald. ]

[From the Record Herald.]
In a certain suburb of this great city
the excitement of events centers in the
passing of the fast mail train which
goes through with a rush and a roar a
quarter past ten in the evening, shaking
the earth with it's thunderous speed and
making the deDOtS on the line dance
unsteadily to it's rapid time. The correct
thing for a host is to take his guests
out and let them see it go by. For il
never stops, and time and distance are
annihilated by it's approach. True, some
of the old settlers say with a great as
sumption of Indifference:
Pooh, that's nothing; mail trains
must go fast But you should have
seen the dummy we run before we had
railroad: why, it went SO fast that it
frightened us, and half the time was in
the ditch" All of which was true.
But the fast mail train has an inter-
est of sentiment. AS it rushes over the
prairie, soaring the wild things that
make their habitation there. causing
theS GLENN owl to utter its weird Who
whOi' lights flash from remote farm
house windows, and eager eyes look
into the darkness, with the unsDoken
wish, I hope there'n be a letter for me
tomorrow" and all good wishes go with
the speed of the train that the white
miSSives it bears may reach their desti-
nation in safety.
Wasn't it Emerson who said that if
the stars only appeared once in a hum
vi GU y ears mel gaze ana WOnCEI
and adore. The fastest train on earth
is only a nine days wonder to those
who see it daily. and when the tourists
atrship alights on our doorstep we will
not allow ourselves to admit surprise.
But when Teddy Loring left his home
and his mother to try his fortunes in
the vicinity of Seattle. Wn., he told his
mother that she would be sure to get a
letter every week on the fast train.
But, Teddy. my boy, it don't be
atther StOnning here all at all -
That's nothing, mother, it stops
beyant somewhere. and the mail comes
| back by rooral d'livery, and livery week
there'l. be wan in the box on the post
Mind that cow."
But Teddy never wrote. Il can't un-
| dersta7d it at all. at ALL said his
mother; he promised to write wanst Il
week, and to send me half his wages
livery month regular, an here's goin' OIL
| three months since he left, and not q
word nor a dollar. and me wantin' both
that bad, an not KNOWN what's become
of me boy"
It's loikely you'll be getting a letter
in the next train" said her sympathetic
neiSEbor They do say that no news
is good news. Teddy Loring was good,
steady boyle hasn't gone wrong, you
may trust him for that"
But why doesn't he write?" persisted
Teddy's mother. I'm wonderin' in the
hurry wurry of that fast mail train If
a heap of letthers do be lost Teddy
hasn't forgot his ould mother-not unless
all other things are forgot-an' some :
times I'm thinkin my boy is that sick
in strange country that he mayn't br
equal to liftin' the pen, an there'd be
nobody to tell his mother"
There do be some good reason fort "
suggested her neighbor, AN I guess
you'd better be writin' a bit of letter
to the postmaster in the town where
Teddy was to get work. an ask him
about the boy. Then if he's sick an
kapin it from you, the postmaster will
be givin' you that information. Don't be
forgettin cover for his letter wild your
+name an place of residing an the rite
duty on. so the answer will come sure >
Teddy's mother had been given this
same advice for the past two months. but
with the dread of the unaccustOmed she
had deferred writing. Now in her great
anxiety she accepted the task
Would you mind droppin in to help
me with the pen2' she asked. My hand
is bit unsteady wild the rheumatics an
I make a poor fist at letter-w ritin' since
I got so deaf-Teddy always writ for me,
: bless the boy
IN do thot, an welcome" responded
the friendly neighbor, "and I'll bring a
drop of ink wild me an you can borry the
/ pen"
/ 1t meant a labor of love to the two
women-labor it proved most assuredly-
writing that short. loving letter which
was ill spelled and blotted. but construct
ed with more care and painstaking than
any presidential message ever written.
''Woult Mr.. Postmaster write some 'noos'
of Teddy Loring?' That was the burden
of it, and a description which included
his "broken-jinted fngure," to the cow
lick on his forward and his two blu
eyes that he'd no squfnt atwixt them an
/ hevin."
The letter was posted and in due time
reached the postmaster at Seattle, Wash.
| He read it and turned to his assistant
Jim, what was the name of that
young fellow that drifted in here the
time we had that spray blizzard with the
cast wind You mind he had pneumonia
/ through coming in for some help for d
/ sick stranger Was that his name ~
/ showing the letter.
That's the chap. A nice friendly sort
| He was working for a contractor who
sized him up as a first class mechanic.
! Only Just got the job when he passed in
/ his checks
It's rough, Jim
L should say so. He got the pneu-
monia helping stranger. and died in a
/ few days. The man he was working for
see to it that he was laid away decently.
J but he had no trace of his folks"
Jim. I've got to answer that letter. .
said the postmaster. I'D rather be
licked
- would L"