The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-17
WHY TEDDY FAILED TO WRITE

j
In a certain suburb OF this great city the
{ excitement Of events centers in the pass
ing of the fast mail train which goes
through with rush and a roar a quarter
Past ten IN the evening, shaking the earth
Nth its thunder0us speed and making the
dep2ts on the line dance unsteadlly TO its
rapid time. The correct thing for host
! IS 10 take his guests out and let them see
IT. go by. For it never stops and time
and distance are annihilated by its aD-
preach True, some OF the old settlers
say with great assumption of indif-
: ference:
) Pooh, that's nothing; mail trains must
e. fast. But you should have seen the
dummy we run before we had a rail-
read why, il went so fast that it fright
ened us, and half the time was in the
ditch, All Of which was true.
But the fast mail train has an interest
CT sentiment As it rushes over the
r-airie soaring the wild things that make
their habitation --iere. causing the solemn
owl to utter its wierd "Who-whor' lights
flash from remote farmhouse windows
end eager eyes look into the darkness.
with the unspoken wish. I hope there Il
be letter for me tomorrow and all
GOOd wishes go with the speed OF the
! tain that The white missives it bears
may reach their destination in safety.
Wash it Emerson who said that II the
stars only appeared once in a hundred
years men would gaze and wonder and
adore The fastest train on earth is only
G nine days wonder TO those who see it
Caily, and when the tourists airship
aIghts On our doorstep We viii not al
low ourselves to admit surprise. But
when Teddy Loring left his home and his
mother to try his fortunes in the vicinity
OF Seattle, Wash. he told his mother
that she would be sure TO get g letter
every week on the fast train.
But, Teddy, my boy, it don't be afther
stopping here at all. at all
That's nothing. mother; IL stops
Eeyant somewhere, and the mail comes
back by rooral delivery, and livery week
there'll be wan in the box on the post.
Mind that now.
But Teddy never wrote. 4 can't under
stand it at all, at ALL" said his mother:
he promised TO write wanst d week. and
70 send me half his wages livery month
regular, an here's goin' on three months
since he left, and not q word nor a dollar
an me wantin' both that bad. an not
KNOWN what's become of me boy
Its loikely yOun be getting a letter
in the next train, said her sympathetic
reighbor. They do say that no news is
sOod news. Teddy I.oring was a good.
steady boyle hasn't gone wrong you
may trust him for that
But why doesn't he writer" persisted
Teddys mother. I'm wonderin in the
hurry-wurry of that fast mail train il
q heap of letthers do be lost. Teddy
hasn't forgot his ould mOther-not unless
all other things are forgOt-an' some
times m thinkin' my boy is that sick in
Il strange country that be maynt be equal
20 liftin' the pen an there'd be nobody
TO tell his mother"
There do be some good reason for I,
suggested her neighbour AN / guess
you d better be wTitin a bit of a letter
to the postmaster in the town where Ted
dy was to get work an ask him about
the boy. Then if he's sick an kapin it
from you, the postmaster VIII be givin
YOU that information. Don't be forgettin
cover for his letter wild your name an
pace Of residence writ on the outside,
an the rite duty on so the answer viii
come sure.
Teddys mother had been given this
same advice for the past two months. but
with the dread Of the unaccustoned she
had deferred writing. Now in her great
anxiety she accepted the task.
Would you mind droppin' in to help
me with the pen?" she asked. MY hand
is bit unsteady wild the rheumatics an
make a poor fist at letther-writin since
got so deaf-Tcddy always writ for me.
bless the boy"
the friendly ueighbor. and III bring
drop of inl. wild me an you can borry the
PEN.
It meant labor of love to the two wo-
men-labor it proved most assuredly-
writing that short. loving letter which
was I'll spelled and blotted but con
structed with more care and painstaking
han any president message ever written.
Would Mr.. Postmaster write some 'nCos'
Of Teddy Loring?' That was the burden
o. it. and o description which included
his "broken-"iuted fingure, 10 the COW
Eek on his forward and his two blue
eyes hat he'd no sqGint atwiXt them an
levin.
The letter was posted, and in due time
reached he postmaster ct Seattle. Wash
He read it and turned to his assistant
Jim. what was the name Of that young
fellow that drifted here the time we had
that spray blizzard with the cast wind
You mind ne had pneumonia through
coming in for some help for a sick
stranger. Was that his name?' showing
the letter.
That's the chap \ nice friendly sort
He was working for contractor who
sized MIN up as frst-class mechanic.
only Just got the job when he passed in
his checks.
It's rough. jim
81 should say so He got the pneu-
Tonia helping a stranger. and died in a
few DAYS. The man he was working for
seen to it that he was laid away de-
Gently. but he had no trace Of his folks
Jim. I've got TO answer that letter.
said the postmaster. I'd rather be
GcRed
SO would Mrs. N. !. Rayne.