The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-08-26
In Defense OF
the Mail ~ ~
WALTER N. EGGINTON

~ A IVENTURESe said the rural
~ mail carrier. reaching forward
ana lightly GecAing ily from the horse
with his whip YES, l have had them
even in this quiet country route. (
recall ono affair thar happened on TINS 7
road. aud not far from where We are
now"
Tho rural mail carrier is q iI-end OK
mine. and ! sat beside him On the sihAle
scat az The waeon enjoying me st"Il-
ors country drive which il is bus ousl-
nose rs talcdaly. Tie scene was peace
fn and quiet in the extreme Ia me ar
there was only The hum OF insects tne
nr-line ~ hidden sireamlets the soi'
sound az waving foliage.
The road at this point curved around
hin skrting the base Of r. ana there
US NOT farmhouss in sight Oh one
edo was the hill. rising abruptly SKY
ward well covered with thicA STOW -
of voura trees and bushes WIG un-
critiva.rd stretch Of country; on the
o.ber SIDE the ground fell away TO a
t.hhlfrn creek beyond which me lahp
vos fenced of. showing here heio o.
vsvine corn there patch 81 potatoes
md farther on a BIT Of pasture iahu "l,n
,.crn maths showing where me cow
-e-o accustomed to make Their way .
,ho wetc- The whole picture iouhe'
res,fui and prosperous. a Dp'eal -
=, ..,n York state" farm country
ror-rer on. on the other side Of "a
49,, sra down in the valley nestlea lh
,,,ls town Of Corning. which We ma
IN. eo-.,e hours before in starting on IN
Iourncv TO Hornby Forks, distance
some r. miles.
Tho wagon was light and con'ai,i-
,osides ourselves only the huge e aln'
har hlled with letters. papers ana ma
-r,t,e- This lay at The carrier lee
h.,ucr- his knees. ard from j ne toss'
,e,tors and papers into the little poN'
n.t,cb the farmers had erected near y
.sr-,v 10 receive their mail, or. mo
,-ac,,crtlv handed 1t out 10 the M
themselves who we're slatlohsu
nectantly beside the boxes
when began to work on THIS roul'
-, carrier said. which | did Tor I
sare ~ nv health which had oeeh =
na,~ea n not broken by the too &C
o,e,ement Of a shop carried 3
revolver I mean. as most 81 US
a.. "a no on the safe side. There W.
registered letters contalhlhh No.
mat bag quite often and pairs =,
800 Are rather lonely. BESIDES
-, bie man and never was power
o,e So carried a revolver N my
-oci.e. and felt secure. Bnt a. Y
-, IN and the quiet and reaceiuli
- tris mart Of the country lmpits
20 MORO and more. began 70 q
- Sometimes had the
uth me and sometimes nov ,. va
oro ~ these latter occasions ina.
e,-,.tnc incident I have - nina
currcd
.r, vas a beautiful autumn Gay
-, cached the top Of Hornby hih
49, about 70 take The road tnal 1
-, INTO the Forks when Ola faI
crirger came hurryng down 'ne
from his house and hailed me- va
!, envelope. lpuiled UP and "al'e'
him
.t4e had a letter. he told me. ~ y
.rt,d 10 inclose some money
10 my custom in such cases 'u'u
"a corid give the amount 20 M
- uith tho price OF money
and tho unseaied letter anu
r;vo him receipt FOR the amour,
=. reaching the post office J Wou'
M the money order was ineiose'
~ io,,er sent on its way
IAN right. sir. said he. in his d
-. Heres the money! Fuiiln
ron Of greenhacEs nc oou,'.,'
.Twen,y. 80. 40. 60. So loo' ahu an
dollar to- pay for the money olOs
stamus and bring me back me &
whan rnn come this way to-morro
~ "a surprised Of the amour
,.~r.st had ever had TO take o.
80 IN. Iaccepteditp promptly ~
With The letter. and placing -.
GU in my breast pocket ! ar
savr tho road Before ! haa -
.rss passed n tramp sltllhb
,..se hidden from the Earn
- foliage. and as his Eian
.,,ra something in his eyes ~
-, maj the farmers voice "a
u 10 had counted OUT the
.rhe fellow was big ana eN,'-'oo'
al, IS powerful and my heart
,,,,,s remembered. with reer'
was unarmed helpless
~ nassed him. trying desperate
,sop uncoucerned and be