The daily Alaskan., 1906-11-16

poor. prDhihiJlvc.
 Sir Rodcrick stepped up to the de livery window and. finding young woman. maid>ervant, there. waited. The clerk had handed her a letter. and she was looking at the SuperScrlptlon. Presently she sighed and turned to leave. The clerk called her back.
 "TU.S iS the third time this week vouyu been here tn ask for letters. and. though I've had our for you every time you've called.
 Whats the matter. lasSie:' asked Sir Rudrr.rk. "Cau'J you pay for your letter"
 "I haven't tue money. sir
 Whom i> it from"
 "Ny yuua- nan. sir"
 "Wla, .> rle pos,a=e?" asked th, barourt ot ;a, clerk
 "A >l..u- gaurpeuce" replied the clyga
 SIT Eodr~.ra look the amount from his wallet auI miI 1t before the clerk. G.au,u- ar ,ar gr. 10 see how pleased sl, would Ur ty read the letter from A.g .,rr he noticed peculiar expression uu her flee. while she shook Lr- Lead. a~ ul.,A aS to sIy. Don't uo Y" But .t MAS toO late The cIcgk had taken the mu.ey. and the letter WAS in the barouets hand. He gave it to tue glrl. aud the two walked out of h.. rosIottirr together. When they rss,brt the street SIT Roderick took out an ryrGlaSS and read the super scrtpJlou oD the letter.
 The name was Beth T. B. R. PerE. ST RUderick was puzzled. He had never seen So many initials in the name Of one in her class. You are Beth Perk. | suppose" he said.
 Yes. sir: on tha, letter. Sometimes I'm Rr>S. Elizabeth. Betsy or one Q the other names aS belongs to Eliza beJh"
 The good man looked at her wonder Incly. And you seem to have a good many other names. judging from the initials"
 "The letters. sir. Them differs. Sometimes there's three like this one, sometimes two. and once there was five but that was only once and was necessary.
 Sir Roderick took the glass out of his eye aud surveyed the girl from head to foot What could she mean: He was too well bred to ask even one 50 far be- meath him to explain a matter in which be could not possibly be expected to have au interest. So he simply looked at her.
 Well heres your letter. he said, handtu. ir tn her.
 "Plea~e. ST. don't want it."
 Don't want it.
 "No. sir. There's nothing in it, sir" "Norhing in ir: Then why He paused
 'I tried 70 stop you paytn' forgit, SIT. Its this way. sir My young man \ valet to laird in the north Q Scot land. sir. The postage on letter from him is one and four. sir. so v'e has a WAY O wrtiu' on the back o' The letter ss we both knows what 1t means. h. side there's uothlu' but a sheet O pa per with nothiu' on il. goes to the poStoifce and calls for the letter and knows what lt says by the wrttin' on the outside. Then l hands tt back 10 the clerk and pays nothin'. l won't mind teIlin' you what this one says if YOU won't look at me. Beth means sweetheart. T. means time E. l. means one mOuth-that k, it's one month before We're 10 he married.
 Sir Roderick. who was a statesman stood Iookia" down upon the girl think. lns. The postal laws enabled h!m as one or the nations rich men and legtS lavo-s Co SnuL piano through the mails free ff he chose but tn" poor must pay for uu uuur" of paper
 Tn. next day Giw.auI Hilrs bill toI uniform inland penny postage was tu come up in rhe house of commons auo Sir Rod6r.rN rad proposed to kill If Ir now occurred To n3m that tue gov ernment was carrying this girls loyf letters free. whereas the charge of penny might be. pa!d not only by her but by rhOuSlulS of others who coul' not pay the high rates.
 Beth" be said tearing open the let ter and glapcu- at q piece of blanl psper within. when you want to senC another letter 10 your lover come t, me" be handed her a card, and i shall cost you nothing; I'll frank ir fo YOU. And heres a wedding present to you. or rather pay for an idea you havt given me" He handed her two E1j notes and left her standing on the side walk gaping after him
 The next day. when the postal btl came up in the house of commons, it friends were in despair since IL Wa sure to be killed by Sir Roderick Boyle who had denounced it as yisionar, scheme that would swamp the post .fice department. When shortly be fore the vote was cast the great states man arose and made a speech In ad yocaCv of the bill there was great as rOnishment. The measure passed, bu no ore knew that the turning point | its struggle for existence was ciphe between two lovers. neither of whor knew any more than to read and |
 NFNpE ~ PTpNErT