West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-08-16
HOW the POSTAL BILL
WAS CARRIED



Of England-the postofllce wns very
different bureau from what II Is today.
The mail was all carried on coaches,
and the charges on letters were IA pro
portion To the distance they vrero trans
mitted, ranging from 10 TO 30 cents
for letter Weighing an ounce. and
were collected when the letter was de
livercd Since the value OF a shilling
was proportlonately much greater then
than now the cost OF postage. especially
on letter sent from ono extremity OF
the kingdom to another, was, 10 the
poor. prohibltive.
Sir Roderick stepped W TO the de-
livery window and, finding young
woman. u maldseryant. there. waited.
The clerk had handed her letter, and
she was hooking Mt the superscrlption
Presently she sighed and turned 20
leave. The CLERK called her back.
This is tho third time this week
you've been hero 10 ask for letters. and.
though I've had one for you every time
you've called"
What's the matter. lassloY' asked
Sir Roderick. Cant you pay for your
letterY'
II haven't the money, SIR"
Whom Is II fromT'
MY young man. sir"
What Is the pOstarcY' askcd the
baronet OF the clerk.
"a shilling fOurpcncc." replied the
clerk.
Sir RoderIck took the amount from
his wallet and laid Il before the clerk.
she would 10 10 read the letter
from her lover ~ noticed peculiar
expression on her face, while she shook
her head. as much as 10 suy. Don't do
It," But II was too lato Tho clerk
had taken the money, ana the letter
was In the baronets hand lie gave II
to the girl, and the two walked ont Of
the postoffice together When they
reached tho street Sir noderlck took
ont en- eyeglass and read the super-
scrlption on the iettcr.
The name was "Reth T. r. n. Pcr1."
Sir RodorIck was pIzz'cd lie had
mover seen 80 many Initials IN Tho name
OF one IN her class "YoD are Beth
Perk. I suppose." he sah
Eyes, sir; on thdt letter Sometimes
I'm Bess. Elizabeth. BETSY OF one o.
the other names as belongs 20 Eliza
beth"
Tho good man looked at her wonder
ingly. And you seem 10 have n good
many other names. Judging from the
initials"
"Tho letters. sir. Them differs.
Sometimes there's three. like this one,
sometimes two, and once there wns
five, but that was only once and wns
necessary"
Sir Roderick took the glass out OF his
eye and surveyed the girl from head to
foot What could she mean? He was
too well bred to ask even one 80 far be
meath him TO explain matter IN which
no could not possibly b. expected to
have an intercet. so ho simply looked
at her.
We'll, here's your letter" be said.
handing II 30 her
please, sir, don't want H."
Don't want t."
mo. sir. There's nothing I'm II, cir"
Nothing I'm ~ Then Why lie
paused
Il tried 20 stop you payln' for It, sir
It's this way. sir Ny young mans
valet TO a laird In tho north o. Scot
land. sir The postage on letter from
him Is one and four. sir, 30 we has n
way o. wrltln' on the back o. the letter
as we both knows whnt Il means In
side there's nothln' but Il sheet o. pa
per, with nOtbin' on H. | goes 20 the
postofllce and calls for the letter and
knows what II says by the wrItln' on
the outside. Then I hands II back TO
the clerk and pays Dothin'. won't
mind tellln' you what this ono says II
you won't look at me. Beth mems
sweetheart. 4. means time. u. II.
means ono month"; that Is. It's ono
month before we're TO bc married"
Sir Roderlck. who was n statesman.
stood looking down upon the girl think
Ing. The postal laws enabled him as
one Of the nations rich men and legis-
lators to send n piano through the
malls free, n be chose. but tho poor
must pay for On ounce Of paper
The next day Rowland IIilrs blll FOR
uniform inland penny postage was 20
come up In the house Of commons and
Sir ROderick had proposed 10 KIN II.
II now occurred TO him That the gov
ernmcnt was carrying this girls love
letters free. whereas thc chnrae of
penny might DO paid not only by her.
but by thOusands OF others who could
rot pay the high rntcs.
Beth" he said, tearing open thc let
ter and glanclng at piece Of blank
paper within, whom you want 10 Bcnd
another letter TO your lover come 90
me-" he handed her card. and II
shall cost you nothing; I'll frank u FOR
you And hcro's a weddiuy present for
you, or rather pay for an idea you have
given me" lie handed her two go
notes and left her standing on the side.
walk gaping after him
Tho next day, when ti,c postol bill
camo Up I'm The house Of commons. is
friends wero in despair since Il was
sure 90 bo killed by Sir ROdcrick Boyle.
who had denounced 70 as visionary
scheme that would swamp tho post
oflc0 department when ahortly ba-
foro the vote was cast mo great states-
man arose and made q speech in ad-
vocacy Of the bin tbere WINS great ns-
tOnishment. Tho measure passed. but
no ono knew that the turning point IN
Us struggle for existence was cipher
between two lovers, neither Of whom
know any more than 70 read and 20
write MARY Q. BURNET
Senator Baily, like Senator TiI-
man, has triumphed over his enes
mics In his own state and in 9th
states by being unanimously re