Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-06-21
HOW he POSTAL BILL,
 WAS CARRIED
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 One morning Sir l.oderich Buy ... M. |" q bafonet liviug i'll London. went to the postotfice to ask if there were any letters for him. Now. al that time -1S&i, the second year after the good Queen Victoria ase.enjed the throne of England-the poStotlice was a very different bureau from what it Is today. Inc mail was all carried on coaches, and the charges On letters were i'll pro- portion 10 the distance they were trans. mItted, ranging from 16 to 10 cents TOT letter weighing an ounce. and were collected when the letter was de- sivered. Since the value of shilling was proportionately much greater then than now the cost of postage, especially on letter sent from one extremity of the kingdom to another, was, to the poor prohibitiye
 Sir Roderick stepped up to the de livery window and, finding young woman, q majdseEKant, there, waited. The clerk had handed her a letter, and sue was looking at the superscription. Presently she sighed and turned to leave. The clerk called her back.
 "This is the third time this week you've been here to ask for letters, and, though I've had one for you every time you've called"
 Whats the matter, lassie?o asked Sir Roderlck. Cant you pay for your. letterY
 "I haven't the money. sir~
 <Whom is 1t from?''
 My young man. sir.''
 "What is the postage?" asked ,he baronet of the clerk.
 "A shilling fourpence," replied the clerk
 Sir Roderick took the amount from his wallet and laid it before the clerk. Glancng at the grl to see how pleased ehe would be to read the letter from her lover he noticed peculiar expression on her face while she shook her head, as much as to say, Don't do it. But it was too late. The clerk bad taken the money. and the letter was in the baronet's hand. He gave it to the girl, and the two walked out Of the postoftice together. When they reached the street Sir Roderick took out an eyeglass and read the super. scription on the letter.
 The name was Beth T. B. K. Perk.'' Sir ,Rederick was puzzled He had never seen so many initials In the name of one in her class. You are Hetb Perk, suppose" he said.
 ssVns civ 3bo4 lEttav ok I'm Bess, Eliza beth, Betsy or one c the other names as belongs to Eliza beth"
 The good man looked at her wonder. hsly. And vou seem to have & good many other names. judging from the Initials"
 '"The letters, sir. Them differs Sometimes there's three. like 1his one, sometimes two. and once there was five, but that was only once and was necessary"
 Sir Roderiek 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 co far be meath him to explain matter iu which he could not possibly be expected tt have an interest, so he simply looked tt bey.
 Well, here's your let1es." he esM. handing it. to her.
 "Please, sir. don. wa,.t it."
 Don't wan. it''
 s>.No, sir There's nothing iD It, sir" : Nothing iu ;ts Then why He paused
 ,''l tried to stop you payin sor #, sir. It's this way. sir My young mans valet to {: la!rd in the north c Scot land, sir. The postage ou letter from hi,r, is one and four. sir. so we has way c Writin' on the back O the letter as we both knows what it means. 1n- side there's notbin' but & sheet O pa per, with nothin' on it. goes tc the postatfice and calls for the letter and knows what 1t seiys by the writin' on the outside Tbe1l hands # back 10 the clerk and pays noth1n' won't mind tellin' you what this one says If you won't look at ne. Betsi means sweetheart T. mems time B, R. means one montl-that IS, it's ore uunt3l before were to be Nasrsed.'
 Sir Roderick, who was statesman, stood looking down upon the girl think ing. The postal laws enabled him as one of tis<- nation, rich men and ie9,is lators to send a piano through the mails free. if he chose, but the poor must pay for an ounce of paper.
 The next day Rowland Hill's bili for uniform inland penny postage was to ltAl1Sls Ilii