Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-08-22
HOW the POSTAL BILL
WAS CARRIED


The mail was all carried on coaches,
and the charges on letters were in pro-
portion to the distance they were trans
mitted, ranging from 10 to 40 cents
/ for letter weighing an ounce, and
were collected when the letter was de-
llvered. Since the value of a shilling
was proportlonately 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. prohlbItive.
Sir Roderlck stepped up to the de-
livery window and, finding a young
woman, a maidservant, there, waited.
The clerk had handed her letter, and
she 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" asked
Sir Roderick. Cant you pay for your
letter."
II haven't the money, sir"
Whom Is 1t from?"
"My young man, sir"
"What is the postage?" asked the
baronet of the clerk.
"A shilling fourpence," replied the
| clerk.
Sir Roderick took the amount from
his wallet and laid 1t before the clerk
Glancng at the grl to see how pleased
she 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 1t was too late. The clerk
had taken the money, and the letter
was in the baronets hand. He gave 1t
to the girl. and the two walked out of
the postoffice 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. r. Perk."
Sir Roderick 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 that. letter. Sometimes
I'm Bess, Elizabeth, Betsy or one O.
the other names as belongs to Eliza
BETH
The good man looked at her wonder
ingly. And you seem to have good
many other names, judging from the
initials"
1.-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 and surveyed the girl from head to
foot. What could she mean? He was
too well bred to ask even one so far be-
meath him to explain matter in which
he could not possibly be expected to
have an interest, so he simply looked
at her.
We'll. here's your letter" he said,
banding it - l.er.
please. sir, don't want It,"
Don't want it,"
"No. sir. There's nothing in it, Sir"
Nothing in it? Then Why lie
paused
Il tried to stop you payin' for 1t. sir.
It's this way. sir. My young mans
valet to laird in the north o Scot
land, sir. The postage on letter from
him is one and four. sir, so we has a
way o. writin' on the back o the letter
as we both knows what 1t means In
side there's nothin' but a sheet o pa
per. with nothin' on 1t. I goes to the
po9toffice and calls for the letter and
knows what it says by the wrltin' on
the outside. Then l hands it back to
the clerk and pays nothin' l won't
mind tellin' you what this one says IL
you won't look at me. Beth means
sweetheart. T. means time b. r.
means one mOnth-that is, it's one
month before we're to be married"
Sir Roderick, who was a 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 piano through the
mails free, II he chose, but the poor
must pay for an ounce of paper.
The next day Rowland Hills bill for
uniform inland penny postage was TO
come up in the house OF commons and
Sir Roderick had proposed TO Kill 1t.
1t now occurred to him that the gov
eminent was carrying this girls love
letters free. whereas the charge OF a
penny might be paid not only by her,
but by thousands of others who could
not pay the high rates.
Beth" he said, tearing open the let
ter and CHANGING at a piece OF blank
paper within, when you want to send
another letter to your lover come TO
me- he handed her a card "and 1t
shall cost you nothing; I'll frank 1t for
you. And here's wedding present for
you. or rather pay for an idea you have
given me-" He handed her two f10
notes and left her standing on the side
walk gaping after him.
The next day. when the postal bill