The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-02
FEDERAL OFFICIALS
SIT OUT OLD YEAR
In So Doing They Have Visions,
Not Revelations, of
Future.
GH0STLY LETTERS MARCH
BEFORE THE POSTMASTER
They Tell of Delay and DiSap-
pOintment to Many,
a Many People.


mailing n forgotten postcard. Dlmly the
electric lights cleaned over the polished
dark table: the piles of books that lay
on the desks. and In shadows on the
carpeted floor. Through the deserted Of
Aces changed hollow toned clock. just
once-half-pas IL December 81 the last
lay and the lsst hour Of the old year.
In these ofhces-the postmaster's very
own, In the Federal building-the post
master sat alone. his face sunk in his
hands. thinking and mayhap doing.
tWho can cay when his thinking ends
and his dozlns begins ?? The last tired
clerk had gone. Kesler was with his fam
lily; only The little. fat postmaster was
al his post. The old year was dylns
peacefully and quietly Outside shout
mobile. boys laugh. told that the world
was up: but here on the first floor. be-
hind the heavy windows, all was quiet
Presently the door swung back, slowly
and noselessly. Out Of the dusk Of the
inner office came shape, all white and
black and square with great accusing
eyes that seemed 10 burn a hole right
through the top OF the Iittle postmaster's
head.
Following closely the first ghostly form
came another. longer and narrower all
forms some square, Others long and thin.
all with big black eyes and all eyes fixed
upon the fet little postmaster. who never
stirred. never raised his head. Faster
and faster came the forms, all in an or
derly procession. and as the lights
cleaned more fully upon them q red
mark could he seen upon their foreheads,
Delayed Letters Speak.
When the office was filled. ghastly
shapes still glided in looking over the
heads OF the first ones, until the outer
office, 100. was all alive. Then the first
one spoke, pointing a long finger at the
awaits the birth OF the new year" came
from the white, cold lips, the eyes Still
boring through the postmaster's head
"Remorse stalks along beside each poor
unfortunate, and We shades OF your Of
hcial year, are here TO accuse and 70
condemn.
thin and gaunt, came: 81 am the letter
that. sent by a poor woman TO her nus
band told him OF their dying child. ]
was delayed through incompetence and
negligence, and the man never knew. un-
III after the child was buried. that his
baby was even sick. Twelve days the
cisco 10 the father IN Salt Lake. The
mothers heart was broken" Then the
next shade, all a-quiver with indignation:
DO you recognize me? ] came with an
needed work, He looked for me and
expected me. But l didn't come for a
week. and the man. who sent me in
hurry, had 10 engage some one else. The
boy certainly needed that place badly"
The next poor littie shade was melan-
choly. II was fragrant little ghost and
message it quayered. but ] held her
heart She quarrcled with him and
was 70 make II all up; But he didn't get
times 10 see II hadn't gone astray And
all the time | was lying out there in a
bag, neglected. He went away finally,
end she has never heard OF him since,
Tor ne took ship and died. FAR away"
Tripping over each other in their er-
forts to be heard, each shade attempted
TO speak, each hurting accusations az
The silent form. Each told a tale OF
neglect, of waiting. OF tears and sorrow
caused by suspense and disappointment.
Here, little fearful note told OF
chllds impatlence: there, a white one
spoke OF a lovers impatleuce. mothers
agony, all caused by waiting One shade
spoke of being delayed ten days. another
or week, another OF ten dayg-ail long
enough TO wreck some plan, TO mar some
hope OF those VINO had relied on Uncle
fat form never stirred only n deep grodn
now and then betrayed that the man
was conscious OF the ghaStly gaunS ones.
And then, silently as they came. they
departed The door swung after a par
tlcularly important-looking bulky par
eel. which, as il departed, Shook its fist
present. yah-2n Easter token more like
ly. She's waiting for me- and here l am
lying out In q bag, too late for Christ
mas. TOO late 70: New Years yah-you
For a second after they had gone he
stirred never so slightly. and then he
Z
the boom OF the clock mad awakened him.
The Offices had grown cold and he shiv-
cred from a chill-or was X a recoec-
tion OF those accusing eyes and ths ac-
cuspg voices7
Ghosts in Attorneys Office.
Up on the next floor in mis- office sat
Hyrum Booth Here, too, ail was quiet.
No shades OF letters intruded hero. only
the ghosts OF a mans memories and
fears. The old year was dying slowly.
slowly. Surely II had been = good year,
but for Hyrum Booth. what did the next
twelve months hold? what did Efe it.
the complscent placid features cf tie
man who held his Office because Il Nor
mon ruled the roost' stole approb en-
sion Ii only-ah there was tne h-.if
only smoot held on? Surely Zion would
be favored. and all woul1 be well. What
did it matter II a whole world stood
aghast at the tnlquities Of . lecnecouS
religious body. as long as Hyrum neld
his fat office? But would Srnoot be vlc-
tor1ous, and Sutherland? Surely facts
stood out IN a sinister manner .. This
midnight hour, when TO most men their
own conscious self points inward an ac-
cusing finger.
Marshal spry Alone.
Marshal Spry. too. was alone all alone
Gone were his helpers and the men whom
he could talk to. AS he kept watch in
the now chilly room. TIE shadow OF the
Gentle menace stole over him After
FL the years, after all the tenacious
be quite 80 hlled with satisfac ction, or
would the Americana. aroused to their
shame demand and secure the appoint
ment of a marshal with clean hands ard
heart2 Surely not. anG again the placid
dull look stole over the face, go strange
10 thoughts. Zion was good to her own
Stodginess and lazy comfort overcame
him again and he snored.
Ed Callister Dreams.
Ed Calhster had returned to his Office
on the topnnost floor for Just e few,
moments. 1t near midnight thai
the hands Of the clock were almost one
Midnight and the very last day of q
year, Through the thick mists OF silence
that enshrouded the top floor OF the
QUIET building Callister heard q rum BILE
peculiar rumble. that gained In aound
and reyerberation as the rninutes dragged
on He sank into a chair wonderlns
and then his eyeide dropped ard he
slept. AND as he dreamed ho saw s
broom Of such a nice clean yellow straw
gigantic In proportions and alive with
energy And welding this formida biz