The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-11
A POstman'S Story.
[originalI


letter for her 1t was the pleasure of |
the day for me. There's no happiness
equal to giving happiness to another
and whenever my little girl received '
letter the joy that lit UP her childish !
face was reflected In mine.
when she was about seventeen
there came n new interest for her in
her letters. One morning when was
sorting the mail for my route saw
letter the superscrpton OF which in
dlcated that 1t was not from girl
friend. 1t was written in clerical
hand, evidently by young man whose
chirography had not become set Ny
little girl was waiting for me at the
gate, and ! knew that her eyes were
upon me while was yet far down the
street. Before ! reached her they were
big with expectancy. While | had stlll
two stops to make before coming to
her I held up her letter. but | was too
far for her to see the superscrlptlon,
and she was only partly reassured.
When she saw the youthful writing
ornamented with pen fourishes n glad
ness spread Itself over her features
that made my heart correspondingly
/ joyful.
Every day for weeks I gave her
| letter addressed In the same hand.
Then ] noticed by the postmark that
the writer was going from place to
place and the letters we're less fire.
quent This made the gin more anx-
| ious to get them. and. rs soon as 1
| turned certain corner far down the
| street and saw her watching at the
| gate. when | had no letter for her |
would raise an empty hand. but when
| | had one | would wave It aloft.
The letters were coming again daily
when suddenly they stopped. Every
day that | passed my little girl with
out one for her she grew more anx-
ious, and v hen a week had gone by
and | was Obliged 20 pass the worried
| pale face ut the gate without bringing
comfort ,lt as n doctor must feel
| who can give a favorite patient no
| relief
One day had a letter for her ad-
dressed In the usual hand was
nightly pleased and watched her face
eagerly when | delivered 1t. She tore
1t open and ran It over eagerly. | had
no right to delay. but | did, wishing to
know If the news was good or bad. |
saw her turn red. and. crumpllng the
letter spasmodicaly, she ran into the
house itt
That was the last of her waiting at
the gate for letters. Whenever passed
the house ana did not see her would
think what pleasure 1t would give me
to burn her correspondent over n slow
fire. was sure he had Tilted her.
Several years passed during which
delivered my little girl no love letters.
OF this | was sure, for of ali she re-
ceived few were In masculine hand
and such came only at intervals. Then
one day while sorting my mail for de-
livery ! came across one on which the
handwriting seemed familiar Then
recognized II as that of the youthful
correspondent. only now 1t had become
a mans fixed hand. I handed It In at
the house to Il maid with other mail, so
I didn't see the recipient when she
opened It. At the next delivery my lit
tie gl1 appeared ut the door and hand.
ed me the letter | had delivered un.
opened aud readdressed, evidently to
the sender.
"Do you know I just couldn't send
that letter back? should have been
fired | know, but would have rather
lost my position than let that little girl
blight her life. II she had been doing
1t for any reason except mad she
would either not have replied at all OF
J by letter Mad 1t was, | was sure
and | believed that IL the fellow got
) his letter back In that way the matter
would be ended forever. At the post
, office | showed the letter into a box
! marked 'Mlssent,' put bit of paper Ii
/ an envelope on Which | wrote, Never
= give up tho ship and sent it instead
Disgusting my hand and not signing
: what ! had written.
"ln about Il week another letter came
/ for the girl from the lover. handed i
in, not seeing the recipient After tina
| delivered several letters at Intervals
; of five or s'y days, and ! knew the cor
J ! respondence was on again. In n few
, weeks NOR" when | whlstled ut Tho
house of my little girl she opened th,
, door herself and snatched her ette
with some of her old eagerness.
, 1T was about three months afte
, this that was tipped to carry Il biz
. bundle of Wedding cards to the post
office. The were given me by the gin
: herself. | Traced up and made bold Il
: say TO her:
: "Iye delivered letters TO you 70
1 years, and you know how much inter
ested I've been in you. Won't you tel
:, me what came between you and you
: loverY
; you've been very lovely to me eve
= since was Il child, SO I'm going TO te
: you. 1t was all his fault In one q
), his letters he spoke of my beautlfu
= gray eyes. My eyes are blue. Tha
started it. and 1t Went on till he wrot
horrid things to me-
: when they We're about TO be ma
. rled | delivered letters to the youn
u man at her house. gave him the on
= she had sent back and had stopped
He looked Mt It, then at me with N