Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-06-16
A Postal Romance.
BY M. QUAD.


Inspector Ora ham of the postal serv-
Ice happened to be at Chestnut Grove at
the time tie postmistress died. and he
took charge of the Office aud did what
be could in other directions. The de-
ceased had left two daughters, one
twelve and one eighteen. Squire Davis
and two or three others scarcely wait
cd the burial of the widow before plan
ming for the postmastership and invok-
ing the aid of the inspector. This they
did not receive. however. He promptly
recommended Bessie, the eldest daugh-
ter. for the place. and she was shortly
appointed
For the next year the postoffice at
Chestnut Grove was the best conduct
ed of any on the inspectors route Not
the slightest fault could be found in
any direction. Had the inspector WIS.,
tied the office four times in the year he
would have covered his Instructions.
but his calls were made much oftener.
Before the year was up Miss Bessie
had to admit to herself that the in
spector was showing something be.
sides official interest and the knowl-
edge embarrassed and panied her. She
had learned that he was free to marry.
And why all these visits if he was not
in love with her? The girl had a Sc
cret.. 1t was a secret from the in
spector only. and she trembled every
time he came for fear that he would
discover it. A dozen different village
gossips could have betrayed that Sc
cret, but they had not been encour-
aged to talk. Squire Davis had often
had it at his tongues end, but had
checked himself and said:
Not word from me. said there
would be scandal. and there will be-"
The girl postmistress had entered
upon her second official year. and In
spector Graham had arrived to pay
one of his semi-social calls, when he
was met by a storm of excitement He
had been doing a great deal of think
ing during the past three months. He
had satisfied himself that he was real
~ and truly in love with Bessie and
wanted her for wife, and he believed
that he had found favor in her eyes.
On this occasion he meant to tell his
love and know his fate.
This is what has happened" said
Squire Davis, who was the first to
meet him as he stepped off the cars.
"a registered letter containing $50 for
me has been lost in~the mail"
But Miss Jordon couldn't have
taken your letter." protested the sur
prised and perturbed inspector
fo1l No hat oh e.
Ter who's been hanging around there
fer year." >~~>szss NJ etA<s ese as's-
The INSPECTOR was an official now in
stead of a friend. He at once got to
work on the trail of the missing letter.
and before night he assured himself
that it had actually passed through
the Office at Sand Hill, which was next
on the east. This being SO, it must
have arrived at Chestnut Grove. The
! night Of its arrival was a very stormy
one, and there was no one in after
mail until long after it had been dis
tributed. Inspector Graham sat in the
office and thought It out and knew that
the letter had arrived and been taken.
He could not bring himself to believe
that Miss Bessie was the thief, and
! yet it hurt him to think that it might
have been taken by another-by the
young man to whom Squire Davis had
alluded. The girl had had lover for
a year past and had concealed the fact
from him. 1t didn't occuy to him that
it was her right and that he had really
no business to know, but he felt that
an injury had been done him. There
was but one way out of the business
and be took it. AS he called the post
mistress in he was more of the official
than he had ever been.
Miss Jordon." he began. did Henry
Williams assist you to distribute the
mail on the evening Of the 4th?"
Yves" she replied as her face went
white.
And Henry Williams took the let
ter You know be did,"
I'll can't be sure" she said as sht
broke down and sobbed.
"You never told me that you had /;
lover"
mo. l didn't-didn't think"
'Why did he take the letter."
"Oh, SIR sobbed the girl, The want
ed to go away and find work and carr
money so that we could be-be mar
ried 1t was a temptation. He mus
have taken it, but We'll pay it all back.
And he loves your asked the in
spector. with lump in his throat.
HE does. know he does. and
anything was to happen to Billy
When the inspector crossed the stree
to the inn Squire Davis was still in hi
Office. hoping to hear that an jarres
had been made.
well. will the girl lose her plac
Is and be sent to prisons" he asked a
Graham came in.
NO"
But why not? She certainly got m
$50"
, you didn't lose $50. You lost onl
| $40. You had that sent to you hopin
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