The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-06-21
A Postal Romance.
AZ M. QUAD.

the time the postmistress died, and be
took charge OF the Office and did what
be could in other directions. The de-
ceased had left two daughters, ons
twelve and one eighteen. Squire Davis
and two or three others scarcely wait
ca the burial Of the widow before plan
ming FOR the postmastership and invok-
ing the aid OF the inspector This they
aid not receive, however He promptly
recommended BESIDE, the eldest daugh-
ter. for the place. and she was shortly
appointed.
For the next year the postof1ee az
Chestnut Grove was the best condNct-
ed Of any on the inspectors route. Not
the slightest fault could be found IN
any direction. Had the inspector vis-
tied the Office four times in the year he
would have covered his instructions,
but bis calls were made much oftener.
Before the year was up Miss Bessts
had to admit 70 herself that the IA.
spsctor was showing something Be.
sides offleial interest. and the knowi-
edge embarrassed and painsd her che
had learned that be was free % marry.
And why an these visits II be was noe
In love with herr The giri had . s.
cret IL was a secret from the tna
speetor only. and she tremblod every
time he came for fear that be would
discover It. A dozen different village
eossips could have betrayed that se-
crst. but they had not been sneour-
aged to talk. Squire Davis bad ofteu
/ had II at his tongues end, but had
checked himself and said:
mot a word from me. said theirs
would be a scandal, ana there win be"
The girl postmistress had entered
upon her second Official year. ana In
speetor Graham had aFrived 70 pay
one Of his semi-soeial cabs, when he
was met By a storm OF excitement de
bad been doing a great deal % 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 be believed
that be had found favor m her eyes.
On this occasion be meant to ted bis
love and know his fate.
Squire Davis, who was the first to
meet him as be stepped OF the cars.
"A registered letter containing $50 for
me has been lost in the mad"
"But Miss Jordon couldn't have
taken your letter" protested the SUR
prlssd and perturbed Inspector.
'Mebbe not. but what about that fel-
Ter who's been hanging around there
Tor yearp
The inspector was an ofieiai now I'M
stead Of a friend. BE at once got te
work on the tran Of the missing letter,
and before night he assured himself
that it had actually passed through
the Office at Sand Hiil, which was next
on the east This being 50. 1t must
have arrived at Chestnut Grove. The
night OF fits arrival was a very stormy
one, and there was no one IN after
mail until long after II bad been dis
tributed. Inspector Graham sat IA the
office and thoughtdt 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 1t might
have been taken by another-by she
young man to whom Squire Davis had
alluded. The girl had had a lover for
a year past and had concealed the fact
from him. 1t didn't occur to him that
1t was her right and that be had really
no business to know, but be felt thaa
an injury had been done him. There
was but one way out OF the busiuess
and he took IL. AS he called the posts
mistress ia he was more of the official
than Ne had ever been.
Miss Jordon," he began, did Henry
Williams assist you to distribute the
mail on the evening Of the 4th7'
Yves" she replied as her face wens
white.
And Henry Williams took the let
ter. You know he did"
III can't be sure,D she said as She
broke down and sobhed
You never told me that ron had :
lover"
mo. didn't--didn't think"
'Why did he take the letter."
"0h, sir" sobbed the girl, che want
ed TO go away and ind work and earn
money so that we could be--be mar.
ried. II was a temptation. He must
have taken 1t, but wen pay it all backs
and he loves your asked the in
spector with lump in his throat.
HE does. I know he does, and II
anything was to happen to Billy
When the inspector crossed the street
to the inn Squire Davis was still in his
Office, hoping to hear that an arrest
had been made.
wen, viii the girl lose her piacs
and be sent to PRISON." be asked AZ
Graham came in.
'sNo,"
But why notr She certainly got my
$50"
You didn't lose $50. You lost only
$40. You had that sent to you hoping
It would be taken. 1t was taken. but
not by Miss Jordon. Henry williams
is the one, and there's your money
back"
But. SIR, demand
You'd better drop It, squire. You
have lied about the amount. and the
authorities at Washington know that
you've been itching to be postmaster
here. Just spread the news that you've
got your money and let 1t 20 at that
And when morning came Inspector
Graham went back to the postofIice to
say:
sIAyf.r Yn.a 49,