The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-01-14
A BLACK HAND LETTER
BY M. QUAD.


Major Cleveland, retired. was in the
wrong of it. He had permitted and
tacitly encouraged young Mr. Herbert
to visit the house and listen to his war
stories and fall in love with his daugh-
ter Janet, and then when he asked for
her hand he had drawn himself stiffiy
up aud replied.
1T cannot be, sir! | am of the army,
sir and, though retired on half pay by
a grateful country, once of the army
always of the army. My dearest hope
is for Janet to marry colonel in ac-
tive service. shall speak to her at
once, Sir-at once"
Janet" the major said the next day
to his daughter. there must be- no
more of this nonsense between you
and young Herbert"
That was all The major congratu-
lated himself that his order would be
obeyed, and Miss Janet put on look
and assumed the attitude of broken
hearted girl not long for this world
The mother became worried and pro-
| lGSlGh, anu pGCaLG ilbtiS
bit anxious and talked about spring
tonics, though he had no idea Of eoun-
demanding his order. All might have
gone well If the grocer who supplied
the house hadn't called his delivery
boy a SLOUGH and lazybones and If
the said boy hadn't fired up and quit
his job. Another took his place just as
Miss Janet wanted to send a note TO
her lover real bad. The change of
/ boys perplexed her for moment, and
she hadn't time to go into explanations
further than to hand him the missive
and 10 cents and mention Mr.. Herbert.
The boy grinned and nodded, and the
wagon ratified away, and ten minutes
later he was perusing the letter. His
name happened to be Herbert, and he
happened to be vain boy, and he fur
Their happened to believe that Miss
Janet had got struck on him. 1t was
proud moment for him, for be al
ready had another girl on the string
She worked in shirt factory, and
she wasn't a tony girl, but he loved
her. He was also jealous of her, and
now was his chance to get even.
Mr. Herbert did not get the note in
tended for him; Miss Janet did not get
a reply as expected; the mother saw
new cause to believe that her daughter
was not long for this world. and the
major sighed and wished that some
one would come in and listen TO his
war Stories That grocer's boy had
brought butter. eggs and potatoes, but
he had left a load of carking care be-
hind him Next morning brought
something like a sudden thunderclap,
Miss Janet received letter mailed at
the village postotiice the night previ-
Gus. 1t was i'll spelled and was not
capitalized or punctuated at all. 1t
was signed BLACK Ham," and it con-
tanned some dire and awful threats.
If she did not change her course she
would be shot, stabbed, dubbed, boiled
In oil and die many other ways 1t
was to be a first and last warning, and
there were many "bewares" in 1t.
Janet was frightened, her mother was
more so, and the major swore by the
bloody sword he had used at Gettys-
burg that be would get at the bottom
of the mystery If be had to call out
the entire army Of the United States.
The village marshal was consulted,
and he struck clew. That clew led
to tin peddler. who tainted away
when arrested. Other clews were
struck and followed, and before night
Of the first day five persons had been
| hauled to the lookup The Black Hand
had reached Clifton at last, but 1t was
to be rooted out forthwith. On the
second morning after receiving the let
| ter Janet saw the grOcer's boy at the
back door again, and as she took
| bunch of asparagus from his hands she
| found d missive with it and also re-
ceiyed a wink from him. She passed
the wink by and ran up to her room
with the letter. In moment she had
| the Black Hand by the throat. II
showed her your luv letter to me-"
read the letter, land she took on aw-
full She was jelus, and l guess she
wrote you last mite. Don't mind her.
/ will shake her for you"
Herbert, the grocers boy. had taken
over the ownership of the missive for
| Herbert, the lover. He had shown 1t to
the shirtmaker. and her Jealousy had
| been aroused. She ii was who had
written the BLACK Han" letter. Major
Cleveland was plungi9g around and
| telling the whole town what he was
going to do when his daughter put him
on the right track. He rushed of to
see the shirtmaker and frightened her
into owning up, and he had returned
home to tell what punishment was to
be inflicted when Miss James inquired:
Papa. do you want everybody to
think am in love with that grocer's
boy?"
by heavens, nor he shouted.
"Or that a shirtmaker is Jealous of
your daughter|
Don't talk that wayP'
'SThe note wrote was to Mr.. Her
bert. the lawyer. The grocer's boy has
the same name, and he thought It was
for him. Can't you see that you had
best drop the matter at once?"
but the village marshal has arrest
ed Eve persons and is after others"
But he can let them CO."
But told you to have nothing more
to do with that Herbert"
And is it right that all you have
gone through as brave soldier should
be kept locked in your own bosom?
Can't you see how much better 1t
would be to drop this Black Hand bust
ness and its gossip and invite Mr.. Her
bert up to hear you tell how you took
the enemy In flank at South Noun
tain?"