The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-01
Short Stories by the Best Writers

puuseu, SturiHS, DeliiSeIeut, DlcdtluB
angrily.
Some one laid tentative hand on
his back and was rewarded with a
vicious lunge. Billy renewed his gaze
In the glass. He paved the floor an
grily; he bleated once more. and then
before the horrined onlookers could
prevent him he bent his head and
crashed violently into the glass front.
SCATTERING II In thousand flying frag-
ments and toppling the whole struc-
ture on TO the startled postmistress
and her assistant.
Fortunately nobody was hurt, not
even Billy the goat The glass front
of letter box No. 13 was impaled on
one horn, and on the other was a fancy
embossed envelope that inclosed val
entine. Somewhat subdued. he was
captured by several citizens Of Little
\ River and tethered TO the doorknob.
/ Then one and all went forward to as
sist In restoring order In the chaos Of
mail matter.
! Drusilla. pale and frightened, still
lowered in the corner into which Greg
DRY Ware had thrust her and which he
had left without n word to help clear
up the wreckage. Fanny Blcknell. the
sharp faced. sandy haired little post
mistress, pointed skinny finger at
Drusilla, while her little dark eyes
flashed resentfully.
IL declare. Drusilly Fowler, amt you
got any better sense than to tag that
goat of the Franklins into the post
office? / expect the gov'ment will get
after you. You've broke all the rules
of the office. 1t says no dogs allowed
inside, and that means goats and such.
! thought you didn't take no stock in
the Franklins' goat" {.
II don't" retorted Drusilla, with
spirit. ''He chased me all the way
down here. He's the bane of my life.
You can look to Mr.. Franklin for dam
ages"
81 SHALL" said Miss Bicknell acidly,
and then. addressing the men who
We're picking up glass preparatory to
raising the fallen section of boxes. she
added: "Vhat you men fussing over
tEoee? Remember that's all gov'ment
r-ail ma; n you're handling"
Picking some Of these letters out of
the dirt under your boxes. Miss
Fanny" said Gregory Ware grimly.
81 should recommend that you have
something done about your boxes. The
whole thing Is cracked and warped,
and the mail box is full of cracks.
Look under here where IL stoodr' He
pointed 10 a square dust outlined
space on the floor where several yell
lowed and dirty mlssives were mingled
with bits of dirt and splintered glass.
you're the postmistress. Miss Fanny.
You'd better see what these letters are
doing underneath the mailing box"
He stood back while the fussy little
woman came forward and picked the
letters out of the accumulated soil.
She scanned them closely-there were
three in all-and then she looked hesi-
tatingly around the Office.
THESE must have slipped through
the crack In the mailing box" she
said after awhile. Here's q bill from |
Fryer q Kermit for Arson Rowell. |
Come to think of it. Anson's dead this |
five years, and Fryer & Kermit went |
anyway, so there's no harm |
done there! And here's a postal card |
for Mrs. Beebe. saying that Burns &
Co. amt got the sample of blue l
cloth she asked for, and. land it's |
dated two years back. so that don't |
make no matter either, because Mrs.
Beebe's wearing black now anyway.
And-here's a letter for-mercy me,
are you there, Drusilly Fowler? Here,
Gregory, give that letter to Drusilly
while boss these men," She thrust
n yellowed embossed envelope into
Gregory's hand and turned away.
He came toward Drusilla, his eyes
fixed on the missive in his hand, his
face white beneath its coat of tan.
When he spoke his voice was thick
with emotion.
"Drusilla, here's a letter Miss Fanny
Just found under the mailing box.
Like as not it's been there all this last
ten years, ever since | mailed It one
night before Valentines day. ] never
d-why-you-never answer
ed It," he said with slow emphasize as
she took the letter from him. Now
know. bat suppose it's too late.' i
She opened the missive with shaking
fingers and drew from within a lacy
md Powered valentine. Wreaths of
'oses and forgetmenots surrounded
.wo loving hearts, and underneath was
printed verse that was heavily I'M
ierscored in ink:
While protest my heart is thine
l would inquire IL thine is NINE
IL this be true pray give a sign
TO say you'll be my valentine.
And the name of Gregory Ware was
signed to 1t, and the date was ten
'ears ago! Drusilla stared at 1t until
vi the GOODNESS had fed from her eyes
md a great tenderness invaded her
ace. Ashamed to lift her betraying
'lance to his serious inquiring one, she .
'ressed the valentine with unconscious
race to her heart.
"Oh. this ought to have come before
1t ought to have come beforep" she
ried passlonately.
rs 1t too late now, Drusllla?" asked
gregory softly. "Its never too late TO
e happy-if you want to be-" he sug-