The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-12-06
THE MAIL
CARRIER
His Christmas Delivery Proved
an EventfuI One
BY HELEN c. CHAMBERS

MuIlSOII was n IIaI eiAIS VII bo'&S
G. rural free delivery. Being in a
sparsely settled country he covered the
route but once a day, and the distance
was considerable. Monsoon drove a
four wheeled one horse calash with a
leather pouch attached to the dash
board facing him with different peck
cts in 1t. In one he kept the letters he
collected for the post. in another those
fCs delivery.
Monsoon was twenty-three years old.
a good looking fellow and Of a cliccry
disposition. He knew every one along
his route. and every n knew HIN.
He especially knew the girls who had
sw%eethearts in other places. for they
were always ont looking for him as far
as they could see him. anxiOusly wait
ing for letters from their lovers. Now
and again when he was Obliged to dis
appoint SOM lass day after day by not
having Il letter for her, when he did
have one he would hold it up for her to
see long before he reached her.
Monsoon gathered stories from the let
tiers he delivered and the manner 10
which they were received. Only the
letters into the house without break
ing the seal. The others tore them
open impatiemtly and read them before
the carriers eyes. He became so skill
ed IN reading the epistles through the
faces Of the recipients that he was sell
dom mistaken in the principal part of
their contents. At n time upon de-
Nvering Il letter. noting the girls cX-
preston. he would say to himself.
Loves me-" at another it would he.
Loves me not"
To one girl. Daisy Hardness. Monsoon
was accustomed to deliver letters adj
dressed in Il masculine hand replete
with 1ourishes. They came very irreg-
: ularly and We're postmarked from diff
ferent places. THAT fellow" said
Monson to himself. lis no good. He
makes too many big tails to his G's
and his Us. He's ii rolling stp.!c aud
gathers no moss. He doesn't carr any
thing for Daisy and is fooling her"
What a pity Daisy herself. who
Hew her lover personally and read
every word Of his letters. could not
huve interpreted him as MonsOn did.
Many Il time when the carrier saw her
waiting for Il letter that ne did not
have for her he would frown and III
ter a suppressed malediction upon the
recreant lover. muttering that he wish
ed a letter from himself would do as
well; he would he sure to have a Ion"
enc for her every day. But when III
reached her he would greet her with :;
CHEEKY smile. saying reassuringiy:
None today. but when | left the post.
office half the mails were late. having
been delayed by a freshet that inter
rupted traffic. I'm quite sure yours
will be along tomorrow" Daisy could
not but smile through the moisture
that gathered in her eyes and was al
ways touched by the carriers sympa-
thy for her in her disappointment.
1t is said pity is akin Il love, but it
Ia rather singular that Monson should
have grown to love Daisy through
sympathy for her In her disappoint-
ment in another man. Nevertheless
such is the case. From dreading to
have no letter from her lover to give
her he came to dread giving her one
Every time he produced a missive ad-
dressed in the we'll known hand the
hourishes were more hateful to him.
Daisy grew fond of confiding her hopes
and her fears with regard to her lover
to MOnsOn. who vas not long In com
ing to the conclusion that Rube. as she
called her correspondent: was not only
fooling her. but there was something
bad about him. However. he had the
good sense to understand that should
he attempt to warn her he would
make an enemy of her.
Christmas was at hand. and the
mails were carrying gifts. some of
which were in the shape Of money.
One day Monsoon on approaching Dai.
~. who was waiting for Rube's letter.
sang out:
Not the d you want today. but
another. and I'll. bet It contains u
Christmas gift. can tell by the feel
Of it."
Monsoon said this simply to soften
her disappointment at not hearing
from, Rube and had no expectation of
predicting the truth. When Daisy
opened the letter in his presence and
took ont a ten dollar bill he was quite
Nelighted. Daisy was somewhat con-
!soled.
II must write Rube about that" she
aid. ''Isn't 1t queer that you should
have been able to tell by feeling the
lstter that there was money in it,"
There's a lot Of 'em during these
sChfistmas times with money in 'em.
There being no bank In this region, the
snly way to send Christmas gifts In
funds 10 to send the cash. I wish they
wOnidn't do It. Z don't like the ne
bpduxihility Of carrying 'em. If some
Slllain should get on to It he Nigh,
hid me up and take 'em away from
ns
Ths expression of anxiety for him
TIT came over Daisy's face va,
grateful indeed TO The carrier.
@a4pAGh. dear!!" she exclaimed with 1