Smyrna times., 1913-01-01
THE MAIL
CARRIER
His Christmas Delivery Proved
an EVentful One
By HELEN c. CHAMBERS


6, rural free delivery. Being in a
sparsely settled country he covered the |
route but once day, and the distance
was considerable. MOnson drove a |
four wheeled one horse calash with a
leather pouch attached to the dash
board facing him with different pock-
cts in it. In one he kept the letters he
collected for the post, in another those
for delivery.
MOnson was twenty-three years old,
a good looking fellow and of a CHEEKY
disposition. He knew every one along
his route. and every one knew him.
He especially knew the girls who had
sweethearts in other places. for they
were always out 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 some lass day after day by not
having a letter for her, when he did
have one he would hold it up for her to
see long before he reached her.
Monson gathered stories from the let
tiers he delivered and the manner In
which they were received. Only the
most self poised maidens carried their
letters into the house without break
ing the seal. The others tore them
open impatiently 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 gel
dom mistaken in .he principal part OF
their contents. At one time upon de-
livering a letter. noting the girls ex-
preston, he would say to himself,
"Loves me;" at another it would be.
Loves me not"
To one girl. Daisy Hardness. MOnsOn
was accustomed to deliver letters adj
dressed in a masculine hand replete
with tiourishes. They came very irreg-
ularly and were 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 rolling stone and
! gathers no moss. He doesn't care any
thing for Daisy and is fOOling her"
! What a pity Daisy herself, who
knew her lover personally and read
every word Of his letters, could not
have interpreted him as Monson did!
Many a time when the carrier saw her
waiting for a letter that he did not
have for her he would frown and ut
ter a suppressed malediction upon the
recreant lover, muttering that he wish
ed letter from himself would do as
well; he would be sure to have a long
one for her every day. But when he
reached her he would greet her with a
CHEEKY smile, saying reassuringly:
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 to love, but i
is 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 Il
have no letter from her lover to Civ,
her he came to dread giving her one
Every time he produced a missive ad
dressed in the we'll known hand tn,
flOurishes were more hateful to him
Daisy grew fond of confding her hope
and her fears with regard to her love
to Monson, who was not long in com
. ing to the conclusion that Rube, as sh
: called her correspondent, was not onl
fooling her, but there was sOmethin
bad about him. However, he had tn
good sense to understand that shoul
he attempt to warn her he wOul
make an enemy of her.
Christmas was at hand. and tn
e mails were carrying gifts. some {
which were in the shape of none!
i One day Monson on approaching Da
= sy, who was waiting for Rube's lette
sang out:
mot the one you want today, bJ
another, and I'll bet it contains
Christmas gift. can tell by the fe
Of it."
Monson said this simply to softe
- tIr disappointment at not hearir
from Rube and had no expectation (
: predicting the truth. When DaiS
opened the letter in his presence an
z took out ten dollar bill he was qui
n delighted. Daisy was somewhat Co
{ soled.
Il must write Rube about that" 81
3 said. Isn't IT queer that you shou
have been able to tell by feeling Il
letter that there was money in it?'
. There's lot of 'em during the
Al Christmas times with money in 'el
g There being no bank in this region, L
10 only way to send Christmas gifts
funds is to send the cash. l wish tn
wouldn't do it. | don't like the
:, spOnsibility Of carrying 'em. If sol
ia villain should get on to it he mig
Il hold me up and take 'em away frc
IN me"