The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-02
OF interest m nm enar ne maue sever
nj blunders in his deliveries


He was glad of the SNOW. for he WAS
loaded down with packages and letters.
and there was more room in the sleigh
than in the calaSh. Before ltlvin. To
make his deliveries he took Il revolver
from drawer in the roSt0ffi,'e and put
It in his overcua,t pocket
The SNOW WAS falling in great flakes
as MOnson drove along the road. and.
since it was known that he would he
veritable Santa, Claus. there were
many children out at the delivery boxes
to take what he might have for them
from his hands. Monsoon could see
them ahead of him. running out to in
tercept him. for they could hear his
sleighbells jingling for a long distance.
Then when he came up what Il CHATTER
there would be. Anything for me?"
THAT box is mine. l know" "Oh.
pshaw.. | reckoned on getting at least
one gift by this mail" These are a
the carrier.
1t was not long before he passed be-
yond the houses near the postOffice and
entered the thinly settled district that
comprised the main part of his route.
On reaching Daisy's home she was not
waiting for him; but. seeing him trying
to hang package on to the delivery
box, she came out and took it from him.
Merry Christmas.'' he said. Sorry
have no letter for you from Rube"
You have had none for me for a
week. wrote him the day you hand
ed me my Christmas gift of money.
| and he telephoned ME that he was go
ing away for Il long while. ! expect
he has deserted me-"
Monsoon tried TO cheer her. but his
effort was half hearted. Besides, he
had so many deliveries to make that
he was in Il hurry. So he started on.
but having gone short distance, turn
I, ed and saw Daisy looking after him.
lit seemed, wistfully. He sighed. for
/ he knew that she was having trouble
with her lover. He was sure she would
suffer. and he feared Rube might bring
her more distress than by simple de-
sertion.
| Monsoon now began to pass over a
part of his route where the distances
between the houses We're great. Leav-
ing some gifts and letters at dwell
| ing. he started to cover a distance of
two miles before he would reach an
other. While passing through lonely
place man suddenly stepped from be-
hind tree with gun aimed directly
at the carrier. and cried out:
'Stop! | want some O that!'
l. Monsoon had Il robe over his lap tuck
ed under him on each side. Before
be could get out his revolver the man
would have bored Il hole in him. He
had his whip in his hand and his pipe
in his mouth. He had filed and lit the
latter before starting to make the long
distance between houses. and replaced
a tin box holding his tobacco in his
left vest pocket. He gave his horse !;
sharp cut with the whip. and the ami
NAL shot ahead over the level road
The carrier heard shot and at the
same time felt blow in the region
of his heart. He supposed that he
would soon die and was absorbed in
getting the mail as far from the rObbel
as possible before he succumbed
He got away without being hit again
and when he felt safe threw open his
clothing to examine his wound He
found hole through coat and over
coat. and his tobacco box denied His
pipe was still in his mouth and he was
unconsciously putting away Justify
The mail was saved and he was happy
Having completed his delivery. he
returned and on coming to the spot
W here the attempted hodup had taken
place he left his sleigh and went to
the tree from behind which he had
been fired at. The snow was beaten
down about it, but tracks of pair OF
''toothpick" shoes pointed into the
woods. Monsoon followed them for a
short distance. when they turned in to-
ward the road. where he lost them.
But before he went home he selected
a perfect imprint of the shoe and made
a drawing the exact size of it. This
he gave to the police, and within few
days Monsoon was called to look at a
prisoner who had been arrested. 1t
was the man who had attempted to
rob him.
The next time he passed Rube's
sweetheart on his route she did not
appear. the blinds were drawn and the
carrier knew that there was trouble
within. Having letter for her. ad-
dressed in Rube's handwriting. he took
it to the house and knocked on the
door. The girl appeared, but not the
girl she had been. Suffering was
stamped on her features. She took
the letter, read it and covered her face
with her hands. The paper fell to the
ground and Monson took it up. She
motioned him to read it.
Rube begged her to intercede with
the letter carrier to save him from
punishment He was the man who
had attempted the robbery.
The next Christmas brought great
change between the letter carrier and
the girl. Monson was not sure that
RUDE was the man who had attacked
him-that is. he could not swear to his
identity. and the rascal escaped, much
to Monson's relief After that the car
rier. instead of delivering letters from
another to the GIRL wrote them him
g.. -. LIZ. -: