Smyrna times., 1913-01-01

al blunderS in his deliveries.
The day before Christmas it came on
to snow, and when MOnson started out
on his route he took a sleigh be often
used in winter instead of his calash.
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 leaving to
make his deliveries he took revolver
from a drawer in the postofice and put !
it in his Overcoat pocket.
The snow was falling in great flakes
as Monson drove along the road, and. !
since it was known that he would be !
a veritable Santa Claus. there were
many children out at the delivery boxes
to take what he might have for them
from his hands. Monson 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 a clattel
there would be! Anything for me?'
"That box is mine. l know" "Oh
pshaw! l reckOned on getting at least
one gift by this mail" These are a
few of the exclamations that greeted
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 a 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
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 a long while. expect
he has deserted me-"
MOnson tried to cheer her, but his
effort was half hearted. Besides, he
had so many deliveries to make that
he was in a hurry. So he started on,
but, having gone a short distance, turn
ed and saw Daisy looking after him,
it seemed, wistfully. He sighed, for
he knew that she was having trouble
suffer. and he feared Rube might bring
her more distress than by simple de-
sertion.
MonsOn now began to pass over a
part of his route where the distances
between the houses were 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 a man suddenly stepped from be-
hind a tree with gun aimed directly
at the carrier, and cried out:
"Stop! | want some O. that!'
Monson had a robe over his lap tuck
ed under him on each side. Before
he could get out his revolver the man
would have bored a 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 g
sharp cut with the whip. and the ami
NAL shot ahead over the level road
The carrier heard a shot and at the
same time felt a blow in the regioI
of his heart He supposed that h'
would soon die and was absorbed il
getting the mail as far from the rObbel
as possible before he succumbed.
He got away without being hit agaiI
and when he felt safe threw open hi
clothing to examine his wound. H.
found a hole through coat and over
coat. and his tobacco box dented. Hi
pipe was still in his mouth and he wa
unconsciOusly putting away Justify
The mail was saved and he was happy
/, Having completed his delivery, b
returned and on coming to the spO
where the attempted hOldup had take
place he left his sleigh and went t
the tree from behind which he ha
= been fired at. The snow was beate
down about it. but tracks of pair Q
''toothpick'' shoes pointed into tn
= woods. Monson followed them for
short distance. when they turned in tt
9 ward the road. where he lost them.
: But before he went home he selecte
! a perfect imprint of the shoe and mad
q a drawing the exact size of it, Thi
y he gave to the police. and within fe'
o days MonsOn was called to look at
q prisoner who had been arrested.
Il was the man who had attempted
4 rob him.
The next time he passed Rube
e sweetheart on his route she did NJ
# appear. the blinds were drawn and I'll
'. carrier knew that there was troub
j. within. Having a letter for her, al
r, dressed in Rube's handwriting, he toe
it to the house and knocked on Il
IT door. The girl appeared. but not Il
girl she had been. Suffering wt
ell stamped on her features. She toe
the letter. read it and covered her fa'
n with her hands. The paper fell to Il
lg ground and Monson took it up. 81
Of motiOned him to read it
~ Rube begged her to intercede vii
N fhp letter carrior t0 save him fro