El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-02
The Letter Box
A short story.


old letter box in front Of the
postoffice which was to be torn
down. Slowly and carefully he took
apart the old wooden box. Suddenly
he stopped
Look at that" he exclaimed.
letter which had been dropped in
the box had accidentally stuck in 4
crack. Tt must have been there for
many years for the paper was yellow
with age and covered with cObwebs-
Father Goblin put on his spectacles,
wiped off the front of the envelope
with his sleeve and read the address.
be a person who has been waiting for
this letter for many years
He had another shock This was
very strange, indeed The address
Private Peter Goblin.
60th Artillery,
Marseilles.
The letter was intended for his son.
Feter. who had died in Tonkin %
years ago. Who might have written 10
Peter2 It was neither his own, nor
his Wife's handwriting
He opened the envelope and read.
MY Own Dear Peter; Forgive me.
It must not end like this That is inn
possible. 1t was cruel of me to act
as I did and say such, things to hurt
your feelings. Now that YOU are no
longer here, I confess that I did not
know what was saying I was be-
SIDE myself with jealousy, because You
much ashamed to tell you so last
night.
this should happen on the last night
might be months before L should see
you again and that was the reason
why 1 wanted you all to myself
was unjust and selfish. But you
you danced with the other I told you
il was all over between as, Peter, that
I could never be your wife, but I did
write and tell me soon that you
are no longer angry with me, that you
Will not do what you threatened TO
do, reenlist and go TO the other side
Of the world It seems impossible that
you really left this morning without
saying goodbye to me, We were to
have been married in three months
when you had served your term, and
now I have lost you just because Of
my temper.
7 do hope you are no longer angry.
now that / have made the first step.
give your Mary do love you so,
Peter; there is no man in the world
for me but you. Write and tell me
right away that you won't reenIist,
that everything is forgiven and for
Thousand kisses, Your loving
Marie Louvrier."'
Old father Goblin felt his eyes grow
ing dim, as he read the letter and his
hand dropped Imply. So his boy had
reenlisted for Cochin, China, because
of a quarrel with hia sweetheart. And
he himself had been so proud when
his son. wrote that he had been made
a corporal Shortly afterward the
climate killed him So he had in
tended to marry Marie LOuvrier. He
might have done much worse And
o b.
bin. might have been grandfather
now instead OF living a lonesome old
age with no relatives but his old wife
And she, Marie LOuvrterZ She was
still living in the village as a seam
stress OF course. she was no longer
young She must be 40. She had
hoped her letter would Straighten OUT
everything and had never known the
reason why no answer had come.
Father Goblin felt sincerely sorry
for the woman who had loved his
son. He hurried to the small house,
at the window OF which she had been
sitting with her work every day dur
ing all these years He felt no anger
toward her. only pity because he felt
how she must have suffered.
He entered the house. She was sit
ting at the window as usual She had
grown stouter and her complexion was
sallOw as she never had time to go
into the air and her brown hair was
turning grey
He had wanted to break it to her
gently, but as he saw her, he forgot
all he had wanted TO say and burst
out:
Here is your letter."
She did not understand, Of course
Ny letter.
Yes. the letter you wrote to my
son. It never reached him. 1t got
stuck in the letter box
Suddenly she realized everything.
Her life a failure, her lover dead, And
all this because of a mere accident
She turned so pale that he was afraid
the shock had killed her. Then she
buried her face in her hands and
burst out sObbing-
Father Goblin stood still. lingering
the letter. He was struggling to keep
back his own tears. but he found no
word OF consolation.
Did you love him very much" he
stammered at last
Marie LOuFrier turned her tear
stained face toward him and pointed
10 her cold. cherries room. where she
had been sitting as If in a prison for
20 long years.
Look for yourself" she said softly.