The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-12-24

OlStiuce lo meet ulO. AT SUCH stluGS.
knowing that would be Inconvenience
ed at looking back among my piles to |
give her missive. instead of putting |
it in its proper place ] would put it In |
my pocket Then when nearing her |
would hold it up that she might see 1t |
as soon as came close enough for her |
to do so.
One day while making up my mail
[ was told that man was waiting for
me in the outer office. and went to
meet him He was fine looking young
man with an honest countenance. but
evidently much troubled
Are yon the carrier of free rural de
livery route No, 6Y' he asked.
Il am
MARY Sturgis. to whom you have
delivered letters from me. has often
mentioned yon. and judge from what
she says that you would do anything
in your power for her comfort"
Il certainly would"
"a great calamity hangs over me
which will distress her very much.
am expecting every moment to be ar.
rested on charge of theft, and | am
not sure but that the person who took
the money has the advantage OF me
70 save himself he must convict me.
and fear he will be able to get pals of
his to swear falsely that they saw me
do the theft have come to you to
ask you firstly to examine any news
paper you may deliver at the Sturgis
house before delivering It and II 1t
contains any mention of my case to
keep it from Molly. Secondly. in case
go to jail | ask you to help me to get
letters through to her without her
knowing where they were mailed
This request 1t was not In my power
to grant without placing myself in the
position of a criminal myself. My long
experience in observing facial expires
sions enabled me to Judge to my own
satisfaction OF the young nuns guilt or
innocence. and | made up my mind
that he was telling the truth | shrank
from permitting Molly to know-at
least until it was best she should know
/
wanted time to think the matter over
but her lover said there was no time
! to spare and begged me to give him
/ the required promise at once. So |
! told him would do what | could in
the matter so long as | was convinced
that it was best that Molly should not
4 know the secret.
We arranged that he was to mail his
/ letters in an envelope addressed to me
and l. having torn it off. would mail
the one inclosed to Molly. doing what
ever postmarking was able to make
it appear that the letters were mailed
from such place as he should designate
to me on Il slip of paper contained in
| the outside envelope
1t was not long before | was deliv-
ering Henry Bradshaw's letters to
Molly Stmgis. he writing her that he
had accepted position that would re
| Guire him to travel good deal and
be feared it might be long while
before he could see her again ! knew
that he was serving term In state
i prison. Had | not believed him limo
cent doubt If could have borne the
strain of il deception. which might
have landed me also in the peniten.
tiary Fortunately ! had an unsophis-
tieated girl to deceive SO that the work
was not very difficult collected sev.
eraI worn out stamps. which nIanip
ulated in such fashion that she could
not read the postlnark-
Bradshaw kept me advised OF the
point he wished the letters to hal
from, and Molly told me the rest
This information helped me to do my
: part of the work the more intelligently
-tlsit is. to guard against errors
which might give away the truth
Bradshaw was evidently taking somt
very long trips. sometimes even ieav
ing the United States for other coun
tries While he was at sea there
would be long intervals between his
communications | remember that II
one time his instructions we're to post
mark IL letter from San Francisco
Molly opened this letter before me. ant
her face fell.
Hes going to Honolulu" she said
"and | shall not hear from him agaiI
fer long while.
The next letter received brough
instructions to postmark 1t Honolulu
OF course had no such stump. but
!, made one for Hanover do. stamping
the letter SO badly that the postmarl
could not be read
And SO it was that Henry Bradsha,
while In stripes was supposed to
: travelling all over the globe. while wa
aiding and atetting him IN deceivin
] his sweetheart as to his real condition
= Finally was detected by fello,
carrier in using one OF my stock 9
B old stamps, and was not sure 70
j awhile but that the discovery Woul
go iard with me. told him the sfor
J. and. moisteniiig the gum on the enye
/. one had stamped. took ont the iefte
o and showed 1t 10 the man who M
: caught me- He was convinced ant
e considering me guiltiess and not ~
d nreciatin2 the importance of keepin
j. his mouth shut. told other curriers', IN
r what was doing hecame commnn tai
d among my fellow iaborers Bnt the
9 were rs much interested IN the matt,
o as L. and was deIuged with stamI
]. that different carriers gave me for q
e purpose.
~ We helped bradshaw to keep out !