Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-31
THE DAHY NOVELETTE,
THE NEW POSTMAN
By Edith ". Good,Uin

~ HAS II nedudCUt anu L tdi ''eN'NN
any noise: all the other boys have gone
! sliding, and 1 can't got"
David Burbank roamed listlesslJ
about the house in seach of something
to pass away time. A slight cold was
the reason he wasn't allowed to &C
sliding with his chums.
He failed to find anything among his
playthings that appealed to him. 80 he
struck few notes on the piano, but
was promptly told by sister Adele tic
stop that noise!"
The little fellow wondered what made
Adele so cross She was usually good
pal with her younger brother, but today
she had only cross words for him.
i've just got to have something to
do" he asserted, as he sauntered from
room to room with his hands deep In
the pockets of his trousers
whats this?" he queried aloud
SISTER must have forgot to mail he1
letters; I'll 60 mail 'em, then maybe
she won't be so cross at me-"
He had caught sight of pile of let
ters, but failed to notice that each one
had been opened, and that they were
all but one addressed to his sister. He
counted them; there were twenty-four
in all.
He quickly put on his coat, cap, rub
bers and mittens, and taking the letters
under his arm, proceeded down the
street Soon he met the grocer, to
whose store no frequently went to get
supplies for his mother.
''well, Davie. you look like the post
man; where are you going with SO many
letters?" questioned Mr.. Walton.
II was going to the postoffice for
Adele" was the CHEEKY response.
Davie walked on a little further. then
quite suddenly he retraced his steps. He
had an idea. Why not play he was the
postman, and leave the letters at diff
ferent houses.
With him to think was to act, so he
didn't stop to consider the fact that he
might not leave them at their intended
designations, but quickly ascended the
steps Of the nearest house and dropped
the letter at the top of the pile into the
mail box. Then he rang the bell and
hurried on.
He repeated this at four or five
houses, then decided to try different
streets. Erelong he came to the house
of Wilbur Downes. Wilbur was a par
ticular friend of Adele's. In fact, al.
though the little brother didn't quite
understand the situation, he had been
Adele's promised husband, but only a
few days previous they had parted with
bitter words.
Guess I'll leave two letters for Will
bur-" was the lads next inspiration. He
carefully selected two fat letters from
the bunch and dropped them in the box
one at q time,
At last he had finished his self-im-
posed task, and turned his steps home-
ward. The family were at supper.
Mothers headache was better; Adele
looked pale and was very quiet.
When questioned as to where he had
been, Davie replied that he had gone to
walk as he couldn't think Of anything
else to do. His mother feared he might
have taken more cold, and put him to
bed soon after the meal was over.
He suddenly awole, after what
seemed to him hours and hours. The
doorbell was pealing loudly. Pretty
soon he heard Adele exclaim rather
curtly:
Wilbur Downes! I though you were
done coming to see me
Il thought so, too, Adele; but must
ask you to explain something; then III
know just what course to take"
YOU'D better come in, then; it's too
cold to stand here"
Davie was very anxious to hear the
Of 40 he
hastily got out of bed and went into
the spare chamber on tiptoe. There was
a register in the floor right over the
parlor stove, and he had on several oc-
casions listened here when Wilbur was
calling on Adele He heard the follow.
ing:
81 found these two letters in the mail
box at home. and 1 can't imagine how
they got there. Perhaps you can tell
me-"
LET me see them!" and Adele
snatched them away from him. One
was addressed to her in Wilburs hand.
writing the other was addressed tc
him in her own penmanship.
Her checks famed and she got up ant
walked the floor. After few minute.
she faced Wilbur and asked peremp
.torily:
IBID 5! you read the one addressed te
"of course rs. I did. Adele; what els'
well. surely didn't want you to Sc,
it-not yet, anyway. Davie must hav.
put them there. but what his objec
was l can't imagine"
what you wrote, ! shall bless Davie It,
my dying day. Tell me, dear, did you?
The listener upstairs was getting ex
cited. First he believed Adele woul,
nearly take his head off the next morn
ing, then it appeared that Wilbur wa
glad he had got the letters.
All was quiet for a moment or two
then Davie was sure he heard his sis
ter sobbing. Wilbur was speaking II
| very low tones and the lad couldn'
hear what he said.
The next thing Davie knew he wa
Just waking up and he was cold. A
| first he couldn't remember where h
was. He rubbed his eyes, then all of
sudden he realized that he had fallel
! asleep on the floor of the spare room
bed. 1t was dark and still every
where. Would it never come morning
he wondered
When morning came Davie coul
kept him in bed all day. He rathe
! dreaded to have Adele come in: bu
/! when she did, instead of the scoldin
/ he expected she called him dear littl
brother" and even kissed him, an
didn't seem bit cross, either.
The first time he saw Wilbur he wa
| tossed TO his shoulder and told that h
was the best postman in the world, an
| that he was proud to think that sonf
day he was to be his own little brother
for Sister Adele had promised to MARI
him.
(The next complete novelette-snowe
In.)