The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-09-04
"Whnt Happens When the Mall Comes

"What Happens When the Mall Comes"
Dear Editor.
What happens when the mail
comes We'll | could easier tell you
what did not happen today, then what
did bat as this is to enter the con
fest announced in today's paper,
fFebr0arp 81 issue) with your per
mission. after you read it, why
promise to tell it all But this does
not happen every time the mali
comes that is-not all Of il.
The postman brought my paper in
the last morning delivery. II a. NJ.
Frequently it comes on Saturday ana
II Is a welcome guest whenever 1t
comes. | assure you. 1t is the only
regularly mailed newspaper that we
take.
Usually at this hour mornings | am
alone in the house My husband
goes to business in y. Y. City; little
daughter either at a lesson. or shop
ping. or at a rehearsal, or the Y. w.
{. A., swimming pool or knitting,
and my son away on business trip
for the Burroughs Adding Machine
Company-joining them Immediately
upon getting released from active ser
vice of the L. S. S. n. r. f. upon his
return from overseas. fBut he is
planning 10 return to Georgetown,
British Guiana. S. A., where under
six months contract at Demerara, he
became interested in the coffe planta
tion as a most wonderful investment.
Equally charmed was he with the
tropical plants, flowers, fruits, birds,
and climate. in 1915-16,) returned
home only to enlist.
The Independent-Repo to all
members of my family is "mamma's
naper" and is rushed to me with all
eneed nv whoever takes it from the
nostman-deliyered into my hands the
most precious, most valuable docu-
ment received 1t just happens So
tho | do not know why. But they
all know the pleasure it gives me TO
hear from the old home and It's sa-
credness has become grown hapit
to all Evenings we read more, OF
less. and my paper is read with the
others. viz. Newark Evening News 10
p. M and the n. Y. papers-Worlo'
Globe. Times tmorntngs) ana olleIi
the Journal and many others-1or
we have which are brought
by nv husband and son when they
come. and our magazines are almost
too numerous to mention was
almost glad when the war broke out,
for I sent two cart loads over to the
school for the soldiers. Mailed TO
us. are the Good Housekeeping, Pic
torial Review and the Etude. From
the news depots, as they come out
Saturday Evening Post, Blue BOOK,
Cosmopolitan, Argosy, Munsey, and
often the Literary Digest.
But to me, the cream Of them all
is The Indepenlent-Repo | Keep
1t "handy" all the week, never firing
of looking 1t over at every opportun-
ity. finding always something new.
| have read some of the best letters
from France in 1t, that have been
written in any of the papers-by our
bows from Maine. Some are perfect
ly wonderful, and should be kept for
reference. Skowhegan has turned
out some wonderful men before and
during this war. Many of them were
schoolmates Of mine, and, say. | am
proud Of them.
To come back again to what hap
pens when the mail comes Well,
after opening my paper | read all or
the first page, then turning to the
last, habit I have OF reading the
outermost pages first Ito save time),
I came across the old familiar News
OF Long Ago"-last page,-but that
was enough to start something with
me and my muse" | gave way to
her-copier her verses, and will send
them along Gas it all comes under the
same headng) for | promised to tell
all, and by that time the noon hour,
and lunch time had arrived.
After lunch / had writing to do
which took me till 3 p. m. Resting
then, | picked up my paper which
had laid beside me all this time.
read along, re-reading about the con-
test and neutrality-suspicious. | decide
to write letter, could | write any
thing of interest to anyone-for no
body knows me there now.
"But, alaS! how easily things go
wrong" Just then my eye rested
upon "a Sharp Reproof, Perhaps
Merited." / read a few lines and
nearly tainted. Recovering from the
shock I read, and re-read your letter
perfectly amazed! astounded!
County news!" (Somerset County?
"Only this and nothing more?) Have
I lived in Dreamland all these years ?
Could | have been so greedy for home
news, so blinded by love for my old
birthplace, that l had overlooked or
forgotten this fact? Could such a
thing have been published recently,
or MANY wears aback? ut doesn't