Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-11-11
Use Fast Mail
BY GENEvIEvE ULMAR

(Copyright, 1915. by the Western News
& paper Unio1.)
The post office at Ferndale paid
only four hundred dollars year. and
because Silas Moore, its incumbent In
charge. was old and poor, the position
had been awarded to him by common
consent. II occupied a railinged-off
space In the general store Of the vii
! lage, and his stepdaughter. Effie. an
orphan, kept track of things generally.
The old man was selfish and exacting
and would not appear upon duty until
nearly noon. At dusk he went back
home, but Fife would remain to get
the bag of mail brought down the line
at eight o'clock.
After the morning mai Fife would
do double duty, helping as clerk In the
store. She had tried to save up from
this, but her stepfather would borrow
from her little store, and the purpose
she had In view grew DINNER as time
went on.
When Fife was eighteen she told
her stepfather that she felt she had
done her duty by him and asked him
to consent to her going to the. city
where she could earn fair wages.
Don't do It, Efie," pleaded the old
man. II know this isn't the life for
you. but 1 couldn't get along without
you. Wait for one more year. At its
end / shall have paid off the last five
hundred dollars owe on the old place
and then could maybe afford TO hire
some one to take your place. Then
there's ROyden to think Of. Why can't
you like him7. He can afford to get
married and"
"Nevery' flashed out Fife decisive
ly.
Effie was thinking deeply as she
heard the fast mail in the distance
and went down to the depot The train
did not stop, the Ferndale mail bag
being tossed out as 1t passed the
depot. Effie watched it roll and land.
She walked toward it and as the sleep
er and dining car flashed by some
thing cut the air, hurled from one of
the coach windows.
Mercy what's that?" gasped Ettie,
for the object had landed directly
against her cheek. She felt sharp,
singing contact and, startled and curl
Gus. walked over TO where the object
had landed. At her feet lay something
wrapped up in large silk handker-
chief. AS she picked 1t up there was
metallic jangle. From the handker-
chief prOtruded One-half of a jeweled
stick pin. 1t was its pointed end that
had abraSed her cheek. She heard
approaching footsteps, made out the
advancing figure of Royden and con-
cealed the package under her cape.
Thought I'd come and see you
home, Effie" spoke Royden. and he
picked up the mail bag, which was left
at the post office, and as soon as they
reached home Effie left her stepfather
to entertain ROyden, pleaded weari
ness and went to her room.
She drew the shades, locked the
door, opened the mysterious package
and stared down fairly affrighted at
mass of bewildering richness. There
pearls, rings, charms, pins. For two
or three days after that Effie was I'M
easy and sleepless. She watched the
. newspapers and made many guarded
inquiries. One evening she CHANGED
to overhear her stepfather and Roy
den .conversing in low tones. The old
man had come across the jewels. He
and Royden were discussing their
seizure and disposition.
That night Effie stole from the
house at midnight and the next day
was in the city. She had a small sum
Of money and installed herself in
cheap quarters, depicting her savings
by advertising in newspapers for ''the
owner of some valuables found In
silk handkerchief at Ferndale."
Fife. did not find work as hoped for.
Finally adj her money was gone. Then
came fOodless days. Aletter came to
her 1t was In reply to her advertise
ment. There might be possibility of
'Dale Arnold, 22 Walsingham build
Ing, being interested. Would she please
.call?" +"
Etfie had eaten nothing since the
day, before. When she reached the
Office designated in the letter she was
told by stenographer that Mr.. Ar
mold would be down little later, and
Effie sat down to wait Tor him, waver-
ing and exhausted. Then she knew
nothing more for many hours, TO
awaken in beautifully furnished
room with a kindly-faced, motherly
woman bending over her solicitously.
She was the mother of Dale Arnold,
who had found his strange visitor In
dead. faint and, had learned from
physician hastily summoned that lack
of food was the.cause. Discovering the
jewels he surmised-' that poor and
honest girl had gone without the nee
essaries of life. rather than appropri-
ate what did not belong to her.
Later Effie knew that the jewels
had been stolen from his sister The
thief, tracked by detectives and sus-
pecting their presence on the train,
had sought to cast away the evidence
of his guilt
: Mrs. Arnold and her daughter be-
came at once attracted to the simple
country girl. In the sunlight OF their
cOngepial companionship Effie entered
new existence of harpiaeSs and
peace. and when Dale Arnold told
them that Effie.. must stay with them
always because he had learned to love
her, they ceald not demur 10 his choice
of wife whose price had been
proven by her simple native honesty
OF purpose 10 lie above rubies."
Amply Qualified.
Ladies and gentlemen" generously
began the Hon. Buckram Bragg, ad-
dressing the beauty and chiyalry OF
Tumlinville, Ark, In advocacy Of his