Year: 1875

soon recognize faces aud names, and at
ter man or woman has appeared.a lat tho
general delivery window three or foul
times, they are pretty well known. 1t is
real pleasure to hand out letters to som,
while The clerks care little for the calls Of
others to get hold Of their letters.


One day a year or two ago. a funny
looking little old woman, wearing faded
garments, but having tidy look and a
motherly face, appeared at the window
and asked for letter There was one
for her. sent from distant city, an any
one could have told that an unlearned
boy directed the envelope There was Il
little "d in 9 Detroit" with big "T :
to end the word, and it seemed wonder.
ful that the letter ever reached its dcs,
nation


The old lady felt so good that tears
in her eyes, and yet trying hard to smile,
she put her head into the window and
said:


"Thanks It's from my boy Dan. aad
you don't know how much good it doe
me!'


The lady delivery clerk rose to look af
ter the Old woman, and when q second
letter came she was looking anl watching
for" mother whole day before the let
ter was passed ont.


ats from my Dan, again - cried the
old woman, MS she noted the snperscrip
ton. He's in Buffalo, learning trade.
He's only a bit of a boy, and there wssn't
show for him in Detroit, and. besides,
he was running out nights, and going to
the bad. sent him away, and he's work
ing hard and trying to be good God
bless my Dan I'm a lone widow, with
only him to love, and | hope he'll be
good.'


"I hope so, too" added the clerk, and
after that the two were friends. Some
times the letters were far between, and
when the old woman would worry over
the delay, and the big tears would fall,
the lady would almost shed tears with
her. "Mother' would open her letters
at the window, and il Dan was feeling
brave hearted and getting along well 10th
would rejoice, while both would still be
anxious if he complained and was dis
couraged.


Almost every week for year and q
half the old lady received letter, and
just as regularly she came to post an an
swer She wrote in a quaint old hand,
but the boy could make out every word,
and once when he wrote that her writing
was improving she felt all the pride which
schools girl could have shown He i'm
proved as we'll BY and by he wrote
Detroit plain and fair aud he took cy.
ira pains to commence his +" Dear Moth.
er" with grand flourish, and to add
something extra after the words; " Your
Son Dan"


These letters were food and drink to
the old lady, and she seemed to actually
grow younger. Little Dan had many
friends in the Post Office, and had the
mothcr been i'll any carrier would have
hunted till midnight to find her and haad
her the looked for letter Three or foui
weeks ago she wcpt and smiled as ovet
the first. Dan wrote that he was coming
home for week, and her heart was full
She said she'd have the cottage looking
like new for him. and she'd be at the de
pot to welcome him first of all Every.
body felt glad with her, and the lady clerl
was to 60 up some evening aud have te;
with her, and see little Dan, and prais,
and encourage him, tor the more kline
words boy can have the better will h,
seek to do


There was no letter the next Tuesday
but the two excused its absence by say
ing that Dan was getting ready to com
home. That was early in February, an'
he was 10 come about the first of March
The next Tuesday there was letter, bu
the handwriting was not little Dams. !
was strange, business hand, and tli
clerk felt chill go over her as she turn
ell it over. 1t might be good news, bu
the regular hour, and she turned pale q
she took the envelope Her fingers treu
bled as she opened it. aud she had to wir
the mist ont of her eyes before she coul
decipher a word. She hadn't read ovC
four or FIVE lines when she uttered moa
and sank right down, like one crushe
by some awful weight. They lifted he
up aud took her home, the letter claspe
in her stif fingers, and though she can
out OF the faint after while her hea
was broken, and in n week she was IN h,
grave.


Dan was dead The letter said th:
he had been taken suddenly i'll, and til,
nothing could save him. The blow WI
too heavy for one with her gray hairs an
childish heart. and her little old cottac
10 without tenant


No more letters commencing "Dc!
mother come for the dead, and Il
trembling hands which used to ling
fyndly over the words: " Ny dear DO
Dam were folded over lifeless breas
thereto rest till the angels unelasp thei
Detroit Free Press


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