Year: 1875




You see the people at the postotfice,
soon recognize faces and names, ana
after man or woman has appeared at
the general delivery window they are
pretty we'll known. 1t is real plea
ure to hand out letters TO some, while
the clerks care very little for the calls
of some others to get hold OF their
epistles.


One day year or two ago funny
looking little old woman, wearing fad
ed garments, but having tidy look
and motherly face, appeared at the
window and asked for letter. There
was one for her sent from distant city.
and any one could have told that an
unlearned boy had directed the envcl-
ope. There was little I'd" in DE.
troit." with a big 1T" to end the
word, and it seemed wonderful that
the letter ever reached its destina-
ton.


The old lady felt so good that tears
came in her eyes and yettrying hard to
smile, she put her hand to the window
and said


"Ihanks! It's from my boy Dan, and
you don'tknow how much good it does
me-"


The lady delivery clerk rose up TO
look after the old woman, and when
second letter came she was looking
and watching for the poor old Moth
er" whole day before the letter was
passed out.


Its ftom my little Dan again."
cried the old woman as she noted the
superscription. Hes in Buffalo
learning q trade. He's only bit of
boy, and there wasn't show for him
in Detroit, and beside he was running
out nights and going to the bad. l
sent him away and he's working hard
and tryiag to be good, God bless my
Dan. I'm a lone widow with only
him to love, and I hopo he will be
good"


81 hope so, too," added the clerk,
and after that the two were fliends.-
Sometimes the letters were far batween
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 if Dan was
feeling brave-hearted and getting along
well both would rejoice, and both were
anxious If he complained and was dis
couraged.


Almost every week for year and a
half the old lady received a letter, and
just as regularly she came to post an
answer She wrote in a quaint old
hand; but the boy could make out eve.
ry word, and once when he wrote that
her writing was improving she felt all
the pride which school girl could
have shown. He improved as well.-
By and by he wrote Detroit" plain
and fair, and he took extra pains tC
commence his Dear Mother" with O
| grand flourish, and to add something
extra little after the words "1our Sor
| Dan"


Those letters were food and drink
to the old lady, and she seemed to &C
tually grow younger. Little Dan haC
many friends in. the postoffice, and haC
the mother been i'll anv carrier would
have hunted till midnight to find hel
and hand her the long looked for letter
Three or four weeks ago when sh,
opened her letter she wept and smiled
as over the first. Dan wrote that h,
was coming home for a week, and he
heart was full. She said she'd hav,
the cottage looking like new for hin
and she'd be at the depot to welcom,
him first of all. Everybody felt glat
with her, and the lady clerk was to q,
up some evening and have tea will
her and see little Dan and praise anS
encourage him, ter the more kind word
a boy can have the better will be seel
to do.


There was no letter tho next Tues
day; but the two excused its absence
by saying that Dan was getting read,
to come home. That was early ii
} February, and he was to come abou


the 1st of March. The next Tuesda,
there was letter, but the handwritinI
was not little Dams. twas a strange
business hand, and the clerk felt chill
go over her as she turned it over. |


might be good news, but she feai g,
not. "Mother" came in at the reguIa


hour, and she turned pale as she tool
the envelope. Her fingers trembled a
she opened it, and she had to wipe tn
mist out OF her eyes before she coul,
decipher word. She hadn't rea,


over four or five words when she nut


tered moan and sank down, like on
: crushed by some awful weight. The


lifted her up and took her home, wit


the letter clasped in her stiff fingers


and though she came out of the fain


after while, her heart was broken
, and in another week che was in he
grave.


Dan was dead The letter said he ha


been taken suddenly ill, and nothin


could save him. The blow was too he,
j, Wy for one with her gray hairs and chi
. dish heart, and her little cottage is will
: out a tenant.


No more letters commencing "Des
Mother come for the dead, and tn
: trembling hands which used to lingo
fondly over the words, my dear DO
Dan," are folded over lifeless breas
there TO rest until the angels unclas
them.


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