Year: 1875

"Yes ma am, we carriers read great
deal of history in our rounds and
since these postals ha' come mp, you
see, it's somewhat palmer to us than il
used to be. Sometimes we have to
wait so long at the doors that we have
plenty of time TO pass away, and so, as
reading is an innocent way of passing
ones time, We pass it in that way,
ma'am.


"What was the most curious story
we ever read in our letters? Well,
about the saddest thing that ever came
under my notice was this Il had been
on the G. street route some two years.
In that time / carried a great deal oil
mail to No. 2l6. Every week there
was one neat little letter, postmarked
'Bethleham,' directed in a schoolgirls s
hand, and generally the day those let
tiers came, the lady of the house was at
the window, anxious ana eager like to
get them. About holiday time one
bore on the outside, in large letters,
Just seventeen One week more, and
hurrah = The lady took it from me at
the door, smiled when she saw the girl
ish postscript, and then said to me-


"'My daughter is glad to leave
school, you see. She don't know
school has Just begun


Not very long afterwsrd rosy
checked bright eyed girl used to watch
at the window for letters and then,
the letters watched for were directed in
a bolder hand, and post marked New
Haven college there, you know.
| used TO find letters-heavy ones, too
in a school girl hand, in the small
box at the corner about that time. 1
knew what it meant, and used to like
to tease her a little, and pretended
there was none for her sometimes, Just
to see her eyes light up, and the rose
blush come in her cheeks, when L
handed it to her at last.


Zone day there was no letter. felt
sorry myself when / remembered it was
the first time he had missed, and l
knew there would be no smile or blush
for me that morning. But / do not
know what | was to see instead. As i
passed the window she saw my grave
face, and, looking out, laughed, and
gave little toss of the head, while be-
side her sat as handsome young fellow
as ever / saw-who but the writer OF
her letters, to be sure.


"The next spring 1 carried away
from that house a great bundle OF
white wedding looking invitations, to
post. 'Ha, ha = thought l, school is
begun, and know who the school mas
ter will be.


"But didn't for one morning, not
many days after, as l came up the street
| saw a boy with book and a yellow
envelope standing at No DIG; and as l
passed the door, heard shrill scream
and saw my sweet, pretty little school
girl living on her mothers bosom with a
telegraphic dispatch in her hand.


''The papers next day were full of a
terrible accident, by rail, on the New
Haven road, and among the list of
killed, read the name / had SO often
read on the letters 1 posted from the
mail-box on the corner. School had
begun with a grim master for the pretty
little girl at No. 2l6.


''Postals, ma'am, are funny things,
| delivered a postal the other day,
written in a woman's hand. 1t said at
the close, Don't tell a soul, and L
knew all about when it was to come off.
We come across some sharp ones occa-
81 onalIy for instance, Pay me my bill
or I'll expose your Ihope he paid his
bill TO save exposure.


''It's curious to watch the receipt OF
rejected MSS. L always feel sort o
sorry when / have a bulky parcel to
deliver, with Harper Bros, or Peoples S
Monthly on it. know it means I'm
available Sorry to be obliged, &c.
for, you see, I've had some OF them
come directed to me-and l know it Is
myself.


81 once took such a package to a
house in little street down town, and
/ shan't ever forget the expression that
came into the girls eyes who took 1t
from my hand-it was such a disap-
pointed, desp airing, hopeless look. L
couldn't help il. l Just said to her
then. Never mind. little one try some
where else don't get discouraged.


She looked up into my face and an
swered with brighter look, THANK
you, sir; will. :"


s'It was not many weeks after, that L
carried business looking letter to the
same party. Wait said she. when
she showed me a nice little check from
one of the generous paying publishing
Cos. in this city. / felt as glad as she
did, and told her so. Little encourag-
ing words don't cost much, and they go
a great ways sometimes. 1t is the little
things that count up in long life and
so ms'am, I thank you for your kind
interest in my story. and l hope may
bring you lots of letters and good news
always as long as 1 am on this route.