Year: 1875

The Letter which Broke Mothers Heart

 You see, the people at the post-office soon recognize faces and names, and after man or woman has appeared at the general delivery window three or four times they are pretty well known. It is Q real pleasure to hand out letters to some, while the clerks care little for the calls of others to get hold of their epistles.

 One day 8 year or two ago, a funny looking little old woman, wearing faded garments, but having @ tidy look and 8 motherly face, appeared at the window and asked for letter. There was one for her, sent from distant city, and dany one could have told that an unlearned boy directed the envelope. There was Q little cd in "Detroit, with big "T'' to end the word, and it seemed wonder full that the letter ever reached its desti- nation. .&A

 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, and you don't know how much good it does me !'' .,ty.4

 The lady delivery clerk rose up to look after the old woman, and when a second letter came she was looking and watch ing for 'tmother" whole day before the letter was passed out.

 cts from my little Dan again, cried the old woman as she noted the super scription. 'He's in Buffalo, learning a trade. He's only a bit of 8 boy, and there wasn't Q show for him in Detroit, and beside he was running out nights and going to the bad. sent him away, and he's working hard and trying to be good, God bless my Danl I'm a lone widow, with only him to love, and Ihope he'll be good"

 "I hope so, too," added the clerk, and after that the two were friends.

 Sometimes the letters were far be- tween, and when the ol,. 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, while both would still be anxious If he com plained and was discouraged.

 Almost every week for year and a half the old lady received letter, and just as regularly she came to post an answer. She wrote in 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 schoolgirl could have shown. He improved as well. By-and-bye he wrote "Detroit plain and fair, and he took extra pains to commence his Dear mother" with grand flourish, and to add something extra after the words "your son Dan." .#

 Those 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 mother been ill any carrier would have hunted till midnight to find her and hand her the looked-for letter. Three or four weeks ago, when she opened her letter, she wept and smiled as over the first. Dan wrote that he was coming home for week, and her hesrt was full. She said she'd have the cottage looking like new for him, and she'd be at the depot to welcome him first of all. Every body felt glad with her, and the lady clerk was to go up some evening and have tea with her, and see little Dan and praise and encourage him, for the more kind words boy can have the better te will seek to do. all.

 There was no letter the next Tuesday, but the two excused its absence by say ing that Dan was getting ready to come home. That was early in February, and he was to come about the 1st of March. The next Tuesday there was letter, but the handwriting was not little Dams. It was strange, bus ness hand, and the clerk felt chill go over her as she turned it over. It might be good news, but she feared not Mother" came in at the regular hour, and she turned pale as she took the envelope. Her fingers trembled as she opened it, and she had to wipe the mist out of her eyes before she could decipher word. She hadn't read over four or five lines when she uttered moan and sank right down, like one crushed by some awful weight. They lifted her up and took her home, the letter clasped in her stiff fingers, and though she came out of the faint after while, her heart was broken, and ill a week she was in her grave. '

 Dan was dead The letter said that he had been taken suddenly ill, and that nothing cold save him. The blow was too heavy for one with her gray hair and childish heart, and her little old cottage is without tenant. #

 No more letters commencing "Dear mother, come from the dead, and the trembling hands which used to finger fondly over the words "My dear boy, Dan" are folded over lifeless breast,