JOY AT RECEIVING A LETTER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1429, 15 February 1888, Page 5

JOY AT RECEIVING A LETTER.

" I have often wondered," said a letter carrier lately, "what constitutes the charm of receiving a letter ? If a persou is expecting to receive by mail a challenge to fight a duel, or the reply of his. ladylove to a proposition of matrimony, or even a cheque of five pounds, I can understand how he should get excited about it. But I suppose that ninety-nine out of every hundred letters that pass through the mail are simply little speeches from friends, such* as could be listened to on the street without the slightest interest of concern. But how anxious people are to receive these letters ! You don't know anything about it ; you ought to. be a letter carrier for about a week. Why, there aro some people on my beat who, I really think don't do anything else but sit down and wait for me to come. They stand at the window or front gate, and wait for me ; they tremble with anxiety as I approach, they growl and cower if I say, " Nothing to-day," and if I hand them a letter, they fly with it into the house as if they had picked up a pocketbook and were going off to a secret place to inspect its contents. All this makes me a very popular man, I tell you. You see, they associate me daily with the strongest hopes and the keenest enjoyments of their lives. lam a sort of a lion with them, and, to tell you the truth, I have a matrimonial project in view very much above nay station./*