The Grinder Papers — page 94: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Se ae ea eS ee er ee ge ee eS Oe eS oe Re ag an | 8S ett ee en eee OY Oe i Si a BS hn an Ba a ‘" * ot a -& ~~. ¥ a x — - « 4 > , ; a - : .. » . = hp THE GRINDER PAPERS. eae ‘*Middle-age, I meant,” says he. “Oh!” says I; ‘‘say so next time. Seventy-five cents. What DP an awlul postage ‘‘ It’s owin’ to the rise in cotton and gold,” sayshe. ‘‘They went up double yesterday.” “Oh!” says I. “Well, I suppose it can’t be helped. But I sha’n't write much more at that rate; correspondence would be too expensive. Will you take it safe?” ‘“Of course I shall,” says he. ‘‘Come, now, my time is of value.” So I gave him the letter, and three twenty-five cent stamps, and went away, but as I looked back I saw him goin’ in toa liquor store. ‘“‘T didn't like the looks o’ that, and it struck me I’d stop at Marthy’s agin and ask her whether he was trustworthy. So I did. I tapped at the basement window and she came. | | ‘““Marthy,” says I, ‘‘what kind of a fellow is the postmaster- general at the corner?” ‘* Hey?” says she. ‘“The postmaster-general at the corner,” says I. | Says she, ‘‘What on earth has been happening to you now ?” So Il up and told her. When I did she set to laughing until I thought she’d get hysterics. By and by, seeing how mad I was getting, she stopped and begun to explain—how't there warn't no such officiate, and how't the letter and the money was likely stolen, Eomiecboo cS €oO