Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 235, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1917 — A Fifty-Fifty P. M. [ARTICLE]

A Fifty-Fifty P. M.

Postmaster Hanks ran the general store as well as the post office and One summer morning a lanky youth slouched in, removed his battered straw hat and saicV “Mr. Hanks, I un’erstand there’s two letters here fur me—one wot come a month i\go and one wot come last week. I’m afeared my folks must be sick, or else they wouldn't be writin’ so plum often. Let me have them letters, will ye, Mr. Hanks?” The postmaster glared at the youth. “No, Peleg Anderson, I won’t let ye have them letters till ye settle fur that lot o’ groceries wot’s been owin’ so long!” The young man took out some money. “I kin settle half the account, Mr. Hanks,” he said. “Then.” said the postmaster, in a milder voice. “I kin give ye one o’ yer letters.” and he did so. “Squar* up in full. Peleg Anderson, an' ye’ll git yer other letter, but not before.”