Mr. Umble, I 'umbly (That's funny, ain't it?) apologize for the delay in responding to your formal invitation for dinner, and would like to express my intent to attend said dinner.

Please advise if you would like me or James to bring anything from the cafe.

Yours truly,

He walked proudly to the counter, ignoring the looks he drew from the two women, who were obviously wondering if he'd wrote was on the paper. "Excuse me, Id like to put this up on your bulliten board if you wouldnt mind."

The Post Master looked Jess up and down, "I havn't seen you around here before have I boy? Cause I know everybody aroun here and you dont look to familiar."

"Yur right in that I aint from 'round here sir, but I plan on being here for some time to come. My names Jess Flint, I come from the mountains of Tennizy. Up home my pap had good farm but now the politics of the town done run him out of buziness. So I come here looking to make a name for myself here as the best farm hand there is, then Im goin'a buy me some of mine own land."

"Well, thems mighty fine things boy, and I wish you good luck." The post master reached under the counter and pulled out a hammer and a wall tack. "Here you go, you can tack it up right over there with this," he said as he handed the things to Jess.

"Thanks alot sir, I sure do apeaciate you helpin me out. I was wonderin about how often mail goes out of here, Id like to write my folks soon enough and tell what Hio's like."

"Oh usually we get a new load in every third day and send ours out with it. Anything you send though needs to be under 3 pounds or it costs 20 cents."

"Shew!! I'll keep it down, just some letters." With that Jess took to hanging up the sign. He noticed that anytime he looked to the ole gossipin women that they got quite, so he figured they was gobbling about how a man from Tennizy learned to read and write.

When he had the sign up, Jess stepped back and read over it.

_____________________________________________
Hand For Hire!!
Jess Flint, best farm hand to
be found! Will work hard day and
night! If you need my work
leave message with post master
and I'll get to you rite
away!
_____________________________________________

After he had it how he liked Jess tipped his hat to the laddies and waved good bye to the post master on his way out the fron door.

As soon as the man left, tipping his hat politely, Henny rustled over to read his notice. All the points he'd made with his politeness were lost when Henny realized he was a mere farm boy. She sniffed her broad nose and went back to spreading more local gossip.

As she entered she noticed the man posting a sign. He looked nice enough. Then she saw that irritating Featherbairn woman. Trying not to make eye contact she headed straight for the postmaster.

"Sir, do you got...I mean have...any mail for the inn?"

He walked to the back of the room and brought back a tiny parcel of envelopes. Then he smiled and handed a separate envelope to Ruthie. "Your last name IS Charming, isn't it?"

The girl stared at the loose envelope with wonder. It had her name, and Naomi's name and Ma's name on the front and it smelled like...OH MY GOODNESS!!!

Ruthie started dancing around right there in the post office. "Pa's coming home! Pa's coming home. . .I just know it!!!" Twirling around she spun right into the fellow hammering the sign on the wall. Stopping, she giggled. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I hope I didn't hurt you."

Picking herself up, she pushed some loose curls from her face. Her dark green eyes danced with delight. She peered up at the sign, reading it slowly and carefully. "So you must be Jess Flint. I'm Ruthie Charming. Hope you find a job, Mr. Flint." She waved as she skipped back out of the building. Hopefully Naomi would be back from the Baker Estate soon.

He waved at the two women as he entered, "Howdo ladies?" he
said while passing by.

"Got any mail for me?" he asked the postmaster.

"Nope, aint got a blamed thang for ya Matty."

"Well, send this out with the next load would ya?"

"Another letter to your ma?""Yes'a! Gotta let'er know about my boy gettin married next week." A look of unknowingness came over the post masters face.
"You didnt hear about that? Well I'll be, I though every GOSSIPER in town would've had that around by now. Yup, marrying some lass
from up in Wobbish, near Carthage. Nice girl, or so she seems."

"They're All nice till your married to them!"

Matt laughed, "You're right there friend!"

"Well, with your boy gonna need some extra hands on the farm aint'ya?"

"Well, dang, I reckon I aint thought none about that. Im gonna have to get me a good hand for sure, if that boy was ever good for anything it was workin that farm
o'mine. Ya put the word out for me that Im lookin, Ill pay good wages."

"Your in luck, a boy come in here earlier 'day and put up a that'ere sign," he pointed at the sign, "wants to work a farm, and said to leave messages with me."

"If'n that dont beat all! I guess the good Lord has somethin special planned for me, huh. "

"Yeah I reckon. Ya want me to tell him to stop out your way?"

"If'n you wouldnt mind, Id be might appreciative." With that Matt nodded to the PostMaster, "I'll talk to you later friend!" and he heads on out the door.
-----------The Next Day--------------

When Jess entered the Post Office, he was full of life. Hatrack was beginning to grow on him and he had already made one of his finest hexes ever. It was a necklace, with a cross weaved into it with fine yellow yarn. He made it, to resemble one his mother used to wear that never quite worked. It was supposed to make everyone around you smile, no matter the mood they were in.

"Howdy, did anyone read my sign?" he asked the post master.

As soon as Jess got close he could see a wide smile form on his face.
"Well, just one of them ol' gossipers. But I told Matt Veneer about'cha and he was mighty interested. See, his boy is going off and gettin married and he needs a hand runnin his farm."

"Well, hot dang! I didnt expect that so quick," Jess said with a joyful giggle.
"Huh, what kind o'farm does he run?"

"He's got some cattle, but not enough to count as much. He grows the best danged peppers anybody ever heard of; and he grows plenty of baccer, enough to buy nother 10 acres last fall."

"Ya'reckon I aught visit him some time soon?"

"You could head on out there today, he should be plantin. Got his tilling done up last week. He lives just out of town, before you get to the old covered bridge."

"Welp, thank ye much!" he said tipping his hat and starting off down the road.

Just as I promised, I'm writing to you. I wish I could say all is well in Hatrack, but I find lying to you nigh to impossible. I believe something very strange and powerful is coming to our fair town soon. I saw a strange indian man and a woman that was powerful with the men today in town. The woman, she seemed a lot like Miriam Gruber. I wish I knew what it was all about, but there seems to be a sort of darkness falling. Or maybe I'm just a superstitious young woman.

When I got home from seeing you off I found a note in my room from Ruthie. She's gone off to Boston in search of our Pa. We got a letter from him today and he's come back. I guess she couldn't wait, so she's gone off alone. I'm worried but there's not so much I can do. If you see her,grab her and send her back here. I'll pay you back as I can. I just hope that she doesn't come upon Alec Speaker. He'll use her,and try to get at me, I just know it.

It's only been a few hours and I already miss you down to my soul. I treasure the memories of your kiss and of your laughter and long for you every minute.

Don't let Elisha go civilizing you too much. I'd hate to have you come back home with his attitude! Speaking of "his honor" tell him to send my love to dear Lavender...if he gets close enough to speak to her. I do not know how she bears to be away from him, loving him the way she does. I know it's going to be difficult being separated from you. I feel so very empty, not like I was when I forgot so much, but like a part of my heart is missing. And it is...you are not here.

I must stop here. Your grandmother is calling me. I will write again tomorrow.

My dearest daughter,

I pray that Allah has kept you well and in good spirits. I was very pleased to receive your last letter and to hear that you have made a home for yourself on the "wrong side" of the Atlantic. Oxford is a decidedly poorer place without you.

My research here is as close to completed as will be possible. I had hoped to have your portion from Hatrack River by this point but since you have been busy with other things it falls to me to take care of it myself. I shall be taking the next boat and expect to arrive in Boston in a month's time, from where I shall make my way to Hatrack River by road, as there are some affairs to deal with in Boston.

I do, of course, give you my blessing for your marriage to Mr Genteel, so long as he is willing to convert to Islam. I hope you will be able to postpone any ceremony until I arrive. I would be happy to instruct him in the faith and lead the nikah ceremony.

I pray to Allah that he keep you well and give you happiness, success and strength to remain on Sirat-al-Mustaqim until I arrive.

Dear Lavender

I hope that you are beginning to find Boston to your liking. I am sure that the Baker boys' presence will be of great help to you in that respect. I miss all of you very much. My class is down to four: Diamond, Turquoise, Naomi and Anna Miller. We are in the throes of preparing for final examinations at the moment, so I am busily writing papers whenever I have a free moment. Between that and teaching Jenny Gardener to read, I have barely an instant to myself and am getting hopelessly behind in my reading. Still, the summer vacation will afford me ample opportunity for that.

Hatrack River continues life at its usual pace. The Book Nook has reopened, to my great delight! Quincy Umble, a solicitor from up-country somewhere, has caused quite a stir here with talk of war and all sorts. I am trying to persuade my dear James not to get involved, but he WILL insist on playing the knight in shining armour. We are definitely going to be married, within the next three to six months. I do hope that you will be able to be at the wedding. It would not be the same without you.

Do please keep in touch and tell me how city life is treating you. Take good care of yourself and keep your head up - you are worth two Bostonians any day.

I am sorry it took me so long to rite you back. I have been bizzy with Trout and my garden. I have some land behind the Market. Tansy is my blood sister, cuz she helped me get away from Alec Speaker. He is after Nayomee now. Lots of fokes want me to bring them flowers. I am payed for my work. New fokes are coming to toun with the warm wether. Mabe I can by my own plase soon and have a biger garden. I hate my bruther Trout. He dont like me runing my own bizness. He thinks I orter work for him with the fish.

Sir:

Per agreement, am shipping N. 2 oeuvre - one Greecian Urn Cassiopoeia, 1 Nubian man's article Racso (please reverse). Assure safety by way of Indian territory? Valuable! Further orders received. Have deposited proceeds to account.

My Dear Jenny,

I have admired you from afar and hope one day to be able to express to you directly my affections. Meanwhile, please let this token of my esteem suffice.

Honorably yours,

Kate's doing fine. She says that if the good Lord meant for her to have to wait for her Scott, she's gotta wait, and there ain't nothing more it it than that. She keeps a-telling me how we oughta move to Hatrack, though, so I spose she ain't willing to wait without seeing Scott once in a while. Dunno if she's real serious about this waiting or not.

Janet's gonna do fine in her school. If'n there ain't no new teacher from the one a while back, you can send her over her for schooling. We'd be glad to have her. Jane says she ain't never seen such a girl for cleaning house and drawing pikchures. We still got that pikchure she drawed of the pond behind our house, and we're real proud of it.

Tell Scott hello, and Janet, and Sarah. Hope you come to visit me again soon.

You are invited to a special Baby Naming Tea at the Hatrack Ladies Society to name Baby Boy Crater, born February 29:

Miss Marie-Claire Delacroix
Mrs. Obadiah Baker
Miss Charity Weaver
Mrs. Cash Banks
Mrs. Henrietta Featherbairn
Mrs. Miriam Gruber
Miss Amira Scholar
Mrs. Alleluia Simple
The Lady Hampton
Miss Celeste Wren
Mrs. Joseph Ray

RSVP - Hatrack Post Office

Merci infiniment de l'invitation aimable à votre partie. Je serais heureux d'être présent. C'est une grande joie à moi à pouvoir être une partie de ce moment important dans votre vie personnelle, particulièrement après notre long rapport professionnel.

J'attends avec intérêt la célébration beaucoup. Encore, mes mercis de votre bonté.

Nous vous prions d'agréer l'expression de nos salutations distinguées,

It would be my pleasure to attend this grand event. You honor me with your invitation.

Thank you very much for the most hospitable invitation. I am sorry we have not had the pleasure of meeting before this. I do, however, look forward to meeting you and the other women of Hatrack.

Sincerely,

I would be honored to attend your tea.

Many thanks for your kind invitation. I would be honoured to attend.

I will come to yr baby's Christening. It would be better if you did it in church, but perhaps you are not relijus. If there be anything you need, I have some small things outgrown by my own children.

I'd be honored to attend your baby's christening. Thank you for your invitation.

I would be delighted to attend your baby's christening. Please tell me if there is anything that I may bring, particularly any books, as I seem to have an abundant supply. Also, thank you very much for the invitation.

"For me?" Jenny gasped, although there was her name, printed as plain as could be. Eyes shining, her fingers tore at the plain brown paper. As she ripped into the package, a small letter floated to the floor.

Her heart nearly burst when she felt the silky fabric against her fingertips. Jenny had never got a present like this before! And sent to her in the mail! It was so pretty, too! The flowered scarf, though rather boldly colored, looked just right in Jenny's hair.

"Who could have done this?" she wondered softly. "Lavender? But her mother would never allow it. Something like this would never cross my brother's mind... Is it from someone I work for?"

She looked up, rather flustered and with a big smile on her face. Had Miss Scholar done this? If so, Jenny was going to tackle her with a great big hug.

"If you're thinking I know anything about this, you're wrong," she laughed delightedly. "I'm just as pleased and surprised as you are. Someone must have a very high regard for you. Was there a letter with the package?"

Please inform Joseph or I if you are coming, and if you could bring cookies or punch, or anything else. Bring any poetry, original, or just a favorite of yours. If you have a special person that you would like to say something to, what better time? So spread the word, and come to the Book Nook any day for all of your reading needs and wants.

Thanks,

I am fin. I have got to town, an I am tring to find a wiff lik yu sad, but it isnt so esy. Wen I asked 1 girl, she lokd at me lik I was krazy, and ran away. I am going to tri luv potry next. I went to the bok-stor, and loked for som. Wish me luk!
Your Son,
Thomas

As Thomas was mailing his letter, he saw a pretty girl wearing a scarf. He was about to recite some of his poetry when he thought that maybe he should introduce himself before reciting. just to see if she was married. So, he walked up to the girl and said, "Hello. My name is Thomas. Are you married?" he waited a moment, and then went on,thinking that if he complemented her she might like him better. "If you're not, then I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

[This message has been edited by AUGH!!! (edited July 24, 2000).]

The property is as stated and the house and other structures are to be completed on schedule. Please keep the percentage we discussed at your bank until further notice.

Thank you for your continuing service to the Anderson family.

Sincerely,
Minnie Anderson

Jenny's mail, too, had been special, but the poor card that explained the gift had been lost and shuffled by many feet into the crack by the wall. The scarf was lovely in the gardener's hair, but she had no idea who had sent it. Could it be this fellow?

quote:

---

Needed: Manager for the Umble/Gaultier Silver Mines. Must be exact and determined. Good pay, small cottage at mines provided.

Inquire at the home of Quincy Umble.

---

He approached the post office. It had been days since he and Buck had taken their first trip out east. What a strange tirp it had been for Blue. There was something going on with the Banks'. Some hidden secret that baffled Blue. He would find out - one day.

Passing the post office, he heard someone run out and down the street in the opposite direction. When he turned, he saw Jenny flying down the street. To him, she looked like a butterfly, her skirts rippling like wings bending down to touch the ground. Soon, she caught up with another woman and slowed to walk with her. But there, on her head, she wore the scarf Blue had bought in Luther.

His face lit up. The shining sun could not outshine him today. She wore it. His heart beat in his chest like it would escape. Now what would he do?

He must find her and talk to her.

Where would he ever find her? Perhaps the fair. He would go there one day.

He turned and walked on to the riverbank, his head in the clouds.

You were correct in your assumption and, as such, I am once again set upon the Path. Would that I had been called elsewhere to surface after all these years.

You know how I feel in this element. Far too often you have chided me for my lackings and yet I often find that the sole of your foot does not wear the adventures of your soul. Such are your words, dear fellow, that I am bound by them and must to their call.

Yours,

I admit the temptation has come again upon me and the entrances and exits of my thoughts become real once again. You were right in your assumption that what lay inside my mind and what extended from my imaginings could be used abstractly. It was only after a time when I realized that the only cause for limitation was the rule that I imposed and if I simply erased the rule from the slate of my own creation, it would cease to be an impediment.

So much of how we live our lives is controlled by the abstractions of our conscience and morality. Good and Evil are absolute truths that exist in the heart of every soul. It is only our in need for control that we create shadings within shadings of grey. Eliminate the grey, leave the black and white and you discover that what limitations you had drawn for yourself are lifted and what power you might have, you have.

I will again when I will.

Yours,

As always.

I wonder if it is possible to ever give something without receiving something in return.

As much as I stay hidden, I am unable to remain out of sight. I try so hard to stay in my tower...to watch the world with my hands tied. But even I, dear one, need to feel the hearts and minds of others. Even I need to be felt. Every day here the shrouds lift more. A strange place for me here.

Yours,

"WANTED" read the notice. "Information about the whereabouts of this woman. REWARD"

Beneath that was a description from memory of the dark haired gal who'd taken away his Tansy at the fair. Digger grunted and gave the tack another angry jab with the hammer in his hand. Since then he'd hardly been able to see anything but two glimpses of that woman's face. One, a memory of the look on her face when she kissed him. The other a memory of the look she wore a half second later when she kicked him.

Beneath that he had a description of his daughter, in case they were seen together, but on that he'd been a bit more foggy. He couldn't quite remember how tall Tansy was, and although he was sure her hair was a sort of muddy brown, he couldn't remember if her eyes were blue or green.

It didn't matter anyway. Once somebody got a look at that woman, he probably wouldn't even notice if she had a snaggle toothed kid in her wake. Satisfied with his work, Digger hitched up his trousers, gave a nod to the poster, and took himself off down the road to tack up another one on another defenseless wall.

POSTION WANTED:

Wanted:

Young female person of breeding and good taste to act as confidante, housemaid and dresser to superior young lady of quality. Must be prompt, attentive, loyal, fluent in languages, and appreciative of the finer arts.

NOTICE: SERVANT WANTED

Able bodied,strong moralled person wanted to be private servant for incredibly fashionable society lady. No job to small, no job to big. Able to lift heavy things...ie:luggage,hats. No women expecting children, as they are often sick, and need many days off. Salary equal to experience. All replys made to :

Soon to be Ex-Mrs. Josephine Sylman
Hatrack Inn

After finishing the posting, Josephine mailed the letters and went outside to get some fresh air.

a courier arrived at the post office and dropped off a rather large package to be delivered to a resident of the Inn. The box was large (48"x72") and was thumped on the floor of the post office by the desk. It was addressed to

Mrs. Josephine Sylman
Hatrack Inn
Hatrack, USA

The courier left it there and hoped it would be delivered. He knew she would not like what was inside it.

Will you please visit with me at your earliest convenience? I would prefer to talk to you and (Mr. Baker/Mistress Charity) together if possible.

He read the words announcing that they would be arriving in Hatrack and immediately scripted a reply.

Dear Mrs. Walker,

Although I have met your husband only once (and that but briefly), I am happy to hear that you will soon be moving here to Hatrack with us. I look forward to meeting you. If there is anything I can help you with or help you locate (land, housing, empty buildings of any sort) please feel free to let me know. My family will be traveling back east very soon but my son Elisha will be here to look over things in my absence. If I happen to miss you do not hesitate to contact him at the Baker Building on Main Street. We look forward to the day when we shall meet you.

I am stayin' in Hatrack in Hio. Got a job at the Hatrack Inn. People here are very frendly. I don think I will movin on again. I also got a room and the pay is good. Don fret about me. Im well. The Reverend will probly read this to you and thankyou for your lessons Reverend. I hope everyun is healthy there.