"Aren't you ashamed, Joel," said his mother, "to talk about any one
whose back is turned? Wait till he tells you the reason himself."

Joel hung his head, and then began to tease David in the corner, to
make up for his disappointment.

The next morning Ben had to go to the store after some more meal.
As he was going out rather dismally, the storekeeper, who was also
postmaster, called out, "Oh, halloa, there!"

"What is it?" asked Ben, turning back, thinking perhaps Mr. Atkins
hadn't given him the right change.

"Here," said Mr. Atkins, stepping up to the Post-office department,
quite smart with its array of boxes and official notices, where Ben
had always lingered, wishing there might be sometime a letter for
him--or some of them. "You've got a sister Polly, haven't you?"

"Yes," said Ben, wondering what was coming next.

"Well, she's got a letter," said the postmaster, holding up a nice big
envelope, looking just like those that Ben had so many times
wished for. That magic piece of white paper danced before the
boy's eyes for a minute; then he said-- "It can't be for her, Mr.
Atkins; why, she's never had one." "Well, she's got one now, sure
enough," said Mr. Atkins; "here 'tis, plain enough," and he read
what he had no need to study much as it had already passed
examination by his own and his wife's faithful eyes: "Miss Polly
Pepper, near the Turnpike, Badgertown'--that's her, isn't it?" he
added, laying it down before Ben's eyes. "Must be a first time for