But Jasper, who was trying to satisfy the demands of a throng of people all
clamoring at the small window for letters, didn't see it, or even hear his
name called. So the ten-dollar bill lay perfectly still where it fell,
until it got all tired out, and a little puff of wind, sweeping through the
arbor, blew it first to one side, and then to the other, until at last it
fell down among a tangle of evergreen with which the posts of the arbor
were wound. And presently, Van, who much preferred being assistant to
Jasper to running about as a letter carrier, came along and exclaimed, "Oh,
that silly old green stuff! It takes up so much room!" And he twitched off
a lot of it, and the ten-dollar bill, well crumpled up inside of the bunch,
sighed and said to itself as it was flung under the counter, "Now I guess
I'm dead and buried forever."
Meanwhile, Joel, as happy as a lark at the thought of Mr. Cabot's
contribution, went off on the wings of the wind, distributing letters,
here, there, and everywhere, and receiving lots of orders.
It was, "Oh, Joel, get me a letter,"
And, "Joel, get me one; I can't get near the post office; there's a perfect
mob there,"
And, "Joel Pepper!"--from clear across the lawn--"come over here; Mrs.
Singleton wants to see you about some letters," until Joel began to feel
that he was about running the whole post-office department, and it seemed
as if every drop of blood was in his chubby face, he was so hot.
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