A Rural Free Delivery Romance
Directed by Carl GregoryRuth acts as housekeeper for her miserly Uncle Herman. Fearing the loss of her services, Herman opposes a love affair between Ruth and Fred, the rural mail carrier. A letter from the grocer threatens Herman with a lawsuit for the non-payment of a bill. Herman then conceives a contemptible scheme to avoid payment by placing Fred under suspicion of theft and thereby also prevent his marriage to Ruth. Herman writes two letters, exact duplicates, and addresses both to the grocer. In one letter, examined by two witnesses, he places a sum of money, but prior to the arrival of the mail-carrier the crafty Herman, by distracting the attention of his witnesses, substitutes the duplicate letter which he submits for registration upon the arrival of the carrier. Upon receipt of the registered letter containing no money, the grocer enters a complaint at the post office. The case is put in the hands of a P.O. inspector and Fred is called to account. The evidence is against the carrier. Herman holds a receipt for the letter. Two witnesses swear the letter contained money. The grocer and his clerk declare no money was received. It is proven that Fred has recently purchased an expensive ring. He is believed guilty and is about to be removed from the service. In the meantime Ruth finds an empty envelope, addressed to the grocer, in Herman's waste basket, and learning of Fred's trouble from the substitute carrier, her suspicions are aroused. She hastens to the post office with the new evidence. One of Herman's ' witnesses discovers upon this second envelope a tobacco stain imprint of his thumb. This fact, proven by the inspector's microscope, identifies the empty envelope, which has never been registered, as the one which contained the money, when examined by the witnesses. Fred is vindicated and free to seek happiness with the girl whose keen wit and quick action saved his reputation.
