New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-06-22
THE BATH Po-TBoY.

II was m the early part Ot the last century.
when The mail was transmitted from the prnlpa.
towns 81 England u charge of a mounted post
mao. with h0isterpIstos and sadils-bags, anil
carried from o. smaller ones by poor boys, who
received Lalipcuuy mile for serving tie Post
Office m au westhers that the Postmaster o.
Bath informed all whom 20 might concern. by p
printed biI m the window, that q smart active lad
d fifteen az thereby was required % carry the
mail between that town aud Marlborough, al the
above mentioned rate Of wages.
The roi was loug and r0u-I anil three days
had already passed. during which the mail was
carried hy tAe Pesmasters own good boy. and
maii-o.-r I-vor5, much % his discomfort and the
manifest dissatisfaction OBJ, tire good people o.
Marlborough, Co whom their letters came several
hours too late; but no candidate lor the situation
bad get presented himself AT length on the
fourth MJIliH- which was that 0i a sultry July
day, "a dim, muscular. Intelligent booking boy
dressed l1 tire indictments ol earlier Years. which
hc bad evidently ouf-roWn made lbs appearance.
cap u hand before Mr. Burton the senior clerk.
and inquired. Sir, % sou please. would be ODD
enough o. carry the Marlborough bag I'm only
fourteen 20. bat / u always bs grow ing older and
And may be worse muttered the clerk. who
happened 10 De cut oi temper Chat morning. But
step in here. he continued. pointing % another
room. aud ir. Loathem " ID see what sou 'Ie
Do Tor
Mr Leathem was quiet elderly gentleman.
who had kept the Post Ohce Co. several years Don
tAe Iich aud gag City oi Bath, which was, ar the
period oi our story the resort Oi all the iashi0la-
D.cs Of Britain. especially ia tie Suuuef season.
resembling, n that respect what Brighton bias
since become. lie sp0Ae 90 the boy more clvlily
than his clerk mad done said he considered hun
tall enough for the business aud thcn he inquired
what was his name, where bis parents lived, and
oil no rae a. if.I a
riye hn a. character .or honesty end sJbncty, as
without such "a certificate tll- Post Ohce could not
employ him The boy answered that his name
was Ralph Allen, that bis father had been poor
brakeman. but he was dead and his mother sup
ported herself bv taking u washing and
WASH brought up here. SIT but my mother came
in hopes OF getting fine work from the gentry
and here S D certificate from "a kind gentleman.
the vicar of our parish / used % nm euluds lor
him. and lac said 10 might be useful to me
This 70 certify ths Ralph Allen &. sensible hon
est industrious boy and hope VIII continue be-
WILLIAM WEBURroN
SAID the Postmaster, reading loud Wei, that IS
"a good certificate, though the writer IS unknown
20 me but we viii let it pass Tor this time, and
take Won on TRIAL
After several eShortations TO be careful OF the
mad, and walk fast that be might arrive in time,
Ralph Allen was duly equipped with leathen
bag. suspended 10y strap over his shoulder, CON
tanning all the letters and newspapers Ia those
davs transmitted 10 Marlborough, and sent forth %
cam the haipenny per mile
Day after day he performed that appointed Jour
ney, through sun and shower. going and coming 10
the entire satisfaction OF the Postmasters OF Bath
and Marlborough Roads were not then 80 CON
venient for travellers nor time precious with
the public, at present but Ralph was never
known % ioiter by the way. nor arrive an hour too
late, which could seldom be said OF other post
boys Travellers between the towns soon began
10 know him on the road and remarked from
stageCOach wagon. or saddle--the only modes %.
conveyance in those days-that his conduct was
always careful and steady and people who did
not travel trusted him with small messages ui
consequence OF their reports IL lady wanted
fashionable cap from Bath. or a notable house
keeper some trihe which could be bought cheaper
in Marlborough. Ralph Allen was known 20 BE-
sober and less exorbitant carrier than either the
c0achman or wagner, and he was preferred ac-
cOrdineiy TINS source OF additional gain,
which increased every day. till the boy generally
reached lhs destination M either town laden with
parcels Of all Sorts and sizes, for the carriage OF
which he received from twopence to q farthin-,
the case might be- OF the iberahty of his employ
ers dictated How the short time allowed be-
tween the close OF his daily duty and his nightly
rest was usually spent in his mothers poor but
clean garnet, nobody could tell till Mr.. Leathcm,
who bad by this time a very high opinion OF his
postboy for general good conduct and correctness
IN his station, inquired one morning while Ralph
was waiting for the mail, what book was that
protruling from his pocket
It's the Universal Spelling Book, sir" said
Ralph. reddening he pulled ont the weli-woru
volume. Try 20 learn at home IN the little time
have, and can now nearly read.
"That's wei, my boy" said Mr. Leathems Il
wish the rest Of our boys would spend their leisure
time so.'
And, sir. continued Ralph, now encouraged TO
speak out, IN trying to write, too, and have
got the master OF the Blue Coat school 20 give me
a lesson sometimes for doing his messages. sir.
"You II be a clerk yet Ralph said the Post
master laughing. "But II is good endeay0r,
aud hope you u succeed; but mind be careful OF
the mall
His employers words turned out true. though
spoken half in Jest. Ralph continued 20 earn, by
every honest though small way within his reach
his earnings were saved to purchase an old booh
when he could not borrow It, or supply himself
pens ink and paper by which he at once amused
and improved his few leisure hours in reading or
even spelling 10 his mother, when her days toll
was also done, and practiclng the chance lessons
he could obtain from the schoomaster. Reading
was az that period a rare thing 10 his class, aul
cheap books of instruction were equally 500 but
from the Spelling Book, Ralph Allen advanced o.
the Dictionary and Grammar from strokes 10
writing a good fair hand. His savings also IL
creased by slow degrees for both he and his mother
were prudent; and Ralph only wished for the
ton aud be enabled % add to her rest and comfort
Five years had thus passed away Ralph Allen
had grown almost a man, when all the message
senders OF Bath, among whom he was wei
known reioiced even amid their regrets that
they must look ont for another c7rrer % near thar
Ralph Allen had been promoted, through the kind
ness Of M Leathem, 10 q clerkshlp ia the Bath
Post Office, and was actually seen in new suit
of clothes performing ms new duties at the Post
Office window. After this ms mother washed
nothing but lace and cambria, and Ralph was as
steady and obhgng Ia the Post Office as he had
been with the mail on his back HIS salary was
comparatively small, but his prudence was great
and in another year or two people discovered that
Ralph had something la the bank. Ills habits O.
reading and thought also gave HIM an ability G.
invent needlul improy ements ia the Post Office,
which was then very imperiecty managed
These were modestly proposed and as their ne
cessity was seen, they soon obtained the sanction
of the superior authorities, and raised the young
clerk, not only in their estimation. but IN office
also, as n three years after MS entrance he sue
ceedej the senior clerk, Mr. Burton, by whom his
application ior the carriage vt the Marlborough /
bag had been So uugraciously received, and " A0
now retired to a small property he had purchased
in the country. Two years more, and Ralph ham
self began 20 think Of purchasing property also