Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1848-11-09
THE DEAD-LETTER OFFICE.

The story of Adele Barron, published in
areccnt number the Knickerbocker, which
turns upon some missing letters, has brought
to mind an incident related by Frank Gran
ger, as having occurred when he was at the
head of the post Office department A let.
ter was one day received from a Postmaster
Of a town in New Jersey, enclosing letter
very old and dingy, and covered with fy
spccks in every part, except where tape
had passed over it, indicating that it had been
for a long time placed in the paper or card
rack of some bar-room or.shop. The super
scription, if there had ever boon any, had en-
tirely faded away. The Postmaster wrote
that he had found it in his letter box, and
had tried in vain to discover who had depos-
tied il there, in order tina. it might receive a
proper direction, as it apparently contained
money As it had not been advertised, it
was mott strictness; a dead letter; but be
sent it to the department in order that they
might dispose of it. The Postmaster Gen
eral took the responsibility of opening it,
and found that it was dated at Philadelphia,
in the year 1921, twenty years before) and
enclosed TWEEN y-doHar bill of the United
States Bank 1t was addressed BY man to
bis wife at a small village not far from the
post Office where the letter was found, in
forming her that lie 1.-THE writer, should start
for home in two or three days but that, as
his brother was about to leave for home, he
took advantage of the opportunity to send
her By him the enclosed sum Of money where
with to make preparations for an approach
ing wedding. s
The Postmaster General caused a letter to
be written to the address Of the writer, IN
forming him Of the circumstances In the
course Of week a/reply was received from 8
female, who stated that the writer Of the
letter was her father, and the one to when it
was addressed was her mother, both Of whom
were dead; that twenty years before, on the
eve of her own wedding, she remembered
that her father and uncle bad quarrelled,
the former having been led, from senc sus-
picious circumstances, to discredit the lat
ter's assertion that he had lost letter con-
tanning money entrusted to his care, and to
insinuate that he had appropriated the a.
mount to his own use. The consequence was
that all Intercourse between the families had
from that time been suspended, and that she
should Immediately write to her uncle and
cousins, who were still living al distance,
ID beg that the intercourse and friendship SO
tong interrupted might be resumed; the dis
soyery Of this letter having satisfied her Of
what She long suspected, that her father was
wrong, aud relieved her mind from a, weight
Of painful anxiety. -. ~.
Whether any farther clue to the manner
Ia which the letter had Arrived at the Office
at SO late q period was ever ascertained. Is
-. t...-. a. :. k:T.1.. = ~ "a ~ u -
had been picked up ator near some country
tavern ON tins road, and was placed with the
variety of business eardsaud miscellaneous
papers which usually I'll the tapes over the
mantel piece Of such place, and there it
had remained from year; 70 year, perhaps con.
cealed from notice By other papers and let
tiers, until, By change, Of landlord, OF an
| ipprovenent Of the house. tie landlord had
disposed Of il By depositing 4 IA the nearest
post-ofice Home Journal n'ts 3.