Litchfield enquirer., 1855-12-13

This Work, by ]. Holbrook. Esq, Special
Agent Of the Post Office Department. will
soon be announced as ready for public sale.
We make q few extracts from advance
sheets;-
"A Night in a ost-Omce.
Some years ago, the post Office OF a
prominent city in Western New York be-
came involved in a series of mail depreda-
lions, and at length it was apparent that
some one of the three clerks who had slept
in the Office, must be guilty of committing
them; but the fastening the charge upon
the delinquent was thing yet to be ac-
complished. By various processes, the
range of suspicion was narrowed down, till
it rested upon one of the clerks, and 1t only
remained to get the legal proof of his
guilt.
Packages were missed that were known
to have reached the Office by the midnight
mails. The clerks took turns in getting
up to receive these mails, each one per-
forming his duty for week in succession,
the one who for time attended to it, sleep
ing on cot in the post Office proper. and
the other two occupying small apartment
at some little distance from the main office,
but connected with it.
1t had also been ascertained that the
packages were distracted from a particu-
lar mail. pouch which arrived with many
others about midnight, and remained unas-
sorted till morning. On certain occa-
sion, when the suspected clerk was upon
duty, an exact description of everything in
that pouch was taken, upon the cars from
the West, with the view Of comparing the
list of its contents with the post bills, which
should be found on the files of the Office
the following morning. similar bills having
heretofore disappeared with the packages.
As had before this good reasons to
know that magistrates and jurors in that
section of the country very properly re-
quired pretty conclusive evidence for con-
viction in such cases, | determined, in ad-
dition to other expedients, 10 take the post
of private Waterman inside the office, for
one night at least, that m ght obtain, by
ocular denomination, sufficient proof against
the guilty one to satisfy the most incredu-
lous court and jury.
One of the suspected clerks was sent
away that night, and tho other, in whom
had the utmost confidence, was apprised OF
my intentions. BY him l was let into the
Office through a private door, before the
object of our Vaccinations had entered
and was not long in selecting a suitable
place where could sec without being seen.
behind an open door leading from the post
masters private room. This position
could commend Through the crack of the
door,, fair view of tho aforesaid cot and
its occupant.
1t was not long before the individual ar
rived who was to be honored with my scru-
tiny during tho live-long night; and as he
'wrapt the drapcry of his couch about
him.. could not avoid making momen-
tary comparison between the luxury about
to be enjoyed by him, and the wearisomc
hours upon which was entering. Well,
I" Some must watch while some must sleep,
Thus runs the world,away."
Sitting in the public s:ocks-watching
with tho body of person who has died
of some contagious disease-being corner
ed by bore, when you have an immediate
engagement elsewhere-waiting your turn
in dentists office--all these are somewhat
trying to the nerves; hut for real test of
their power of endurance, commend me to
stand behind q door. between the hours
of lOP. NJ. and daylight; the thermometer
ranging from SO upwards, all motion and
sound being forbidden, under the imminent
risk of being discovered in your hiding
place, and forced to retreat ANONYMOUSLY.
This is faint picture Of the author on
the night in question. Zeal for tho lublic
good. and u cracker or two, alone sustained
him through the tedious night-watches.
The proverb says that "a great deal can
be seen through small hole" My sphere
of vision, however, was rather limited. en-
bracing only u portion of the adjoining
room. family lighted by q hanging lamp
the cot with its sleeping burden, table,
and the dimy seen tiers of letter boxes
forming back ground. Entirely in keep
ing with this scene of "still liie," was tho
m0notonous buzz of sundry flies of row.
dyish disposition, who, not content with
tickling the noses Of pcaceahle citizens,
and otherwise harrassing them during the
day, must needs keep it up" through the
hours devoted to repose by insects of more
steady habits. However, they might have
been engaged i'll the praisworthy occupa-
ton OF soothing one another to rest by
their "drowsy hum," for l myself began
to feel its soporitic influence, and to bless
=" the man who first invented Sleep" but
anathematize tinwardly) him who was pre-
venting it.
was reused from this sleepy condition
by slight irritation in the Schneiderian
membrane; in other words. began TO feel
desire to sneeze. Now, sneezing is an
operation which admits Of no compromise.
You must either "go the whole hog" or
entirely refrain. Amy attempt to reduce
the force of the explosion is as unavailing
as was the Irishman's effort to fire aizy."
when he was touching off the cannon. So
the annoying inclination must be nipped in
the bud. if wished to preserve my secre-
cy inviolate.
Accordingly called to mind Gas far as I
was able) and practised all the expedients
of which had ever heard. besides others
entirely original, for allnying this titilla-
ton. l rubbed the bridge of the nose I
would have slapped myself on the forehead,
had not feared the remedy would prove