Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-05-26
miscellaneous.
An Hour in the Dead Letter Office.

An Hour in the Dead Letter Office
A female correspondent of Life illustrated
gives the following account of visit to the
Dead Letter Office at Washington
We had been fortunate enough to procure
the entree to this place through special favor
and influence, although as general thing,
no visitors are admitted. 1t was large,
light room. with two or three desks, at which
were seated aged officials in silent occupation
among literal drifts of letters. The walls
were lined every side with huge mail |
sacks which had been returned full of uu-
claimed cpistles, from myriads of post Offices; !
there might have been fifty or hundred of
these sacks, and each of these probably con-
tanned thousands on thousands of letters.
How rapidly you dispose of them !" said-E
watching the speed with which the clerks
tore open the epistles, CLAN ced over them to
see that drafts, checks. or other impor-
tant documents were inclosed, and then threw
them npon an immense heap of opened letters
at their feet.
1T is all in habit, maam." said the gen
| item nearest me. We are accustomed to
open certain nuniber daily, and to those
who do not understand the expedition and
accuracy with which we work, it would seem
almost incredible"
As he spoke, tiny gold ring rolled from
the folds of a rose-tinted letter, whose pages
were evidently written by delicate female
hand. "a chili's ring" he said, taking it
up; would you liketo look at it, ma'am -
took it in my hand-it was fairy cir
clet of virgin gold, with the words Mary to
E. V, ;" engraved within-and wondered who
the Mary was, and whether the little E. V
who never received the TRY gift, was dead Or
living.
Meanwhile The clerk had been taking a
rapid note Of the signature. direction. etc,
What viii you 90 with it g inquired,
returning the ring to ms care.
1--WE lay all such things aside. in case they
: should be called for
Aud are they often redeemed ?"
; Not often-not once in hundred instau
ces," he replied, taking a little gold dollal
from beneatd the seal of another letter, ant
! laying it cal efully under the desk.
We stood in silence. regarding the pile o
opened letters, which was growing higher cv.
cry moment 1t was strange medley 0
hand wliting.
e oh how | should like to read these let
|, tiers - said [, involuntarily.
The official smiled That is what all tn,
ladies say. 1t would be almost impossible tc
preserve our charge from the curiosity of the
r female sex, if fortunately our rules did no
protect is from many visitors"
But do you never read them .
Never, unless they Seem very important
or contain enclosures of amount. 1t is al
We can do TO keep up with the arrival of th
dead mails. If We were to stop and read OH
letter iu a hundred, We should be lamentabl
behindhand besides the privacy of these let
ters is point of honor with US. We hav,
no more right to read them here, unless it i
necessary, than to pry into any other perso
nal secrets"
Here one of the clerks leauei over an;
handed our companion tiny package.
:'From one of the letters lie said g
thought the lady might feel Interested in it.
1t was single curl of golden hair, tic,
with bit of pink ribbon, and wrapped in
little piece of paper. on which was written
'Baby's Hair l''
| knew the history of that letter in an in
slant though l had mover looked on it
! folds, could see the fair young mother par
,, ting the sunny tress from the infant head
, and placing it, with half smile and half
tear, within the closely written page that wa
} to glad the heart of far away husband Ano
he never received the letter Perhaps he dies
, under the mighty shadow of Sierra Naveda
, Perhaps the turf of some Mississippi valla,
, lay cold and close on his pulseless heart
while she the faithful wife. was growing
more sad, less hopeful with every day ths
/ brought no answering word.
.'Baby's hair p could not bea. that tn
! bright curl should be thrown carelessly amons
the host of letters it seemed Ike desecratiol
MAY keep this little lock p
Certainly, if you like"
.. And placed it carefully il my retieule
VIII Sentie hano. Auo" Lot "neIuef Oh
sorrowing mothers heart is breaking, day by
day, but certain | am that there is an invsi
BILE bond of sympathy between her soul ane
mine. clasped by link of curling, silky golt
-''baby's hair J"
1t would be in vain to attempt to chroni1l
the numerous enclosures which dropped from
the various letters which were opened durin:
tho sbt,rt sraes of tino ve stooi there Bit.