Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-08-13

Il letters Is point OF noBof Win oss W
have no more right to read them here. ufis
less it is necessary than to pry into any per-
soHal sectetss'
| Here one of the clerks iesfed otef AID
/ had handed oaf companion tiny package.
| From ohe of the letters" he said; Il
thought the lady might feel Interested in
IL"
| Il was single curl os golden hair. tied
with bit OF pink ribbon and wrapped in
little piece of papers on which was written
Sc Baby's hair"
knew the history of that letter in an in.
slant. Though l had never gazed an its
toids, could see the faif young mother part
ing the sunny tress from the infant head,
and placing 1t, with hall smile halt tear.
within The closely written page that was to
gladden. the heart of the far away hus6afd.
And he never received the letter. Perhaps
he died under the mighty shadow of the
Sierra Nevads; perhaps the clay OF saae
Mississippi valley lay cold and close on his
pulseIess heart, while she, the faithful wife,
was growing more sad aud less hopeful ey-s
cry day that brought no answering word.
"Baby's hair.'' ] could not bear that the
| bright curl shoald be thrown csrelessly a.
mong the host OF letters. II seemed like
desecration.
"May | keep this little lock!''
| s.Certainly, il you like" Aud I placed
it carefully in my re,icule with tender hand.
kGow not where the sorrowing young
mothers heart is breaking. day by day, but
certain am that there is an invisible bond
OF sympathy between her soul and mine,
cIasped by link of curling silky gold b.
By's hair
| Il vsoald be SaiR 10 attempt to ehroEicte
the numerous enclosures which dropped
/ from the various letters which were opened
during the sfrt space 0. time we stood tfsefs:
Bits of rainbow coi0fed siig. sent for 2at-
terms, tiny muslin collars, newspaper para
graphs, bank bills, gold, cards; coarselg writ
ten messages from tine little ones at home,
whose hands were guided by mottiet or SIS
+ ter, So that the absent father cousin or
brother, might have little letter, a8d innu-
nerable other affecting relics.
"Where do ali these letters go after they
have been opened and examined! Are they
ourned!''
No; that formerly was the CUSTOM, hos
! ever. We used to maka great bontires ct
them, but aside from that, bits of written
paper would always escape trJG1 the haatea
thus destroying all privacy in the ieiiers;
I it was found that many people make It
business to seek among the ashes for the
gold, Jewels, dollars, &c, which often esa
cape our notice here, aud GO cut in the 0Peu-
ed letters. So now they are all ssHt 10 a
! paper mill and manufactured as writing pa
per-"
| We passed another room where we're
many menentoes Of the good old days be-.
fore the law of pre-psying postage went
into effect. There gere Two, OF three hngs's
/ stones which had been sent as ga Joke, in-
voIving an immense amount of postage to
| be paid by somc unforlunate, who luckily
never received the ponderous packages---
a gigantic red baby said TO have been sent
| by young man to some vinegar faced old
maid-a neatly manufactured night cap,
which some indignant old bachelor-name
not recorded-re used, in high dudgeon to
receive, and which, consequently, tound ITS
way here, and daguerreotype of a young
man which had been cracked across the nose,
and wrathiully sent back by some fair dam
sci with whom be had quarreled
We asked the Postmaster General, to
/ whom we Nef6 No" ~ o"PPSai-
ed that all the employees of the Dead Let
ter Office were gray-haired old men.
"Because they have more discretion, and
less curiosity he said smiling. "Younger
men could not be depended upon; they
would probably read the letters oitener."
eAnd why don't you employ ladies! am
sure they could discharge the duties admira-
bly,"
"Indeed," said the Postmaster Genefali
ruischievously; 81 am afraid their curiosity
would be SO extreme that the department
would fall into inexpiacabie confusion. to
say uething of the number uf secrets they
would ferret out of the dead letters"
We were so indignant at this horFislc and
Eefeticsl opinion that we asked NO further
questions, but took OUR leave, much gratihod
with our novel and interesting experience
in the Dead Letter Office at Washington n.