Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-08-13
Aug. 4th, 1858.
AN HOUR IN THE DEAD LETTER
OAI.N :, 4

AN HOUR IN THE DEAD LETTER
OFFICE
A female CORRESPONDENT of Life Illustra-
ted 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 ia
vor and influences although as q general
thing, NO visitors are admitted. II wac
large, light rooun, with two or three desks,
at which were seated aged officials in silent
occupation ainong literal drifts of ietters.--
Tne wall was lined On every side with huge
mail sacks returned full of unclaimed epis-
ties, from nyriads of post offices; there
might have been fifty OR hunGred OF these
sacks, and each probably contained thou
sands on thousands of letters!
ssHow rapidly you dispose of them" said
I, watching the lightning speed with which
the clerks tore open the epistles, glanced o.
yer them, to see that no drafts, checks, or
other important documents were inclosed,
and then threw them upon an immense
| heap of letters at their feet.
| "It is all in haoit, ma'am,'' said the gen.
| tIemau nearest me- I'VE are accustomed
to open a certain number daily, and to those
! who do not understand the expedition and
accuracy with which we work, it would seem
almos, incredible"
AS he spoke a tiny gold riog rolled from
the folds of tinted letter, whose pa
ges were evidently written over by deli
cate female hand.
"a child's ring" he said, taking it up
..sould you like to look at 1t, ma'am!''
taok it in my hand--it fairy cir
clet OF virgin gold. with the words, $ Mary
to E. "" engraved withn-and wondered
VINO the MARY was, and whether the ht.le
e. W. who never received this tiny gilt
was dead or living.
Meanwhile the clerk had been taking a
rapid note of the sign ature. direction. ETC.
What will you do with i,9' | inquired re-
turning the ring to his care.
ave lay all such things aside in case
they should be called for. -
"Are they often redeemed!'
mot otten-not once in hundred in
stauces,' he replied taking little gold dol
lar from beneath the seal ot another lettel
and laying it carefully on the DESK
T We stood in silence regarding the pile O
3 opened letters, which was growing highe
, every moment. 1t was a strange medly o
3 styles and hand writing. Some were in
scrioed on huge sheets of teoiscap. in.s
. manner tina, conveyed the Impression Il
: your mind that the writer must have graspe'
e his pen with both hands and gone at The pa
g per as he would dig spade into the earth
$ and folded with disregard TO all geometrica
= precision; others, again, were daintily writ
r ten on colored tissue paper, aud some wer
: in that easy. fJwing hand that bespeaks en-
J. ergy and refinement of character in the cal
: ligrapher.
e ssOh how should like TO read these let
l. ters!" said |, inyoluntariy. The oficid
Is smiled. s'That is what the ladies say.
n would be almost impossible to preserve ou
y charge against the curiosity of the femal
g sex If. fortunately. our rules did not Pfotes
u Us from many visitors"
N "But do yov never read ihem!"
t, "Neye-, unless they seem very importan
'r or contain Enclosures of value. Il is all W
s. can do TO keep up with the arrival of des
Of mails now. II we were to stop to read on
r lettsr,in hundred. we should be lamentabl
le hehind hand; besides the privacy Of thes