The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-06-01
Dead Letter Sale Office.

During the past week the United States
Dead Letter Office has had n public
auction OF the various articles which
have accumulated in that strange re
positorv of odds and ends connected
with the Post Office Department. The
catalogue, issued previous to tine sale,
consists of ten closely printed pages.
These things have, to quote the Ian
guage OF the advertisement, '.accumu-
lated in the Dead Letter Office since
1850, (the Department having used every
effort to find the proper owners, and
being unable TO do so) and are now to
lee sold, the proceeds, if any, after paying
charges, TO be deposited in the United
States Treasury, subject TO order, should
the proper owners hereafter be found
They generally sold we'll and though
many an anxious lover waits anguish
ingly for the souvenir Of undving affec
ton from his Dulcinca-now alas worn
on the bosom of some unfeeling stranger
yet Uncle Samuel cannot be blamed
for it. Why didn't they write more
plainly, address their billet dour properly,
send the precious paper before John or
Joe or ''.Jeems" left the neighborhood,
tlissfully ignorant of the present await
ing them, and thinking only of the
future Our "Uncle," though not he Of
Three Golden Balls" has had some
what of a pawnbrokers experience in
selling off old thrash
Among the notable items Of the cata
logue, we observe Zone Kew of Heaven"
but whether metallic or otherwise is not
stated Also Two Paths to Paradise
probably the same mentioned in the
Bible lone Way of Life" though in
Washington we have many; -Four In
tercessory Prayers" Zone German
Pilgrimage TO Zion" ''One Golden
Legacy the panUre dtobfe for whom it
was intended has probably been draft ed
Young Parson" Fancy the sale at
auction OF such ministerial parsonage
who has, perhaps, had no parsonage, and
thus drifted or went over to the office of
defunct epistles, and thus became man
of dead letters Requescot.
Some thoughtful friend has also
mailed one set of teeth to some tooth
less dear, still chewing etc, sweet and
bitter fancy etc. Another had sent,
also Ivy mail, lone blacksmith's rasp,'
also, zone artigcial eye" zone worked
paddle" probably n dead Irishman
zone black ditto. ALI if that should
he a real contraband, zone muslin nj ght
gown ah, my how could they? and
zone sup housewife, furnished with pins.
needles and scissors "A fine chance for
some enterprising young man or button
less bachelor Shoulder straps arc in
abundance. almost equaiing Willard );
and blue military coats are even sent by
mail. together with zone looking glass
and razor" thus furnishing subjects of
grave reflection among the dead letters.
On the eleventh page ofthe catalogue
We see dvcrtised-probahly for aristo-
cratic sinners. of Christians Of aesthetic
teudeucies-"one Gilt edge Key to Heav-
en-" also. Two Young Sinners, who
seem to be very near the above mention
ed Kew. Nursery Trees. pocket bibles,
and "Family Prayers appear 10 be in
close connection. and gold watches, with
their hands before their faces, keep time
70 eight sheets of band music" Bot
ties If snuff. hannel shirts, black felt hats.
AMI one pair Of long boots seem to have
been sent 10 expecting friends by some
who loved them, (ah. Matilda Jane and
mittens, though given, never came to
hand, while lone elegant engagement
ring now keeps other engagements, and
CLEANS on alien fingers. As Smithers
says, with charming originality, "Such
is life,
Lieut. &. ID. Smith, Co e, Sith Ind.
Volunteers, has resigned and come home,
in consequence of wounds received at the
battle of Chicamauga. 1t is rather re-
markable that in that action he received
four wounds in the space Of five minutes.
He was first struck in the thigh by
mimic ball, and while tying his banker
chief over that wound, received another
ball in the left arm, near the shoulder
shattering the bone. While the surgeon
was fixing that arm in a sling So that he
could walk 10 the hospital. he was struck
again, on the right side, crushing in some
ribs, and. finally. before he had proceeded
three PAGES from where he stood when
first struck. ball passed through the
left car, making not n very delicate in
cision Clint is good printer, and dur
ing the five years he carried on the Ran
dolph County Journal, made il a first
class psper. We understand he has
been urgently requested to again take
charge Of that office. but having too much
regard for his homo, rs soldier, and re-
spect for Gen. Meredith as a brave and
deserving commander, he refused having
any thing to do with it-Telegram