The weekly Ottumwa courier., 1865-07-27
YeTcials osYs poss Master.

YeTcials o. Y, Post M M,ster.
B-o. wickersham of thu Washington
Prcss, is very ySr POST NJ ,ster, anl he
is an able editor. He thus sketches the
trial of the Post Masters. There are some
on this side Of Skunk who can sympathizs
with the brother in his distress.
very little do tile thousands who come
70 the Post Office know Of the troubles Of
the Post Master. Every member Of COM
manitv understands that the Post Office is
one OF Uncle Stmral's thoughtful arrange
msnts for the convenien 'e Of his numerous
nephews and nieces. and that the Post Mas
ter has an ea ,v time Of It'll 'thiny to do
but hand ont letters to all who NAV call
for them. and he is ex xpected to have a let
ter without fail, for all, who do call. More
over, he Is expected to know every man at
sight, and the name Of every member OF
every mans famlv-must always be in
good humor, while the slightest mistake
on his part cannot be overlook ed or forgiv-
en-. for is he not a public servant? If A.
deposits letter directed TO "Wsshington.
IOWA." and it never reaches the party ad-
dressed, the rascallv P. NJ. is to blame Of
course, although so badly is il written that
it wolud take Philadelphia lawyer to tell
whether Iowa, Indiana. or Pennsylvania
was meant. If p. fails to receive letter
when he thinks he ought to have one, its
the p. Ms. fault. to be sure. Only short
time ago q gentleman presented himself at
the Post Ofice in Washington and de-
rnsnded 'thst letter" None could be pro-
doced. He still insisted that there vas ore
for him, "for'' said he, "T trr.. now saw
Mr.. c. wtrr told me he saw letter mailed
for me at Brighton four days ago.
At this seemingly positive proof that he
had mislaid. withheld or stolen the letter.
the p. NJ. was forced to remain dumb
With a clear conscience. however he wait
ell for time to explain the matter. Sure
enough in few DAYS it was ascertained
that the letter in question had been placed
in the office at Brighton, but pithom a
stamp and Of course the Post Master there
could not send it'll Thus, through the care
lessness Of the mar who mailed the letter,
suspicious of dishonesty rested upon the
Post Master. This is not very pleasant to-
be horps as may be imagined.
people imagine that they must gsf
fetS01s8hen they come to the Post ofa
with as much certainty and regulari
they do their beef at the butchers.
comes Mrs. OFlaherty, and prascntff
herself at the delivery, exclsims:
"Have vs iver letthor for me?"
mo, none"
"Are ys sure Of that same'''
'.Sure'
"An' would We be afthcr sarchin. n We
pIaze. Mr.. Postmasther. Sure there must
be one from my ould man.
He "sarohed" for what use was II to tell
her that he had looked over the letters in
the boxes fifty times since the arrival OF
the last mail, and knew by heart the super
seription OF every letter in them. OF course
there was none for her.
"An' whn will We be .fther gsttin LETT
ther for me?''
''Can't say. Mrs. O'Flaherty."
Cant say! devil mend yer manners
ye can't say I the like Of We settih up for {.
Post Masthsr. and can't tell poor SOL
disr's grass wildly when she'll be gettin a
letther. Sure an my ould cow would
make q better Post Masthsr than your own
ed-Mister Holden out to make room for We.
Sure didn't Mrs. Mike OShane get let
ther the day, and ye won't give me one al
all, at allf'
And away goes Mrs. O'Flsherty. But
she's only one in hundred who daily call
at the Post Offioe and ask Tor letters which
they know have never been written
There's old Joe Tinker for instance who
hasn't a relation in the world. and has no
more prospect'of receiving a letter than we
have of becoming rioh-he can no more
pass the Post Office without coming in am
asking for a letter than Jake Guzzle can
pass Mike Shilling's! And there's pretty
Miss Posy Mink, who called regularly
three times day for two months, and nov-
ergQt letter, till finally one day n letter
did Mutually come for her, and my! how
astonished she was! She didn't call again
for two days!
Ifit could be known the extent OF the
careless and erroneous direction OF letters,
Post Masters would not be blamed omuch
for their miscarriage. Thousands Of let
tsrs 20 up to the Dead Letter Office through
inaccuracy in direction. It is very fire.
quently the case that letters intended fol
heads Of Departments at Washington City
find their way to the Office in this place
being directed to washington Iowa." IN
stead Of Washington, d. c. One i ~
from thu Adjutant Generals office ami
sral from other State officials, haves fdio
their way here in that way. 1t would seem
that it In not generally known that the cap
ital Of the Nation has not yet been transfer
red to this place.
Another cause for perplexity and mis-
takes is the fact that writer's do not direc
their letters with sufficient particularity.-
For instance, a letter is received at this Of
fice directed "Mrs. J. Wilson," Now
there are no less than = dozen diffaren
Wilson families within this p. o. deliver,
and the difficulty Of delivering this letts
to the proper person il apparent. Ant
this calls to mind scene that happened
not long since. A man calls at the p. o
and says: .-.. ..
II want that letter advertised for me-J
W. Wilson. / don't see why my letter,
are advertised, for have called here every
few days.
The letter was handed him, and as il hat
been opened by some one, his disgust n
the poor management Of the Post Of1ic
was greatly increased. He goes off ant