The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-12-30
HOW A POST OFFICE CLERK BECAME
QUEENS MESSENGER.

once been 4 "Queen'S messenger" an Office,
the nature and duties of which ae not very
generally known even in Engl@ ad, and in
America perhaps not at all. Rctol commenc-
ING the story told me by this gentleman, and
which was simply an answer to my inquiry
of how he came by his appointment, q word
about the Office in question may not be unin-
teresting to the reader.
AQuecn's messenger is an individual whose
duty it is to report himself at the Foreign OF
flee every morning at 10 O'Clock and there
receive any orders the Foreign Secretary may
have for him. These orders are of II peculiar
nature, and may require the messenger 10
start oil at any 1nOment-eVGn halt an hour
after receiving them-to the most distant cor
ner of the earth. They are i'll fact dispatches,
Of which he is TO be the bearer, and the indi-
Viduals to whom they are carried are the
Britisha shambassadorsrcsid at foreign courts,
or other Of England's representatives abroad.
Usually the trip does not extend beyond the
limits OF European countries; but u Queens
messenger may also have to make . journey
to India, China, South America OF the United
States
The Queens messenger is invariably Il
gentlcnan-according to the English aocep-
tation Of the Word-usually u captain in the
army. retired from military duty. His pay is
that of u captain in the regular service
about two hundred and fifty pounds per
annum; but there are profits, arising from
allowances for travelling, and other expenses,
that make the affair worth nearly double the
amount. Being D post Of emolunent and
honor, as also one whose duties are Of q
varied and interesting kind, it is naturally
much coveted, and exceedingly difficult to
obtain-ail the more from the limited num-
Der OF individuals employed upon this ser
vice. There are in all about I; dozen Queens
messengers attached to the Foreign Office
Some are. of course, always absent upon
their crrands; while others who chance to be
at home, waiting orders, take their regular
turn according to roster"
With this explanation proceed to give the
tale told me by the cX-luoen's messenger,
and, Us near rs [ can renmeber it, in his own
words
| began life rs a clerk in the Post Office
Department. After serving my novitiate in
the General Post Office. London. and having
passed {, very satisfactory examination, | was
appointed to the post office railway van, on
the line between London and Dover.
You are, of course, aware that there is Il
large van attached to each Of the principal
mail trains leaving London, fitted up with
compartments, tables, and pigeon-holes--in
short. a complete travelling post office. Each
has its clerk and assistant, who assert the
letters as the train proceeds. They are then
put into mail bags; each bearing the name
Of Il particular Office district through which
the railway passes On approaching a town
or station where the train is MOI intended to
stop, the bag belonging to that place is hung
out hy the side Of the van, and gets struck
5v a derrick-set up by the side of the rail-
road which jerks it off and deposits it at the
station. In the same way the lettcr-bag to
be carried on from the place is hung on the
derrick and caught in net fixed along the
side Of the yan-thus avoiding the necessity
Of q stoppagc,
The sliperintendence of q railway post Of
fee van is considered an important post, and
a clerk appointed to is pretty sure of further
promotion. My friends congratulated me on
the appointment, and Iconsidered my fortune
as good Us made,
How little did think that | should be en-
ployed only 4 very short time i'll this capacity,
and that my rise i'll life was to be not only in
u very different direction, but much more
rapid than it could have been had remained
, q poor post office clerk
! 1t was in the early part of the year 1854,
| lust six months after | had commenced my
duties on the railway. that the change in my
fortune came about, | was going down from
London to Dover with the French night mail
and had lust stepped into my van, previou,
to the starting of the train from the London
uniform of a Queens messenger came ny tC
the van door and asked me if | would takc
charge of his dispatch-bag.
II ask Eou," said he ''bccause | fear tha
ar about to be unwcll, and in ease Of acci
dent should like to leave these dispatches il
safe hands"
''Such u course is most unusually" repll
ed, land your request very extraordinary.
Il know it," he answered; 'but this feel
ing has just come over me. At this momcn
really feel well enough; but | can't help
prcscntiment that something is about to hap
pen to me- My dispatches are forour minis
ter in Paris, and | must have them delivered
indeed, should fail to do so would lose N,
appointment 1t is not so easy to satisfy tn
powers that be-
''You need not tell me that answered |
II know it is sufficiently myself Well thpr
may be no harm in it, and | will do as yo
| wish"
''Than1 YOU" he replied in the mos
grateful manner, handing me q morocco
leather bag of considerable ponderosity y
Should anything occur to me I hope yo
ley, the English ambassador at Paris"
"CcrtainIy," I promised, still regarding
him with astonishmcnt, for he was Il particu
larly healthy Hooking fellow, as well as c
prepossessing appearance. ''No doubt yo1
will be ready to relieve me of my charge q
Dover, and can attend to the matter yourself
Come, don't be down-heartcd; there's notl
inc the matter with you
At this moment the last bell, before start
ing. warned him to hurry away to his seat il
a lirst-class carriage and turned to my as
sisant saying:
"Wel, Ned, what do you think of it9'
''That chaps queer" answered Ned 9
don't know what to make of him. For a
that | think he means mischicfn
'Mischief! how o.
''Suicide!" :" answered my assistant.
.Good God | never thought Of that
AS ! spoke, the train started and | su:
pected that l had put my foot in it. no7
turned to the bag, intending to deposit it in
place of safety.
sBy George, Ned exclaimed, .'this is
heavy customer. Either the Queens messel
ger or her Maiesty's Foreign Office are takin