The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-10-17
AJoURNEY IN A BAG.
BY OLIVE THoRNE.

have story to tell you, young folks, FOL
I am Q travelling individual, and have seer
many things that you never saw, and perhaps
never heard Of
You must know that am letter. Twas
born-that is, I was written-in the city of
New York, by beautiful young lady. am
no common letter. on coarse paper, in shah
by yellow overcoat-envelope you call it
by no means My paper is of the daintiest,
cream-laid, and rose-scented, with gorgeous
monogram at the top. My coat is to match,
and I used to live in astiny rosewood desk,
with others of my kin.
When my mistress had written her MESA
ges, she folded me up, put me carefully ginto
my coat, sealed it, and gave me to the letter.
carrier:
I was young and foolish then, dear chill
dren, and l thought was starting on
pleasant journey to ind the "John" whose
name was writteA on my coat. Little did I
suspect that my very first trip would be TAX
en- in horrid, dark, leather bag, tied up in a
package between dirty yellow coat smell
ing OF fish, and dingy white one. so slrong
of musk one could hardly breathe. knew
should have the vulgar smell OF musk forever
after.
But at last l reached California-where
was sent, and when found myself in light.
clean box, with q glass front, hoped /
should soon find "John." IBut alas when
was handed out, with other letters, TO man
who asked for us, he looked at me and hand
ed me back.
"John Howard-there's 70 such name in
my house. The letter don't belong to me-
"But it's directed to Box 1887" said the
clerk.
swell, It's q mistake" said the man, and
my heart sank as went back into another
box, with lots Of others. $3.50
In day or two clerk came and wrote
!, down the names of US all, and passed us over
to a young lady, saying as he did so;
''Hero are the advertised letters"
wondered what that meant, but she sort
ed us over, put me in pile with others, and
stuck us into box marked FL. Soon found
out that all our names were printed in a
newspaper, and every little while all day
: some one would come and ask for one of US
They asked for Howe, and Horton, and Han
son, but no one came for Howard.
ielt very much discouraged as l thought
if my lovely young mistress, and how she
onged to have her message given to John.
, But what could debut wait?
had good long wait tool tell you, for
lay in that Office two months. Nobody cam:
for me, and at last when began to think
should die there, man came and took us al
out, and began 10 do US up again.
"What are those ~ asked lady's voice.
''Dead Letters, madam, - replied the man,
"I'm putting them up tor the Dead Letter
: Office -
SO l was dead-was ?''
had heard of death, but I felt alive
enough, and shivered to the end Of my Las
page, when thought perhaps I should bt
buried. ~
Buried indeed ?--I should think SO Bscl
1 went into that horrid bag. and an awful
long. joting journey took. But at last on
prison was opened, and I found myself in th'
Dead Letter Office, in Washington.
That's a curious place. In the first plac
l went into room, where perhaps dozel
clerks were at work, at monstrous piles O
letters, of all kinds. Business letters, low
letters, money letters, begging letters. Oh
l can't tell you half the kinds there were.
Y Our bag was emptied before very bus
e young man, and he proceeded at once t.
4 open US. Now, knew he wasn't John How
t ard, and felt very much insnlted
But of course [ couldn't say'anythng, an
8 so my coat was rudely jerked off, and he be
6 gan to read. a# So
y He had five piles of letters be lad read
The fret pile were those that had money
over one dollar. On the envelopes Of thes
he wrote how much money was in them, an
understood from what heard that the
were carefully sent back to the writer's.
= The second pile was letters that had check
or drafts, or valuable papers. These 80
were sent back to thee writer's.
The third pile was letters with small sum
d of money, letter stamps, receipts, and sue
!. things, ali sent back.
y The fourth pile was of letter containing
- nothing, but with the name of the write
b signed, so they could tell where to send ii
a My mistress had signed her full name yer
nicely:
|, MOLLY HOWARD,
1876 Blank Street,
. New York
SO went into the fourth pile. But tel
you the fifth pile was sight. The letter
} were signed with all sorts of fancy names
" Fanny. Lu, Josie, Will, Harry, and so on
3 | IIolr oe +bapo HADN'T a cirn 81 A. 4