The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-11-23
The Country Post-0mce.

liaps never, building dedicated to let
ters, with Uncle Sans initiates on the
outward wall.
The postmaster usually keeps the
store as well and regards the other lit
tie affair as means Of increasing his
business-nothing more. When any
one comes for letter he will be apt to
go away with sugar also. The salary of
the position is not worth On ONCE seeker
struggles, Us it is sometime two dollars
per annum, sometimes four. The letters
are put away in desk or box, if the
postmaster is verJ careful man, if Mt
ho hunts them up when inquired
for
The officer at my post Office Frog
land Station-is currently reported to
have replied to Miss Sabina Smih's in
quirY for letter, by shouting Into the
back room;
Il say, wife warn't that ere letter Ba-
by was chawing, directed to II ss Sabi-
na Smith!
To which wife replied:
Yes; I'll fetch it. l allow you'll have
to dry it. Miss Smith, fore you k in
read it. He's chawed the cnvelopse clar
through
This, however, is strong case Gen
orally, by going for a letter to the Frog
land Station, one would be apt to get it
with the envelope unbrokcn.
What gathering place that post
shce is. Perchcd upon the barrels, or
leaning on the counters, one may fad
AL the idlers of the neigh5orhood; ami
here, too, about post hours, youns farm
ers make their appearance, and, while
talking Of crops, anxiously watch the
road down which some young female
figure is pretty soon to Come No
doubt many proposal has ben made
lou lss 'S;ss way honia from the post-oficc.
1t not, young, farmers, have no idea OF,
what good chance means. A
quiet road, no n,artnl in sight; trees
waving overhead; Il little brook ripping
on one hand, on the olhcrsidc the woods;
the summer afternoon drawing TO a
close: all sweet things influence her
budding heart; aud he in his store
clothes aud "bous shtcn hut look.
ings we'll.
The question, practically interpreted
would be:
After few months Of cour;ing and
kissing, will y"n wash, and scrub, and
milk, aud cook for me until you die Of
it,
But why should the country girl 30
more than her city sisters? They see
bright picture often quite unreal
through tho magic circle Of the mar
ringc ring, and 50 does she of course.
Hc:haT= Frc95lii,. Station Is not the
place, bu! it might have beca, W here n
letter directed 10 Mothcr;Tand nothing
more, lay so long mystifying the post
master, Until an old woman hobbled in
one morning and asked for "a letter
from my son, what's at sea-" when the
epistIe being handed over, was fouud to
have reached its destination.
Squire Schcnck claims the pig en-.
vclopc with esquire SUNK" upon it,
as matter Of course; and Miss Anna
natia Morton does not feel surprised
wien an epistlc is handed to her With
this remarkable word upon it:
Anncrmariah MYrria II.
y letter is letter when it comes to
country post office, and it is not ex
pocted to be clean, or to be directed in
any orthodox manner.
Letters addressed, Poly jenkins,
or any of ,er t she's away" and
"llelcn Dibbons, forgetting, her mar.
ricd name, were received without sur.
prise.
One which bore the superscriptiou,
"Mr. Peter Parkins," remaincd for
long time unclaimed, until the post.
master remembered that that was his
own name. lie hAd been called Uncle
Pete" SO long, that he had forgotten the
fact entirely
Yes, this is queer little post officer
quaint and strange and simple, and with.
out rules or order; but though it many
message of JOY and sadness had pass
ed-mapy story of marriage and death.
Hearts have beaten wildly on their way
to that frame bnilding perched, treeless,
on hill; and many IL poor, quiveriug
lips had been hardly able to form the