The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-12-09
Christmas and the P0stOilicc.

IAN OLD PosTOFrICE CLERK,' who
has for years held a responsible position in
the newspaper department of the Chicago
postOtlicc, furnishes the following valuable
information for the benefit of those who
may design using Uncle Sans mails to
convey Christmas or other presents 10
absent friends:
What have Christmas and the POst0tliCc
to do with each other? you may ask.
am going to tell YOU, and do trust that
you may not only listen, but remember.
1t is an old story, told and told again, but
for all that my observation leads me to
know that il has been told to very little
purpose You are going to mail some
! friend a Christmas present; very good;
| this is commcndable, but don't choose any
| trail articles liable to injurC other mail
matter by being broken, for, however well
secured, the enormous pressure mail-bags
| are subjected to will crush them. Besides,
it is not lawful. Any other article that
! will weigh less than four pounds, tic
securely with strong tto{nc (not thread, rs
| many dO), in Il good stout papcr-"r strong
| box-in such Il manner that the PoStpi>icc
clerk may examine without destroying
the wrapper; you need not expose the
goods-only leave it 50 that it can he
readily opened. Do not write on that
| little mittcn, For Charley" or on the
pin-Cushion, "TO Emma or upon the
cover of your box, "a Merry Christmas
l,rtLt
mas from Pa" lfyou do, you will cause
your friend to pay letter postage, and oc-
casion bad feelings all around. Don't
think that you can write line and hide 1t
away in this book, or that cover, for | tell
YOU those boys are sharp, and will find ii,
no matter how clcverly concealed. Next
comes the address; write this with ink
plainly; if you cannot do this, ask some
friend to do it for you, in form as follows:
JOHN SMITH, ESQ,
Chicago,
Cook Co., ILL.,
If to city, give street and number when
known, and if to the care of any other
party, 50 write plainly at the left OF the
address.
Now MANY will add to this, thinking to
assist the Pnstot1icc clerk and prevent eN-
animation the words: "a Book, " "NGr-
cEandise," "No Writjng,' or, Return if
not called for to -" Yes, you do as
sist the clerk by doing this, for it saves
him the trouble of an examination. lie
Immediately charges it letter postage, as
the law compcls him TO do; 50, my friend,
don't do it.
Now, weigh your package, and for
each ounce attach a one-ccnt stamp; de-
. liver it to your Postmaster, and your work
is done, and rightly done. You may rest
assured that, in the natural course OF
r events, your friends will be made glad
without annoyance or expense.
You may say that you cannot mail more
than one present at a time, as the friends
receiving them could not designate to
whom each belonged without a previous
: letter describing each article sent, thus
destroying the plcasurable surprise
so desirable. If you will pay par
ticular attention l will tell you how to
r overcome this objcction-nay, even add
to the pleasure, as it will open up fond
anticipations. Pin to each article slip
Of paper on which is marked Il number,
C having previously written letter, saying
g that you have mailed a package and that
c No. is for ma, No. , for pa, No. 3 for
5 baby, etc, etc. Your friends will receive
the letter and will wonder what Nos. /,
2 or 3 can consist of. Suppose you
r wish to inform your friend who sent the
present at the time he receives 1t, then
Il why not inclose your photograph or one
of your prtated cards? These things you
d may do lawfully. :,
@ have endeavored to speak plain and l
trust that aN will clearly understand, that
h I may have less occasion to rate up your
coming Christmas prcsents-Uncle Sam
o not desiring you to sutfcr-but law is law
It -CAscago Euening Lamp.
!, On Saturday William Ogg's twelve
y year-old girl, in Georgetown, became pro
voked at something that her baby-sistel
. had done, and slapped it. MIR. ogg IL
turn chastised the elder child. ms Sc
:. incensed the girl that she Immediately an
- nounced her determination to XII hersen
: She straightway went to the riyer-th'
> Big Miami-with bundle OF clothes
under her arms, and, first throwing tht
q clothes deliberately into the river, jumpet
g in after them, and was drowned.-Cincis
IL natl Enquirer.
,e "PATRIcK," said an old gentleman t
IT his servant, we are all creatures of fate.
|, q Wall if Il wasn,f for fate how the dick