The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-07-03
Written for the WoRkISeMANs ADVOCATE.
PICTURES, CHARACTERS,
.Fescs n-Ons .MinertOsCn.
BY sUBTERRANEAN.
N.eaps f,-Ons .MimerEOsCn
rHE PosT OFFICE
BY sUBTERRANEAN.
[COHtissed from lat ,0eek.

roof, is owned by the venerable host Of
the Black Horse Tavern. II came to him
with many acres of the coal lands on which
it stands, through the Sarah Bland he has
spoken of in his story. Sarah, poor girl,
died young, living only till she was eighty,
when she went to her grave on the sunny
slope of what the miners term Bait Pake
mountain.
The post office, proper, is under the
especial care Of an old fogy totally unfit
for the position. He did well enough in
times past when few called for letters in
the district. Now it takes all his time to
deal out the letters to the impatient in
habitants. No system has been adopted
in Minerstown post office. When you go
and ask for your letter, the old fellow
grabs hold of pile and shufiies them over
till he arrives at the identical one you ask
for, and he repeats the operation for the
next conner. For the sake Of expediency,
if you suggest the use Of letter boxes to
him, he will almost jump down your
throat, and utter the most unpleasant of
things. He is not in love with the present
state of affairs. His customers in both
store and post Office he treats as a kind Of
nuisance, giving unnecessary trouble. Sat
urday nights are his busiest times. Pat
Murphy then goes for his letters from the
ould dart. Pat waits IN the crowd Of
others waiting their turn, till he gets a
chance to address the post master, when
he asks for letter for himself, and has
the letters shutfied over for his own bene-
fit Then Pat asks for Mrs. Bridget Muir
phys, and the letters are again shuffled for
Bridget. Then, while the old gentleman
shutfies the letters, Pat remembers the
rest of his friends, and the letters are
shutiied for the benefit Of his brother Tim
othy, and Barney and Phelim, and his
cousins The miners and mechanics now
lnhabitng the valley, crowd the post office
till the old man shuts it up in disgust at 8
D. m after about one-half Of Saturdays
letters have been distributed eI4etters
now come to the post Office from all parts
of the world and the Dutch call and ask
for letters addressed to names not to be
pronounced by any ordinary individual,
no matter Of what nationality. Letters
come, too, from Wales, which sometimes
puzzle the postmaster to such a degree
that he is at loss to find out which Of
the David Davises Is meant by any par
ticular letter There are 80 many David
Davises, and William Williamses, and
Daniel Edwards, and John Joneses, that
David Davis, bachelor, gets letter and
is saluted by the words, " Dear Father,
while William Williams, a local preacher,
receives a letter politely requesting lmme
date payment Of bill Of many dollars
and cents for the last keg of whisky sent
to him. David Evans, married man, re-
ceives love letter making an appoint
ment, and the letter falls into his wifes
hands and when Davy comes from work
his hair is combed with the stove poker.
John Jones receives a note inviting him to
| set oOilAC JOAAh otAlhNAlS hO SuPBOoCo
to be an old comrade, in Philadelphia, and
he posts off to meet a perfect stranger,
one having the name Of his old compan-
| ion.
! But the WelchBen are not the only par
ties who receive each others letters by
mistake on account Of their similar names.
The women have had lively times and
much gossip on account Of stray letters
A complication was raised which involved
in it Mary Rees, widow Of thirty, and
Thomas Phillips. a young fellow Of TWEEN
ty-6ve, and Mary Rees, an interesting
young girl Of twenty.
Thomas Phillips worked i'll a neiglbor
ing town, and used to write love-letters to
Mary Rees, the interesting young girl.
Thomas was an industrious lad, and had
saved money enough to start housekeep-
ing so he wrote to advise his sweetheart
of the fact, and made formal proposition
of marriage. Thomas received an answer
which accepted his proposition and begged
the day to be named for the celebration Of
the nuptials. A day was named, and
Thomas came on to Minerstown at the ap-
pointed time. His road led past the door
of the minister he had written to, request
ing his professional services at an appoint
ed hour, which was drawing near. The
minister ,rds at home and irOUld cOHdeScend
to walk up to the brides house with
Thomas He had ''been to see the bride,
and found her in good spirits, and al
ready to return home with him at any
time after the ceremony was performed.
They passed on, and the minister stopped
and knocked at the door Of the widow,
Mary Rees Thomas, thinking this not
extraordinary behavior for for a minister
to call on one of his flock, as he supposed
her to be, fingered with him till the door
was opened, when the widow pounced upon
the asLonished young man and extended
such gracious welcome to him that he was
at loss to account for the mysterious be-
havior Of he widow.
Bent YOU comm in !" said the ex-
pectant lady, evidently desirous of spur
ring up the tardy young man
"You must excuse Inc, madam, says
Thomas. 81 have no time to spare, thank
you"
The widow, poor thing, pulled down her
brows and looked hard at Thomas. The
minister opened his eyes very wide. He,
good soul, stared first at one and then at
the other. Thomas, in his innocence,
looked amazement at them both.
The minister was the first to speak.
"What do you mean, sirl said the rev
erend gentleman austerily enough as il
beginning to see through hoax.
Il do not know what you do mean,
said Thomas in his bewilderment
mot know what l mean, sir p said
the minister in his severest tones.
"Did you not write me this letter
pulling out his notebook and selecting
piece Of paper from its folds, and put i
into Thomas hand.
"I did write this letter, SIR" saiC
Thomas.
"And is it not making an appointment
with me to marry you to this lady r