The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-17

BILE probity. II ~ right to add that the
expectation IL seldom disappointed. They
are necessarily employed during working
hours, which last from eight o'clock In
the morning TO eight at night, almost with
out intermission, with difficulty securing
time to eat their meals. The duties i'm
posed on them are manifold. These in
clude the sale of stamps, the receipt and
disbursement of money upon postal or
ders, the reception and assortment OF let
tiers, the working of the telegraph, ana
the keeping OF accounts in the savings
banks, which have been made feature OF
the English postal system. Every mistake
IL vigorously censured, each fault in tele-
graphing Is punished by the deduction OF
one shilling from the Offenders pay, any
deficit in the cash box must be made good
by the person IN charge, and as very con-
siderable sums pass through their hands
every day. these female clerks have need to
be expert cashiers.
An acquaintance with foreign languages
10 not obligatory, although it is highly
priced by the Post Once authorities. That
degree OF culture, however. is seldom
found except among the young women APP
pointed directly by the Government. APP
pointees of this class receive during the
first year the same salary Of eight shillings
week, but this is speedily raised TO
twelve, then to sixteen shillings, and
finally to pound, when they attain the
post OF superintendent" We may add
that they get extra compensation for every
hour of work beyond the normal term.
Naturally those who work by the week IN
the receiving bureau, liable rs they are to
be dismissed at any moment, are eager to
| secure II permanent place under Govern
ment. An appointment is not easily had;
| but once obtained. the future is free from
care, since a reasonable pension is assured
| after twenty or twenty-five years of SER
vice. 1t is worth noting that the age OF
applicants must not fall short of twenty
nor exceed thirty years; older persons are
summary rejected.
No one can refuse respect and sympathy
| to these Woodworking women, who OBJ
| serves the smoothness, rapidity, and fdel-
| ity with which they commonly execute
their tasks. The most interesting time for
| a visit to the receiving room OF an English
| Post Once Is toward evening, when the
| varied dress and demeanor of the throng-
ing customers, drawn from all social grndes,
| present curious, lively picture, and the
patience of the female clerks is subjected
| to severe strain. In the midst of pack
ing and counting letters-oficial doou-
| ments by the way must be sorted out and
their aggregate inscribed on "a separate
| memorandum-it Is doubtless annoying 70
be leased with idle questions, and 1t must
be exasperating, when the telegraph ham
mer has begun to click and you are en-
gagged in reading off despatch, TO be
bawled nj by an angry voice reiterating a
demand for penny post stamp. In
general, however, these young women ex'
hibit the genuine English GOODNESS, aud II
really exemplary pohteness.
| 1t is certainly a curious phenomenon that
so many English women of education ant
good station should be willing to under
take such onerous and exacting labor for
such meagre pay. But we should remem-
Der that their calling is accounted hishl
respectable, and must therefore presen
potent attractions compared with voca
lions more remunerative, bur savoring o
mental relations. After all, however, W,
suspect that official dignity proves only Al
| Indifferent substitute for household SWAY
and conjugal importance.