, 1878-01-26
a Stamp coliectio n Story.

cutting Oh the tails OF calves running
at large.
a Stamp coliectio n Story.
From the Boston Post
Some time in October an aged
lady in New York City, findi1g
herself without the means to
procure the necessaries Of life,
made application to various per-
sons for assistance in obtaining
admission to the st. Luke's
Home for Women in that city.
One gentleman to whom she ap-
piled asked her if she was will
ing to make a great effort to OBJ
tain the desired end. She replied
that it was not much that she
could do, but her will was good
and she would try. The gentle
man then replied: off you will
collect me one million of old
postage stamps l will give you
the $500 needed to obtain admis-.
sion to the home" The old lady
was at first discouraged. How
ever, as she was a person of
much energy and courage, she
went to. work in earnest. She
first sought the assistance of
some friends of better days, and
was fortunate in finding two la
dies noted for their energy in
works of charity, Mrs. Gibbins
and Mrs. Halstead, of New
York, who promised to aid her.
Their plan was as follows: To
call at many of thesoffices of the
city and ask that all the stamps
on the letters received might be
saved. Mrs. Gibbins also wrote
to the wife Of E. G.. Champney,
the artist of this city, requiring
her assistance. Mrs. Champ
ney at once began work. She
informed her friends of the pro-
posed scheme and requested
their assistance.
The enthusiasm with which
this idea was received was won
derful. Children began to watch
for letters that came to their
houses with almost as much i'm
patience as any lover watches for
dainty, perfumed notes. Men
and.women, on receiving letters,
would proceed to cut off the
stamp before reading the epistle.
From hundreds the number be-
came thousands and ten thous-
ands. Last week all that
was then wanted to COM
plete the amount was ninety four
thousand. On receiving the
contributions from various sour
ces this week it was found that
they had one million and five
thousand, and on informing the
gentleman who takes the stamps
Of the fact, he offered to give
another free bed in DR.. Burgh-
er's hospital for 4 second mil
lion. the bed to be disposed of by
Mesdames Gibbirs and Halstead
to the most deserving person
known to them. Persons who
desire to assist in this work may
send their contributions to the
Messrs. Brookes Il Walbrldge
Brothers, Isl Hanover street.
On being informed that her
home for life was insured, the
lady expressed her gratitude to
the kind friends who had assist
ed her. Although having had
the assistance of many, the lady
has gathered by her own person
al efforts over three hundred
thousand stamps in the past ten
weeks, or an average Of thirty
thousand per week or five thou
sand in q day. The stamps on
being received were counted and
tied up in packages of one hun
dred each, and then ten of these
packages were tied together, and
in this form they were sent to
the gentleman who had agreed
to furnish the money. What
final disposition was to be made
of the stamps was for a. long
time q matter Of much curiosity.
1t was at last ascertained that
they are to be sent to Europe to
be used in the manufacture of
papler-mache goods, the paper
of which the stamps are made
making them desirable, and the
mucilsge also adding to their
strength. The million stamps,
packed in the manner described,
fill an ordinary Saratoga trunk.
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