The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-01
Postal Peculiarities.

Blue books are seldom light and pleasant
reading. People do not usually go to official
reports for amusement, and there is an idea
generally prevalent that statistics are dry.
But now and then the reports of public busi-
ness have really some juice in them. There
is, after all, romance hidden under masses OF
official figures, if would take the trouble to
dig it out; and perhaps no reports contain
more interesting curosities than those OF the
post office. Since Sir Rowland Hill induced
England to set an example of cheap postage to
all the world, nearly forty years ago, the post
office has become great medium OF inter-
course, notable instrument in the tragedies
and comedies of life. What histories Of do
mestic romance has it silently conveyed from
place to place! What news of death and mar
riage, of prosperity and ruin it has quietly
passed from mind to mind! recent report OF
the English Postmaster General betrays. too,
how limitless is the popular idea OF the func-
tions to be performed by Her Majesty's mails.
Letters, papers, circulars, sundry goods and
parlor ornaments are not, 1t appears t4e only
the past year the post office has found itself
carrying live rabbits, crabs and bees. 1t has
been burdened with Devonshire cream and
fruit mnoo and & pork pies S sSausages and
ments, geranium cuttings, tobacco and cigars,
elaziers diamonds, and notions. One parcel
was found to contain live snake OF unwont-
edly large stomach. On inquiry it was found
that lizard had been 'posted'' with the
snake, and that during transmission through
the mails the snake had waxed hungry and
swallowed his reptile brother.
Human carelessness is somewhat startlingly
exempliied by a years history OF the post
l1ntt ctaIi i,,E E,,e
land in twelvemonth without any address;
and of these nearly thousand contained
money! to the aggregate amount OF $40 900 in
cash and checks Thousands of postal cards
were sent to invisible recipients, and thous-
ands more were addressed, indeed, but pre-
sented blank on the message" side. Letters
with money in them were sent unsealed; pack
ages of golden sovereigns lay unclaimed IN the
office, either by sender or intended receiver
A letter arrived from the United States, ad-
dressed "Tittle Alice, sero-comic singer, Eng
land" perhaps with message from nome
which Little Alice" would have given "a
weeks salary to receive: Another came, ITO
| nv Nevvy in London" possibly from some
| rish and irascible country uncle who, receiving
| no reply, forthwith cut said 'Nevvy' off with
| a shilling A letter from Versailles was sent
| to England, with please put this young man
| in the right train for Penge." AS the letter
never fulfilled its object, it will forever remain
a mystery whether the young man" ever
reached Penge or not. instructions or no
directions on letters have their serious as well
as their comic side. What hopes may have
beer forever blighted by the failure to receive
some all-important message, carelessly sent;
what friendships may have been broken, what
lovers quarrelS unhealed, what business ad-
vantages unseized by the hurry in posting
letter or a mistake in its address! A. letter IS
seemingly trifing thing; yet upon its words
and its speeding often hangs destiny. Such
report as that upon which we have COM
npptp1 has the besides tntlI VI dHluoo-
ment, of warning people to be careful how
they write, how they direct and how they send
money in their missives to friends and CORES
pondents.