The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-09-15
Dead Letters.

OF the DeaO-lettef ONCE. MIR. duRhe!
was for some time a clerk in the dead
letter Office and relates some interest
ing experiences connected with the de
livery of dead letters. About 10 ,OO(
are opened daily, and the money con
tanned in these amounts to about $S1,
600 o month. An interesting case was
where gentleman travelling on bust
ness sent letter containing 81, 500 tC
his wife at home. BY some unaccount
able neglect he sealed the envelope and
deposited it in the mail without any
address whatever. After the letter was
opened at the dead-letter office we
found that he had written but few
lines announcing his determination to
go further South, not mentioning any
probable destination, and signing the
name George" There was no clue
to trace the wife, and but slight one
to find the writer. After long search
George was discovered on the hotel
register, the only person out of thirty
two OF the same name who had merely
signed his name without saying where
he was from, or whittier going. An
other case, somewhat similar, was the
following: A letter was written. dated
Aston House, New York. signed
"Chauncey," inclosing $4,000 to lady
as a remuneration for the care with
which she had treated his parents. The
letter stated he was going to Europe.
The letter was misdrected, and was
opened ut the dead-letter office. the
postmaster of New York was instructed
to make inquiries at the Aston House
for Chauncey, who. after some trouble,
was found and the money returned to
him the very afternoon he left for Eu-
rope. The following are some Of the
singular superscriptions on dead let
tiers: "Please hand to my mother, and
oblige Mary" "Sal, if you want to hear
from your DO, you had better come and
get thisletter;' "In this letter there i,
$40 for Bob, and send it this way so
that the postmaster won't steal it,"
"Postmasters, please deliver this to the
young lady living in the first house be-
yond the wallet factory, that wears a
black dress and sack, white straw hat
and brown face trimmings. Now don't
make mistake" Several letters are
received addressed to the devil, Santa
Claus and other like personages. Of
ten these letters, with their foolish SUI
prescriptions. contain money.
GERMAN GIRLs.-At very early age
the child is placed in kindergarten
school, and later, if of we'll TODD par
ents, she is sent to a young ladies'
seminary. Here she is instructed not
only in her own language but also in
French, English and perhaps Italian
music, drawing, and painting are not
forgotten; great pains are taken to in
struct her in English and German lit
erature, while mathematics and the
sciences are neglected or soon dropped.
When about eighteen years Of age she
is confirmed. Finally, she leaves school
and enters society with her mother. 1t
would be deemed improper for young
lady, or even two, to attend any enter
tainment or visit any place of amuse-
ment without being accompanied by q
parent or an elderly person, and as for
travelling alono, that is entirely out Of
the question. Should lover aspire to
her hand, he consults her parents on
the subject, and makes them the me-
diators. If all is satisfactory, lie makes
her present of plain gold ring, and
places one of the same kind on his own
finger. When all is arranged they pro-
coed to the mayors Office and inform
him of the engagement, when it is reg
istered and announced in the city
papers. Printed notices are also sent
to friends, and the happy couple APP
pear arm in arm on the street. After
the engagement he can see the young
lady alone and take her occasionally to
the theatre or other place of amuse-
ment. After marriage, the pair are in
great measure independent of each
other, both pursuing their own peculiar
amusements, he readily succumbing to
the destinations of billiards and beer.
FAors ABOUT IMPoRrATIoNs.-E
Speaker Grow, of the National House,
made speech lately, at Portland, Me-,
on public affairs, in the course of which
he gave the following statistics:
The importation of foreign merchan-
disc in 1870 foreign valuation in gold)
was S435, 95S, 40S. or at the rate of S1l.-
80 per capita of the population; In 1872
the imports were 5000, 595. OFT, and in
1873 they we're S642, log, 210, or at the
rate of S1605 per capita, being G5 per
cent greater than the average for twelve
years Immediately preceding 1870.
The amount per capita Of foreign i'm
portations for twenty years preceding
1870 never exceeded $40 per day. The
importation OF foreign merchandise
(crin valuation for four years-lS71 to
1874 inclusive) was 81. $50. 361 .314, an
A.