New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
euEIoSInlry ofIuELoADoA rosT oFucE
From Inc SATURDAY Rcdoc.


From me SATURDAY Bcrie,c.
We find moi only every conceivable article which
can bee :ouud an % pIWuIrOhcrs ora hdbcidashcrSs
SHOP uut birds, beasts, reptiles. fish. insects, and
uuuu.Js, \ ~hurt iiIr ago Wdap.s nest was among
flr temporary treasures al the department. Shortly
before. 90 lizard ana "A showroom uusuiiClcuUy dI-
rDeirH found Their way Ia tine same office. They
hlu been packed Iu the same box, dnd WhcD OPEN
ED overnight appeared to pe living IN peace aud
aUity. lnc following morning II was reported. as
a uDuJt >ahIc phenomenon. mat one OF The Crea-
lures ua. vanished nom The closed bUA; on eN-
animation It appeared thal the lIlaiu hdd indeed
gone from -lgut, and that the slow worm was cuor-
Iuuusy swollen m his dig stlye parts. On Que Oc-
e.. sluu number of torn letters were forwarded to
toe department from lrtterboN INTO which a
mouse had been thrown 10y some PLAYFUL spirit. 1t
turucu ont the mouse had LETT al of tine letters
untouched except those which contained postage
stamps bu,I It's sense of smell had guided 1t To all
those with stamps IN them, and II hdd blIlcu
through the covers ANA eaten away at the adhesive
gum uu the back oil the stamps, IL oiltu happtuS
tat the parcels which fin their way 10 tins depart
meat contain I-smrIlug objects such decayed
frnll and flowers dead birds, stale meat and rotten
oysters. For the comfort OF the openers these par
GELS arc sent up from the ground NOR To the upper
story, whero they are examined IN an iron lift htted
outside the walls, which lalts nj the window ol the
examining room. Inc plccE can Jhus bc opened
AMI investigated without the offensive smells pcne-
trutng INTO the room iSelt. Sometimes a slice of
uast, or of old plum pudding is found III letter
why such "a thing should be sent at all Is puzzle,
till close examination shows tndt II contains
sovercigns hidden in il with view to escaping the
registration leo 1 OF lnt NilllN reason bONCltiklb
are often concealed in newspapers 1t frequently
happens thar unaddrcsSed letters, when opened, are
found TO contain checks sometimes to Il very large
amount These it is of course easy tOreturn, through
the banker to their owners But with the best will
m the world, the department is left with mass of
articles of every conceivable kind on its hands
which, at intervals OF three months are sold by auc
ton. Among these are empty, unaddrcSSod purses,
winch are constantly found in letter-bONes, put
there by thieves who have transferred the contents
TO their own pockets. House keys also fro
quently found i'll the same places, dropped into
them by tenants no have left their houses Without
paying the landlord his rent Sometimes, however,
they politely attach label to the key, with tho
name and address of the landlord, thus signifyng
to him that he may look out for another and moro
solvent occupicr. From the Old name of tho Dead
Letter Office popular belief that all inquiries
as to persons dead or missing, or as TO soldiers
sailors who have not been heard OF by their friends,
should be made there.
Some of the instructions of letters are very curl
ous One to "OTl VNeill" was for long time q
source of much perplexity till at length quick
cared official, caught by certain similarity of
sound, suggested 1t proved correctly, that it
meant for Rowland Hhl, the writer having ap-
parently often heard the word pronounced, but
never it written. An envelope containing
girl in London, to My dear Father in Yorkshire,
the white house with green palings" There is a
letter by mad person, summoning friend TO APP
pear ON q certain day for judgment in the next
world, whence the letter Is dat, d. woman writes
to say that the foot disease is caused by
the prevalent practice of burying people alive and
signs herself by her professional Nance of Anna
the Prophecies" and by her general name" of
Miss R" The attention Of the department IL