The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1882-11-04
KILLED BY REFORM.
An Unsaleried Clerk Passes in His
Check.

The san francisco GOSt rCcOuntS
the sad death of Jump, the famous
Post Office dog, who came to his
end through the enforcement Of an
ordor by the now Postmaster, Cen
cral Backus, forbidding the use of
tobacco in the various departments.
Jump belonged TO the letter sorting
department. In day time he pa
trollcd tho floor, returning any
misplaced package to its proper
department. The lightning fin
gered clerk would pause only long
enough to fling some epistolary
estray over his shoulder with a
short Foreign Jump!" or "City
Boxes !" or ''China Steamer" or
whatever tho letters rightful de
partmcnt might be, when the intel
ligent blackand-tan would pounco
on it like n rat, and trot off to the
proper clerk in charge. At night
the dog took entire control Of a
certain side door, permitting none
but officially recognized employees
to enter without instantly alarming
the others. And in this specially
it is said that Jumps instinct was
SO perfected by practice that a sin
gle official introduction to a new
employee was quite sufficient iden-
LITIGATION for all time thereafter.
For the past three or four years
this unsalaried but exemplary pub
lie servent was affected with q sort
of canine asthma, relieved only by
the inhalation of tobacco smoke.
When the affection became very
distressing, Jump would lie down
over some still smouldering cigar
stump, and inhale the order until
his difficulty Of respiration was nit
igated. When the prohibitory
order came he was the fast to no
tice the change. The damp air Of
the old building at once increased
his cough. With wistfull looks the
poor creature trotted among its
%nervously solemn friends pleading
in vain for the accustomed ''butt,
which no one dared to toss to the
suffering animal. His pain grew
worse and worse, until one day, q
couple Of weeks ago, he could
hardly find breath to answer o
knock at the door; as for barking
that WAS impossible. The knowl-
edge of his inability to remain on
the active list broke the poor beasts
faithful heart. One night recently,
just as the night Waterman was
thorough work and preparing to
leave the dog was missed, much to
the general establishment. Pres
emily he was discovered wander
up and down on the pavement out
side. While the clerks were dis
cussing this still more unwanted
circumstance, the door was feebly
pushed open, and Jump entered,
carrying an old cigar stump in his
mouth. After awhilehe seemed tc
reason out the matter, and looked
inqniringly up at his audience, witt
an expression that said more plainly
than words:
"IIave any of you got a match 2
Regulations be bowed !" sale
one of the carriers, huskily Cpl
give the old fellowa smoke, if I ge.
bounced for it r and he lugged gu.
and lit a genuine Front stree.
Havana.
But when he stopped to apply thu
relief, the pleading brown eye.
were shuttle little grizzled form
was stiff and cold. The faithful
dogs soul had passed beyond tn,
need of earthly incense. Old Juml
was dead.
That's all !, except that upon tn.
little white headboard that nov
marks his grave these words ~.
steneiled, by way Of an epitaph;
.'Killed by Reform"