Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-26

Lit ~. Icol-DUUBIE Sf
/ to give an estimate Of the amount of matter
handled on account of the great pressure made
| upon their time.
AT THE CITY POST OFFICE
Early yesterday morning peep into the dis
tributing room Of the city post Office afforded
spectacle that was well worth seeing The rows
of long tables that I'll the large room were lit
orally piled ceiling high with mail matter walt
Ing to be delivered. Like banks of snow, the
mail matter lay In great white heaps and piles,
and, like snow under the rays of the sun, they
melted away under the vigorous and energetic
efforts Of our agile mail-earr!ers. It was q
sight to strike terror to the heart Of most any
mail-carrier but when the time came the men
shouldered their mail-bags, crammed their
pockets full, and In all probability slowed away
| a part in their hats, and in moments of emer-
gency used their mouths; but finally In good
time. the entire mass was spread broadcast over
the city. Besides the full force, all the substi-
tutes and auxiliaries were pressed into service,
being equivalent to 16 extra men. Every man
carried heavy load, and one carrier said that
his bag weighed 100 pounds. STAR reporter
ran across the superintendent Mr.. J. E.. Bell,
and asked him the amount of Christmas mail
matter, compared with that of last year.
1.-THE increase is wonderful, }" was the reply;
'and the remarkable feature of 1t is no delay in
tuc TuSu. Our neaFy business Ola not DeCtn
until Friday, but since then and up to to-day it
has been very heavy. The business routes
or those taking the stores and offices. have
usually on Monday very heavy mail delivery,
but to-day these routes were light, while the
residence routes were heavy"
what makes you think that the mail matter
was larger than last year," asked the reporter.
"Of course have had no time to make an ac-
curate estimate, but the carriers tell me that is
| the case. and they are apt to be good Judges"
| tWaS there DELAY in the delivery ta-daveo
continued the reporter.
I'VE had only one delivery" replied Mr. Bell,
''and that was in the morning, and the matter
was taken out very promptly. OF course. there
livered, but with this exception there was no
delay. The carriers made unusual efforts In
order to please the public, and the result was
very creuitable."
| "What was the character Of Yesterdays mail?"
| asked the reporter
81 should judge" was the reply, sthat 1t was
principally Christmas cards and packages.
thought last year would be the end of the Christ
mas card mania, but don't think SO now. Why,
| four years ago a Christmas card was rare
thing The public then got the mania, and the
business seems to be getting larger every year.
don't know what We will do if it keeps on"
"You don't see any indications of hard times,
then, in your department." asked the reporter.
Hardly" replied Mr.. Bell Last Monday
one of our merchants told me that business was
dull, but that he was not inclined to complain.
| as all the rest seemed to be in the same boat
Everybody postponed buying, but as soon as the
pocketbook strings were pulled the money
poured out"
The Final Scene In a Famous Trial.
MISS sTURLAS IR0NICAL SPEECH ON BEING SEN
| FENCED TO IMPRISONMENT
The final proceedings in the famous Stiles
Sturla murder case, which has so long attracted
public attention in Chicago occurred last FRI
day in the criminal court, before Judge Gardner.
Miss Sturla entered the room smiling, and gave
every evidence Of being in excellent health as
well as in fine spirits, until she caught sight of
Richard Stiles, who was sitting near Mr.. Mills
table, and who, she seemed to think, had come
there to gloat over her. Her countenance
changed at once; her Italian blood mounted to
| her cheeks, and she gave him a look that neither
he nor those who witnessed it will soon forget
When the court had been convened, Mr.. Trude
counsel for the defense said that no effort would
be made to set aside the verdict, and the Judge
| thereupon sentenced Miss Sturla to one years
| Imprisonment.
When asked if she had anything to say Miss
Sturla looked out for moment at the daylight
which streamed In at the window in front of
| which she stood, and then, fixing her eyes on
the judge. addressed him as follows: ~ am per-
| 1ectly satisfied. your honor. and go with the
| pleasant recollection that nine jurymen stood
| by me, and of the two that were against me- Mr..
Forbes and Mr.. Tobias, Mr.. Forbes was man
| that kept house of ill-fame at one time in
| Sioux city, his son being killed by woman
| whom he had seduced, and Mr.. Tobias was put
| on to convict me and he failed. That was the
reason OF nine Of the jurors standing by me. My
lawyer tried to have him put OF the jury but it
was not allowed. That is all l have to say,
| thank you"
AS the woman delivered this brief Grafton she
| was picture, those who saw her during the
trial would not have dreamed her capable Of the
| 1rOnical accent and cOntemptuOus curl Of the
| lips with which she spoke and they would have
been equally surprised to have witnessed the
imperiOus sweep Of the hand which attended the
| return OF thanks to the court. She withdrew
| from the court in company with the balliff in
| whose charge she has been since the beginning
| OF the trial, and returned to the Jail to await
her removal to Joliet, which will occur in few
| days. She has gained nearly ten pounds since
her incarceration and Is looking remarkably
well. Before she was brought into the court
| room She was in high spirits and talked gayly
| OF going On the stage after two years Of study,
which she would begin as soon as she gained
her liberty.
| The Observation-Disclosures Quarrel at
Home.
| New York Tribune cable special from Lon
don, December 49, says: The Langtry-La-
| bOuchere quarrel attracts much attention. the
society papers copying the details from the New
YORK Journals, even the Times publishing tele-
grams to the effect that Mrs. Langtry's social
position in America has been affected. People
| here censure the publicity given, holding that
Mrs. Langtry's private life has nothing to do
with her theatrical career.
His Uncle is Sick.
From the Detroit Free Press.
girl might as well be up and down about
such things as to suffer herself to be imposed
| on and have the feeling gnawng at her heart
| from one years end to another. The other eve
ming when certain young man in this city
dropped himself down in the parlor alongside of
the girl he hopes to marry some day or other,
she began: