The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-02-23
DEADLETTERS.
The National Curiosity shop In Washington.

1
carelessness. There are gathered the
evidences of thoughtless suicides, MUIR
ders of chirography, and fatal accidents
which results from carelessness. All
letters or packages which have upon or
in them the faintest traces of ownership
are carefully traced to their homes; but
there remain countless articles, each
having n value, be it more or less, which
accumulate day after day. The conse-
quence is that the Office becomes clog
ged up with the multitude of things
which have strayed away from their
owners, and it becomes necessary to
hold an annual clearing sale "to make
room for more stock" as the tradasmen
say in their announcements. These
sales have become a feature in Wash
ington, and the curious crowd pick up
many choice bargain. The annual
sale will begin in Washington this year
Mt 10 a. m. December 4, and will con-
tinue until the stock is disposed of.
The catalogue is n curiosity in it's way,
and gives one an idea of the kind of ar
ticles forwarded through the mails. The
list includes 1902 lots, which in many
cases are made up of number of differ
ent articles, thus swelling the aggre-
gate of pieces to an enormous number.
The figures given represent the num-
Der of packages carelessly addressed,
insufficiently paid, or containing I'M
mailable articles for which no owners
could be found after systematic inquiry
About twenty per cent. of these articles
would have been returned on payment
of postage had the senders availed
themselves of the simple device of put
ting their name and address on the
wrapper. The amount realized from
the sales is reclaimable at any time
within four years on receipt of proper
proof from the sender or the person adj
dressed.
In the catalogue are included 7 $50
lots Of miscellaneous articles, the COM
binations in each package being often
fantastic and grotesque. Gentlemen
who may be unprovided with neckwear
can turn to the very first lot on the list
and purchase dozed linen collars, size
sixteen and one-half. Just what the
sender was after when he inclosed in
lot ID a box of keys, some window fast
eners, two casters, and rivet-head, is
~
ment, which might truly be called "mis-
cellaneous," consists of twenty-four
pieces of isinglass, two coils Of wire,
two paint-brushes, an old razor, pair
of scissors, and a pocket-knife. A black
lace tie, a corset, size p, piece of blue
ribbon, and two hair-bangs are unmis-
takably feminine; while damaged
meerschaum cigar-holder, felt hat, o
briar pipe, three soiled cuffs, and re-
volver are Enthusiastically masculine; but
it is difficult to classify collection en-
bracing a hair-switch, six pocket-knives,
six tooth-brushes, pair of striped hose,
five toy wind-mills, three smokers dress
ing-cases, cotton shirt, and lot Of
damaged toys.
From careful study of the returns it
would appear that the fair sex are large
ly to blame for the sale, for fully three
fourths of the packages contain articles
essentially feminine rizzes, bangs,
switches, shoes, baby clothes, lace,
gloves, thread, needles, sewing machine
attachments and articles which single
men seldom see. The males are re-
sponsible for the revolvers, which are
unavailable, but both must bear the
blame for the pocket-knives, which are
constantly turning up Ill the most UNI
expected places, being sandwiched in
between false front and a pair of col
ored corsets, or tobacco pouch and
screw driver. There must be men ut
that sale, for it takes man to bid on
an umbrella cover, n pair of gents kid
gloves, and pair of soiled half hose,
l IL IL A a
also be some of the other sex at the
sale, for no horrid man would dare lift
up his voice for lot No. COL, which COM
prises complete set of lady's soiled
underclothing The packages number
ed from 1,541 to 1,549 each contains q
box of violin strings, while those from
1906 to 4,707 are each made up of hair
combings and hair switches.
There are any quantity of toys, a
washing-machine, a clothes-wringer and
1875 packages of music. The title of
one of them, "Let Me Dream Again."
suggests that the sender was practicing
the dream business when he mailed the
package, "Will He Come" might be an
swered had still another ballad reached
its destination, while "The Letter in the
SdIuie 10 eSpeclaify appropriate 10 u
piece of mail in the Dead-Letter Office.
There are exactly 1874 packages of
books which will never delight the
minds of the people for whom they
were intended. There are scores of BIZ
bles, dozens of religious works, and
plenty of standard volumes by authors
of note. "Songs for the Sanctuary" is
wedged in between American Educa-
ton" and "Guetier's Metallic Alloy"
while "How Gamblers Win" finds a
place between two dictionaries. And,
by the way, it may be observed that the
number of people who are stumbling
about in literary darkness for want of
the dictionaries which never reached
them is simply alarming, and fit sub
ject for Congressional investigation.
The last schedule embraces different
packages of jewelry, and these will
doubtless be eagerly scanned by the
bidders, for many of them appear to be
valuable. Watches, chains, rings, eye
glasses, and tableware appear in profu-
sion and confusion, many being of evil
dent value, while others are mere
worthless trinkets.
If ANYTHING was ever valuable for its