New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-02-11
A REMlNlscENcE.

A "REMINISCENCES.
The Old CROSSROADS Post-oeace, and the
Letter for Freeman e. Huddie, Esq.
There are very few people in this
country nowadays who ever saw the
old-fashioned crossroads post-oifiee in
all its pristine loneliness and simple
beauty.
l remember when / was boy. how !
was sent on Saturday afternoons to the
post-office for the weekly mail. The
post-ofice was known as Omega, per-
haps, because it was the last place on
earth where man would expect to find
a post-otfice. 1t was kept by a man
whose name was Ralph Baldwin, and
he was noted for the possession of long
er hair than anybody else III Marion
County. He kept the office in his resi-
dence, which consisted Of log cabin of
one large room, in which the numerous;
family ate, slept, received company and
distributed mail
A man.. whose name was Hammond,
kept general store hard by, and when
we boys Of the vicinity were sent there
for the mail we generally had some
small purchases to make. and loiterea
about Hammond's store waiting for .
mail-carrier. who rode a sarry-looIli
horse from the railroad-station son
nine miles distant, with the ill-fitti n
pouch resting across the place whci
the horn of the saddle would have bee
if it had not been a ''moolry.' Ever
few minutes one OF the anxious waite
would wade the mud to Tie middle
the road to look for him, and when h
bent form was seen on the brow of =
distant hill, his coming was announce
with as much gusto as is now exhibit
ed in the cities on viewing the a.
proach of q special train bearing the
President.
When he came, there was wild flut-
ter OF expectancy. and when he non
chalantly pitched tie pouch into Ralph
Baldwin's door, knocking off his spec
tacles and bedaubing him with mud,
we made mad rush for the post-oflice.
There were only four chairs in the room,
and Hammond occupied one of these.
Alexander Milil>en, a candidate fer til
Legislature on the Temperance ticket,
occupied another. Ralph Baldwin the
third, and the oldest man present thu
remaining one, while as many as could
do so sat on the edge of the bed, and
the trundle-bed was pulled OFT to ac
commodate more of us. The post
masters family was all huddled together
around the cook-stove, and all the boys
made it a part of their business to cast
sleeps eyes at Mag, Ralph's eldest
daughter, who was the belle of that
election precinct. confess that often
laid deep plots against the Government,
in which saw bright future for my
self. The plan of salvation to which
subscribed ran as follows: viii marry
Mag. Pap-I always regarded him as
my prospective father-in-law at suc
moments would die some time, and
then | would succeed him as postmaster
at Omega But enough of National
affairs and deep and dark designs upon
its high places.
The postmaster empticd the contents
Of the bag into his hat, and having fishca
out lean bundle of letters. united the
string and began the delivery by calling
the names of those to whom they were
addressed. The call proceeded as fol
lows:
Hammond, (hefe); Milliken, (here):
Smith--Long John Smith, Jack ,'ones
Cucumber j ohm Smith, Hammond, Mill
ken, Little John Smith, Hammond, Milf
ken, Hammond, Hammond, Cross-Eyed
Jack Jones, Milliken, Joe Splitter, Mill
ken, Hammond, Freeman L. Huddle,
Esq. That's all, gentlemen
Jewhillikens! Freeman f. Hudale,
and he an esquire How my heart
jumped up and climbed right into my
mouth, where 1T tluttered around and
cut up such capers | could not answer
to my name. Even the s,,nothcrca
groan that came from old Grandma
Baldwin, upon whose stomach those
that sat on the bedside were reposing,
had no charms for nc | tore open
that envelope only to find that it had
never been sealed, and that If contained
a circular which read, as nearly as
can remember, as follows:
EsTEEMED SIR: You have been recon-.
mended to us as gentleman OF strict III.
tegrity and unusual business acuncn ard
we desire to call your attention to 81 scheme
by which you can earn at least Si,;;5 :s,s5 per
week at home. This offer is only good for
ten days from the date you receive this let
ter, and il you desire. to avail yourself of It.
please forward two dollars (s2GO> for partcu.
lars by return mail. Very truly yours,
HALSTED a. SPEAGTE.
II, IL, Is and II Vcssy street. New York
l got on the old sorrel mare I had
ridden to the crossroads and made a
bee line for home as fast as her
spawned legs could carry me. never
found out why father took me out be.
hind the barn and licked me with a
pump-handle when I tri1lmphantly
presented my letter from New York
and demanded two dollars, until after
| had attained my majority. Through
MAIL