New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-22
prrHJsToRIc MESSENGER BOY

sinoul0rlv interesting piece of current lnlOIha-
tion for which the world is indebted to Inc teth-
bert GA IpprGl goes to show that the district
messenger boy, instead of being. "a Is generally
eunpo,ed. a purely modern institution IN reality
ontedates coherent history. Iho IPpea' conveys
the information in question thus t'rscS
Living on the ground at the rear dooriof our town
mar,hal's store Is the petrliled body OF human
being. apparently. Those who have examined IL
pronouncc it, resemblance almost perfect IL Is
rock brought 10 town several years ago from
QUAR-, near by, and since then ha- been used as
doorstep 80.
some Of these DAYS when Georgia has less politics
and more ci,uro time on her hands she will doubt
les, demand of her scientific citizens that they
make AN exhaustive examination OF tins local
,,,,,focflon Bnt without waiting for the de-
,,iisd repoft of these gentlemen Il Is entirely pru-
dent to hazard the prediction that the stone now
l,,,g ne1r the rear door of the store OF
the town marshal of Cnthbert was III
il Ae.Lly. sentIent days the form OF
d,.trct messenger boy. This conclusion
is based on the fact that the petriacton Is recum-
bent and was discovered in quarry
Those who are familiar with the habits OF the
district messenger boy report that he II c"hsutu-
tonaIIy tired and hence Is much gwen 10 the
recupcration Of his vital tissues by frequent us'S
on his pathway. Ibis particular messenger wa"
became a permanent hard boy ia Georgia most
Hk.ly started out early ono morning IN the dawn
If lime 70 deliver a special delivery letter or tele-
gram that had been rushed HIS mission calling
for unusual CELEBRITY Of movement. II Is TO be pre-
surncd that in obedience 10 the law of Compensa-
tiou rccopnizcd bv his species hr became unusually
C,t,ued before il va. accomplished. lie stops; he
lights A cigarette; he carefully pcrnSeS the con
tent, of a bulletIu-bOard; he passes tho time Oh
d4v with comrado going, Or at all events hteho-
ing 10 60 the other way; he turns h~lhe INTO
ouarrV 10 get good stone 10 throw AZ police
man: and then with careless grace he throws NM
self upon the ground Ia rest hit nap iolloWS
which resolve, itsclf iutO deep. long. dream
less sleep. So deep and long and dream
les. that. ass commonly the case with district
messenger bows outsldc of the metropolis oil courSe
,,tr,oction set in before he had finished IT. All
this happened long, long ago. when the "ofId was
youuc and iocnnd-say in the fine old days before
Noah started to get out the timber Tor the afk.
They wondered at the ollce-aler two or three
w,,ks-what kept tho boy; The Ncsopoidnia II1b-
,,ys noted his disappearance. the man who placed
thc snecIal stamp on the letter or who had ordered
thc telegram rushed made him the subject OF a
number Of corrOdins cXplchvcs. but IN course OF
time. like the man who first nominated Buchanan
he was a good dcn lost sight OF.
ANY person knowing more sadly engaging chap
fer in the annals Of Georgia will please send hlS
name 10 this Office inclOslng stamps Tor thanks. III
il a chapter surcharRod wita an admonltion wnlch
il well calculated to sink into the heart OF the
district messenger boy of the period. from the
rear door of the store of tho town marshal of
Cuthbcrt comes a voice saving, Oh, brother take
warning by my unhappy fate. If thou woulFst not
Inv, to become Il wretched, unsympatheto petrlfac-
ion to be trodden under foot az doorstep, romcm-
brr that although art Is long time Is heeting lie
spry. be spry evermore be spry.