Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-16
HOW THE NAILS ARE USED
A LIST OF ARTICLES IN THE
DEAD LETTER OFFICE.
A Catalogue of Things Sent Through
Post Offices Offered for sale at Auc-
ton in Washington.

49, ~ logan yesterday tAS odtS VI NV e.N-
emulation OF articles at the dead letter
Office. The catalogue presents curious
study. The diversity of articles sent
through the mails, as revealed by this
little pamphlet, is undenisbly surprising.
In single column on one of its pages
are mentioned plug tobacco, pipes, ba-
rometers, thermometers, cotton handker-
Chiefs cravats, collars, smoking tobacco,
cigar holders, meu's shirts, broken clock
works, a scroll saw, states and slate
pencils, a lamp chimney cleaner, lace
crib cover, ladies' neckties, needles,
calico, cuff buttons, razOrs, teaspoons,
rubber type, games dolls, suspenders,
pocketbooks, lady's back comb, mems
socks, calico sunbonnet, achild's straw
nat. chlld's unfinished Undertaking, a
bead pincushion, cheap jeweiry. stamped
linen patterns, crewel yarn, damaged
KID gloves, buckskin mittens, dog
skin gloves, women's hutton shoes,
children's leggings, child's brown
dress, set Of cheap Jewelry,
teaspoons, butter knives, sugar spoons,
piano strings, patent lamp, old
dress basque, shawls, worsted trimming,
lamp mat, infants knit jacket and blue
hood, wOman's rubber cloak, a nickel stop
boxes Of baking powder, cheap pictures,
music, three macrame shopping bags,
toilet soap and aprons. This great vari-
ETY. OF articles 10 mentioned in a single
column containing - lots. Each page
has two columns, and there are so pages.
embracing 5,204 lots. OF these, 1901 lots
consist Of odd groups of assorted curiosi-
ties, such as those already mentioned;
1929 are books, and a are lots of jewelry
I'D r,k-
very much as if blind man had fshed
them out Of grist mill in full operation
with crab net. There is absolutely no
sense whatever in the arrangement, and
by buying a single lot a purchaser can, in
many instances, obtain amusement
enough to last him a year.
The most curious thing in the oata-
logue, however, is the mysterious thread
Of romance which is discernlble in the
arrangement of the first Is lots. 1t might
not be noticed by a superficial observer,
but any close student of the catalogue is
bound to see it. Lot No. consists OF a
razor, cheap pocket knife, shaving brush,
cheap razor strOp, and shaving soap.
That is unquestlOnably a masculine lot.
Lot No. is large tidy. lace collar, hand
kerchief, and lady's damaged flannel
skirt. There they area bachelor and
young lady. In lot No. 3 he is plainly
seen sending her presents-a silk hand
kerchief, a small white apron, and a
cheap shawl. Lots Nos. 4, and tell
the same tale OF masculine bribery of
feminine affection. These lots consist of
cheap jewelry, coin purse, cheap
pictures, music, a small silk shoulder
shawl, and lady's necktie. Lot No. ! re-
veals the fact that they met and were
married, for it contains a pair of sus-
penders, tobacco, burglar alarm, and
gents damaged hose" What is home
without burglar alarm and ''gent's dam
aged hosep' The next two lots still fur
Their depict the domestic life Of the newly
married couple. Lot No. 6 has 13 tea
spoons, knife and fork, and a table,
spoon, while lot No. 8 contains a folding
metallic cup, small lamp, cheap purse,
blank cards, and envelopes. With these
common but useful articles they continue
their humble housekeeping until lot No.
10 comes along with a child's garment
and reveals the touching fact that they
two have become they three. Lot No. II
contains pair OF lady's cheap shoes and
pair of child's dittOs, showing that the
little household has had to enter upon a
career OF economy, owing to the increase
in its size. Then comes in a telegraph
instrument, showing that the young
husband has formed the habit of
staying away at nights, and, being tele-
graph operator, he has tapped wire and
put KEY in his house so that he can de-
ceive his loving wife with false messages.
Things drift on in an unhappy way
through damaged hair switches, child's
old sOiled clothing, and lady's damaged
gloves, until lot No. Is comes along with
gentleman's damaged collar and cuffs,
gentleman's old damaged shirt and two
broken telegraph keys, showing that out
ragged womanhood has rised in her might,
thrown the peridiOus husband out of the
house, and smashed the lying instrument
of his deception. This sad domestic drama
ls outlined in the first column of the cata-
logue. Subsequent pages contain many
other romances of similar emotional in
terest, and those who want to read them
can lind them by hunting for them in the
proper place. vrl K
Here and there in the catalogue may be
found most curious assOrtments OF goods.
For instance. mechanic might manage
to extract great deal Of enjoyment out OF
lot No. ll5, which consists OF a pair of
Spectacies, three pairs OF scissors, two
riers, two lead pencils, two auger bits and
pocket knives, blacksmth's knife, far
a pair OF steel dividers. But how any one
person could get good combination out
OF lot 1856, consisting Of four piano strings,
patent lamp, and an old dress basque, is
puzzle. Another encouraging sort of
lot is NO. lU9, which embraces damaged
spvgass. a pair OF wristlets, "cent's"
necktie, a damaged cotton shirt. and
q sample OF dress goods. Occupa-
ton for idle women is furnished by
lot No. 62S, which contains small sew
ing machine and a boys old damaged
shirt, and lot No. 631 which is another
small sewing machine and some old dam
aged clothing. Combination No. 66l is q
puz2ler. II contains a razor, a shaving
brush. two small broken sewing ma
chimes. and a boys damaged hat. Lot
No. 727 ought to bring good price. for II
is two lady's wool "fascinators." The per-
son who buys Tot No. 73S will have music
wherever he goes. II consists of a flute
and two harmonious. ANY gentlem an
who contemp,ates camping out next sum-
mer should basten 20 Washington and
purchase lot No. S27, consisting OF a
/ small spyglsss, an automatic penhoidcr,
a damaged inkstand, needles, tape
measure, a l2tnch rule, q thimble in its
ease, and a scent bottle.
The articles mentioned are fair samples
Of what the various lots contain. A good
many lots contain cigars, smoking to-
bacco and plpee, which people appear TO
be fond Of sending through the mails.
The catalogue furnishes a most complete
record OF what may be sent through the
mails "a fourth-class matter at the legal
rate OF II cent per ounce or fraction
thereof" some Of the articles which a
casual observer would think 1t unusual
TO send through the mails are oil lamp