National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-15

paper with an account Of more Republican
rascality, and Republican journal with
more details Of massacre I'm the "bull-
dozcd parishes" the Christian at Work.
and the Police GdsCttc, with its tale Of hor-
rors and frightful pictures, suggesting the
proprlety of our missionaries paying less
attention to the heathens abroad and more
to the heathens at home, orange blossoms
and young alligators in damp cotton boxes,
all the way from Florida. "IIoyps German
cologne" cards fill the car with delight
full perfume, which we are inhaling, when
out tumbles broken package Of "Scotch
snuff
Third man is the heavy clerk. His duty
is mulutudinous one, carrying the bags
from one end Of the car to the other,
dumping them on the table, unlocking
pouches, packing away bags and pouches,
and setting up the mail. This consists IN
placing the mail right side up on the table
SO that the jerker can conveniently handle
III to do this for a fast ierker will Keep him
busy. Each piece of mail is separately
picked up and neatly piled in line, with
the addresses so arranged that they can be
readily seen.
Likewise he performs the duties of cham
bermaid, eweeping up, attending to tue
fires, lights, &C., and entering (recordlng)
registered packages for head clerk; while
engaged in the performance Of this last.
named duty the locomotive, with sharp
jerk, suddenly slows down, nearly upset.
ting him. ThisSonvinces him Of the utter i'm
possibility Of writing anything legible while
the train is in motion. Scan leave this
work TO be finished at the depotpn This
remark ELECTS an explanation from the head
clerk TO the effect that 'these registers
must go on another train Immediately upon
our arrival at the depot, the public are
waiting for their money and other valuables
which are Enclosed In these registers, its
our duty TO attend TO this and It must be
done.n
In the performance of this duty the new
man occasionally meets with puzzler,
owing to pale ink and bad photography.
After vain endeavors to decipher 10, he
"pives II up" and shows IL TO head clerk,
who, without moments hesitation, calls
out the name. This does rot suit the new
man, who Dragged about his ability to read
any kind of writing; he insists that 1t is
not properly spelled, &C., and ends by ut
teiiug fearful threats against the chlrogra-
pher. Registered matter is receipted for
by all clerks and Others handling 1t. A
record Of all registered matter passing
through his hands Is kept by each head
clerk. This includes the number, date,
where from, destination, and condition OF
package. Frequently 800 registers come
abroad at station for which he has barely
five minutes to count them and notice their
condition, especially is this tho case when
the train Is mot on time" Just then II
requires cool head and quick hand and
eye. Here are thousands OF dollars passing
through his hands for which he must re-
ceipt without having the time to properly
examine the condition Of the packages.
His anxiety, however, ceases upon receiv-
Ing receipt upon delivery to the next au-
thorized, person. This is very grave and
responsible duty.
Third man catches the MALL this is done
with V-shaped instrument, which is at
tached to the side OF the car. The mail to
be caught is suspended In pouch from q
gallows on the wayside, about four feet
from the track. The catcher Is thrown up 80
that the suspended pouch is caught between
the prongs, and the catcher is Immediately
thrown down against the side Of the car so
as to hold the pouch until 1t is taken into
the car; at the same time pouch OF mail is
Kicked OIL or thrown to the carrier, who is
IN waiting. The mail is received and de-
livered in this way at stations where the
train does not stop.
Upon the reception OF the mall It Is
thrown In one end Of the car set apart for
that purpose, to be assorted In piles "by
states.",,
The round trip is generally made in 3]l
hours. This includes the working time
A
O'Clock D. m. SUNDAYS, working In the cars
at the depot until $50 a, m, Monday, at
which time the train starts for Petersburg,
Va, returning at 1880 o'clock Tuesdays
During the remainder of the week the
round trip is made In 2OI hours (if on timel,
The cold sow'' is the brag package. This
is a leather pouch, capable OF bo.ding about
ten thousand common sized letters. 1t is
heavy, stiff, and awkward. II the new man
handles this without ''giving way to his
feelings" be is then counted on as tone OF
EN-" and "the boys" Immediately become
interested in him.
The inspection of the oontents of this
cold soNI will oiva an i,oa of Tho oduna,
tional qualifications of the average Ameri-
can and the educated foreigner, who under
stands about as much of tine English lam
puage as an 'sold field seholari, does of
Greek. Every letter of the foreigner is
shaped like "z:n then comes the Spen-
cerian style with It's curves, angles, aud
lines SO twisted and entwined that Il is
nearly as difficult to unrayel as n SPIDERS
that the writer must have been pupil OF
INC iuulClJCu llOIuCGuICGlcy. NJ Ouc SeGUlS