The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-10-23
Putting Up job on a Postmaster.

=
York Times writes from Guntown,
New Mexico, Sept. 2S; The post.
master here died abOnt a year ago,
and considerable trouble has been
experienced in finding q new one
who would be satisfactory and
competent. For long time there
was no appointment, the diminu.
tive mail being opened by the first
man who happened to get it. At
length the people concluded 10
petition for the appointment of
Sim Duff. who keeps saloon
here. He was u Jackson Demo
crat, aud his standing in the com.
munity was good.
The only other men IN town who
had the facilities for keeping the
Office were another saloon.keeper
named Fritz aud a grocer, who
also kept liquor, named Beebe.
As the request for Duff's appoint.
ment was almost unanimous il was
supposed that he would get the
place, but after a while Beebe was
appointed, as the special agent at
Santa Fe explained, because Dufi
kept a saloon, and it was against
the policy of the administration to
appoint saloon keepers. That
made everybody mad. Beebe had
never been popular, was unable to
write, aud was moreover. u very
stupid fellow, not more than half
witted, as some people said.
To get even with all hands, the
citizens held a meeting and put ~
u job which was some time in com
ing to head. Beebe, in the mean
time, had received his commission
aud was doing his best with the
mails. One day last week olt
lIcrrick Price, who used to liv'
in Tennessee, drove up IN front o
Beebe's place, hitched his horses
and yanked a yonng wildcat ou
of his wagon. The beast wal
frisky and ugly, but apparent.
not dangerous. On his collar wal
a card bearing the address.
"To the President Of the Unite'
States, from the Grateful Demo
cratic Citizens of Guntown, n. NJ
A natural curiosity. Democrati
from tip to tip. Feed him ant
treat him gently. He is used Z
luxury"
Pulling the beast into the posi-
Office, old man Price asked wha
the postage on him would be
Beebe didn't know. lie had new
, er handled wildcats before. We'll
Price had. He had mailed on
to Mr.. Arthur, aud before his da,
the boys had sent q bear to Gen
Grant. lie wanted to know wha
+; tho tax would be. Beebe opene,
u book and pretended to read
Then he looked at the wildcat an,
next at Prince. At length Ii
stammered ont something to tn
effect that it would probably b
about ten Stamps. Price bough
! the stamps, stuck them on tn
! cats collar, aud turned him owe
to the postmaster with an injun,
! tion to be careful of him.
That afternoon when the mai
carrier came along he refused I
J take the animal. Beebe swor
that he should, because the pos
| age had been paid. The drive
. said he would lick Beebe frs
whereupon the postmaster, VIII
was u man of high temper. strue
the driver in the face. A fight eI
sued, and while il was In progres
] the wildcat got mad aud ran int
= the grocery. where he crawle
under q counter. When Becb
and The mail carrier had settle
. their dif'ereaces the former wen
after the cat, but was soon warne
by the animals demeanor that IL
timacy with him was moi safe. Il
this time the town was on the ou
size watching the fun.
The driver aud Beebe tried var
our experiments in the hope of gei
J ting the Beast out, but withou
q success until at length they h
A upon the plan of putting bi
4 leather mailbag near him with
piece of meat in ii, the idea bein
: that he would dash into the ba
: for the meat. and they could the
j. close il quickly and thus have bin
securely done up for his long joul
!, ney. The plan worked TO perfe'
tion, and few minutes later tn
: crowd in front had the pleasure {
!, seeing the driver aud Beeb
!, emerge, carrying the bag contain
+ ing the compliments of the cit
zens of Guntown.
To simplify matters Beebe ha
n attached to the bag a card, o
y which the mail carrier had writer
81 Wild catt incide. Poast pade.
When the bag had been depo
tied in the wagon and the drive
e had. whipped up his horses an
8 vanished the citizens called 0
3 Beebe and congratulated him o
> his success in his new place. The
all hands went away and awaite
u developments.
n These came TO day, when a So
r cial agent arrived, deposed Beb
|. and commissioned Duff as pos