The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-02-10
\ LOVE STORY
Suggested BY a Visit to the Dead Letter
Ofhce..A Chance for Sec ond Irving to
Make II HimseIf Eamous.
Editorial c Correspondence. ]

Editorial Correspondence
/ WASHINGTON, u G., Jan. &c, 1883. -
! \ stiffness and silence as OF the grav,
| pervades the inner court Of the Dead Let
| ter Office. Talking is carried on in almos
whispered tones, the cofiins envelopes
| that contain the last that is mortal of deao
| letters are opened hurrieiiy and noiseles,
| j., and as rapidly and noiselessly de
| posted in the graves boxes to await
their resurrection the taking out and re
mailing to the sender> Few visitors find
admittance on the working floors of this
department, the work II which is peculiar
TO itself, and on tina: account as we'll as
others, bad more than an ordinary inter
est for me. like man or woman who
have something about them that individ-
ualizes them. even if it Is an eccentricity
that is not always admirable or pleasant
Unique personalities have, for me, an
irresistible attraction. Everyday going
sort Of people are tiresome. | want a
man who has originality, freshness, per
sonaity. Whether he wears a silk hat,
individuality. it attracts me. In sight
seeing | am the same way Everybody
goes to see the Washington Monument, to
the White House, to the Capitol Every
body is familiar with these great attrac-
tonS.
But what visitor to Washington, leaving
the marts Of fashion, trade and legislation,
bribes the ferry luan to row him over the
river Styx, and spends an hour in the
Dead Letter office? Here are the ghosts
and wandering spirits of departed letters
AS examined these dead letters carefully
and watched the expert clerks opening
them, as carefully and as indifferently as
an old grave digger throws on the clods
that cover the remains of one we hold
dear, l fell into a reflective mood and
stood, with my thoughts as dead to pass
ing scenes, as the letters were dead for all
mailing purposes. One of the letters was
III a square envelope, and the handwriting
was that of a woman, and it was address
ed to ''Mr -" | observed that
when it was opened, lock of hair, dark
ringlet fell out, and with it wee bunch
of violets. The clerk irritated me by hand
ling these tokens of affection with the
employed in dealing with prosaic busl-
ness letter. l pictured to myself a true
and beautiful girl, whose heart beat warm
ly for the love of her sweetheart, and who
sought to give expression to that love by
these sweet tokens. Her letter had mis-
carried, and the "dear fellow for whom
she robbed her curls and plucked the
"sweet new violet" is mayhap waiting
still for the word of hope and assurance
that the letter contained He may never
get them, and he may never know that
the violet and the curl were sent to tell
him how sweet welcome was waiting
him, and how much he was part of the
sweetest thoughts Of the sender. | was
not permitted to read the letter, or see the
postoffice at which it was mailed. 1t
might have been sent to some fellow |
know-some one who is regarded AS want
ing in sentiment by his companions. 1t
may be that there had been an estrange
ment between lovers, and that these ''tri-
fes light as air. to all but the sender and
the one to whom they were sent, would
have brought aching and separated hearts
together again. And, thus musing, l be-
gan building up fabric of a love story
that had been running smoothly enough
but for the miscarriage of letter. The
letter that would have brought hope and
love and cheer to waiting heart found
it's way to the Dead Letter office, and
hopeless and chcerless fellow is deprived
of the happiness for which his soul is
longing. l gave my imagination wings
for the time, and began making the plot
for romance equal to the thrilling serials
of Wilkie Collins. But / do not intend to
write my imaginations. l give the gist
of my reflections. Here are the outlines
let the reader construct the story.
The practice at the department is to re-
turn the letter to the sender. if the name
is signed. But, nine chances in ten the
young lady only signed herself,
''Your own
Sally Ann"
and, of course, her letter and her vioets
will fade, and her ringlet turn gray before
they reach their destination. And in conse
quence she may die an unloved old maid,
and the fellow may marry an ugly and
scrawny woman for her money, and their
lives may be summed up in the might
Have Beenp that Whittier sung so sweetly
about in his story of the Judge and the
maiden ''raking hay"
"Ah, well! for us all some sweet hope lies
Deeply buried from human eyes;
And, in the hereafter, angels may
Roll the stone from its grave away"
Enough sad and amusing letters and
incidents did see in this sepulchre of the
hope of careless or ignorant letter writers,
to furnish material for many stories that,
if penned by an Irving, would move ''eyes
unused to weep" If John W. Hays, Jr.,
would gather up the threads of the Incl
dents told by these letters and write them
for the readers of the CHRONICLE, in his
charming Irving like vein, he would place
them, and the editor as WE'LL under last
ing obligations. l hope he will take this
''hint," and do it.
For me, is the task, in plain, and
straightforward way, to give account of
the practical operations of the Dead Letter
Office. In 1887 the number of letters re-
ceived at this Office was 4,S43, ,O99. In