, 1888-08-05

articles found; for every imaginable thing
from a pair of spectacles down to an
original poem comes to light here.
Pressed flowers of every species, sent by
youths and maidens, locks of hair cIipped
from the woolly head of the southern
negro, as well as from the auburn col
ored pate of the northern belle, pieces OF
cloth, silk, satin and calico, labelled
piece Of my new Dress or like nv
new pants" candy, tobacco, chewing gum
and wedding cake, probably sent as sam
pies, money in moun ranging from a
copper penny to 800, some sent as gifts,
some IN payment of long standing wash
bills; In tact everything which a fertile
imagination has ever suggested, has at
some period turned up here. Quite a
large number of the letters opened are
circulars, including green goods and lot
terry bats, while many more are unpaid
bills.
In the returning department, managed
almost entirely by ladies', is where curiosi-
ties III the way OF correspondence turn up.
When a letter has no signature or address
at the close the body of it is glanced over
in search thereof. In case none is found
the letter goes into the waste basket.
Where there Is n the letter is placed in
an official envelope and returned to the
sender. AS before remarked information
obtained in the official treatment of a let
ter is never divulged-at least, SO saw the
rules. But as a woman can never keep a
secret, some of the contents of these let
ters occasionally come to light. Not to
particularize, | will only say that the re-
turning department would be an excel
lent field for a would be novelist. for it
would give him plenty of opportunity to
obtain whati is the secret of success in the
good writer-a thorough knowledge of
human nature.
Without ''diyulging any information"
L can also say that this is a splendid place
to find out how much ignorance exists in
our midst. For instance, letters often
reach here addressed to prominent men,
whose names and facts concerning whom
appear in the papers every day. They
are sent by people who imagine that a
letter addressed to a well known pers on
will surely reach him no matter to what
post Office addressed, and think that
"Rob't. G. Ingersoll, Cincinnati" or
Jay Gould. Philadelphia" are correct
addresses. Ignorance, too, and great ig-
norance at that. is displayed in the com
position of a large number of the letters,
and Tony Weller's celebrated letter to his
son is equalled here every day.
Probably the most interesting part of
the work here is the opening of parcels
which reach the office. A large proDor-
ton of the most valuable parcels sent here
Is addressed to foreign countries and re-
tanned because they contain dutiable
goods or exceed the limit of size or
weight. In all such cases, if the name of
the sender does not appear, the addresses
are notified that the package will be for
warded by express at their expense or re-
turned to the sender if they will furnish
the proper address in this country. The
articles received in parcels which can
neither be delivered to the person ad-
dressed nor returned to the sender are
finally sold at auction, "Old Hoss" style,
and the proceeds deposited in the United
States treasury.
They at times contain some very valu- |
able things. Not more than two weeks
ago n package came here addressed to
Portugal. 1t exceeded the limit of weight
for articles sen to foreign countries. And
no wonder. For, when opened, it was
found to contain six twenty, one ten and
one five dollar gold piece, ~aggregating in
all $l35. 1t had probably gone through a
dozen hands which, had the value been
known, it never would have passed.
The museum Of the dead letter office is
filled with curiosities thus received. The
latest acquisition is the scalp of a white
woman which remained uncalled for at
the office to which it was sent.
Considering the amount of carelessness
shown in the sending of letters by a great
number OF people, the dead letter office,
which tries to counterfeit to effect of such
carelessness, is truly an institution of
much public benefit. X. w. B.