Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08
SARATOGAS BY MAIL
How the Swiss POstOfics AccommO-
dates the Public.
THE CHEEKY LETTER CARRIER
Who Returns Borrowed Umbrellas for
Honest Peasants.
AN OFFICIAL WHO is NOT O7ERPAID

AN OFFICIAL WHO Is NOT OTERPAID
BEREEsE OBERLAND, November H.
THERE'S no doubt about 1t, our letter carrier
is a character. When nature made him she
stamped on him in clear characters that all
may read: "LoOk on this man and laugh"
and most people unconseiously obey her. In
other times and another cline he might
have been a kings favorite Jester. bat In our
day he is an Independent Swiss In the
service of his country. Not that he Is 4
habitual joker; oh, no. I never heard him
say anything extraordinarily amusino bnt
his whole appearance, his carriage. the verv
turn Of his head is joke. From seeing 40
many laughing faces all his life his eounte-
nance has taken on a broad smile. and his
eyes Jolly twinkle. What a CHEEKY voice
he has! 1t echoes down the road on a stormy
night, when he passes, carrying a small
lantern that looks like o wandering star
As ne goes by the gate be calls out: Moth
ing for you tonight, Marianne, lebet wohIf'
and his farewell seems a benedietion.
Our postDan lives in little chalet, whose
age is BETRAYED by the tiny bits Of glass set
in lead in the small windows. It fs built
flush with the stony road, and, when YOU
have climbed the hill that leads to it, YOU
are glad to sit down on one of the benches
that are Hospitality nailed to the front OF the
house. Above one of them hangs a green
post box, ornamented by small red square,
on which is painted the white cross Of swift
zerland. There is a fine view from the
postman's house-that is, from the back Of
II, or from the stone wall that fences the
held of from the road, Out across the
meadows you see the blue waters Of the lake,
and at the end of it the city Of Thun, and
beyond the Jura Mountains.
AN HONEST PEAsANrKY.
was often amused after sudden shower
of a Sunday afternoon to see the postman
with a number of umbrellas. They were
evidently those that had been lent 10 city
folks caught in the rain in their Sunday
best. And as the Swiss is proverbially hon
est, be even takes the trouble to send back
borrowed umbrellas promptly. It is ne Joke
to carry peasants umbrella borrowed
one myself once from the postman when
was caught in athunder shower at the post
office, and before was half way home
wished that had asked him to come and
carry it for me. They are built to last sew
eral generations, and to shelter a whole
family.
When he reaches the postofice the carrier
passes in all the letters to have the time Of
arrival stamped and then proceeds to sort
them. He is supposed to be through at $50.
but is often an hour later. The letters in
the village he delivers at once, the others he
puts in his bag to be attended to at his con-
venienee. On his way home to dinner he
leaves the mail at few favored houses, ours
among them. After he has eaten he goes to
work at his farming, and doubt not he
gets through lot Of work in the morning
before he starts. Up at 4, he could easily
get field half mown before he leaves on his
first trip.
In the afternoon all the letters that are to
60 must be at the Office at quarter before6
and some time between then and half-past
B the postman takes them; but woe betide
you, If you should reckon on his being late,
for that day he will appear in lime and your
letter will be left.
Somewhere about p NJ. he returns with
the mail. wonder if be ever fingers to
watch the Alpine glow on these wonderful
snow peaks of the Balmhorn, Alteis and
Blumlisalp. But no. it must be too old
tory for him, it is much more likely that he
tops for a chat on politics, or q bit Of gossip
by the roadside.
SENDING TRUNKS By POST.
One day some American friends arrived.
We wsnt to meet them, and found only q
small trunk fastened to the back of car
rage Dy lnuumefdDle cOruS.
"Where is your Saratoga trunk7" we ex-
,lAimed in surprise.
"oh, that's all right, it's coming after
Is"
But howl not by the pcst2'
''Yes, of course. Our last landlord said
hat was the best way to get it here, and he
promised to attend to it for u.s." We looked
It each other with wide open eyes, and ex-
'laimed simultaneously, "But the post
nanP' and struck by another idea. "And the
,undle Of blankets ordered from England,
hey are sure to come the same day." We
lever quite knew how the big trunk reached
he house. We we're away at the time. Ore
lay we had a letter from the owner, in
which she wrote, 81 heard last night that
be Saratoga had got as far as the village"
nd when we got back the next day there it
Fas in the house.
On his rounds early and late, in storm
nd sunshine, in deep snow and cutting
Tinds, summer and winter, up and down
hat steep path, trudges the postman, and I
hink no one will venture to deny that he
arms his pay, $50 year. M.G.