Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-05-25
A POsrO rFtCE r.
Trials OF n Maiuen " no Had . Let
ter to Mail.

week hat an cid lady with an umbrella
in one hand and a square, she'll pinEed
envelope in the other wedged her way
through the crowd up to the stamp win
dow. She used her umbrella as a weapon
of attack in her fcrocious charge. and
with her letter high above her head to
keep from having the crispness crushed
out of 1t, she was very soon in the very
front rank OF the procession of stamp
purchasers. She grssped convulsively
every little while at a black beaded reti-
Guile that hnng by her side.
$50 this is the place where We sell
stampst' she asked, ss she poked her
nose into close proximity to the clerks
face.
The clerk blushed from sheer surprise,
and stammeringly assured her this was
the place.
well. I didn't know" she went on.
mail"
"All right Two cents please" replied
the clerk.
at don't 60 very far; only into Min
nesota. Can't, you make It less than
hat2'
mo. Two cents is the regular letter
ate"
"Well, / sent a letter to my niece down
~Shcboygaa. Me last summer, and that
My cost rae . cents"
Cant help that. Government fixes
hose Matters explained the CLERK.
well, 1 don't think that's fair. | sup
pose now, il ] wanted TO SEND this letter
across the street you d charge me the
same price"
Yes"
"Well, l declare: | could walk across
the street myself for nothing."
In the mcanime the old lady had
planted herself squarely in front OF the
window with Ter elbows spread out to
keep back the Gro wd.
please hurry, madam" exclaimed the
cxasperated clerk. do you want a
stampr'
Certainly | want q stamp. But DOM
you dare address ne as madam again
You're entirely t0o fresh. young man.
I'm q miss"
And the fossil gave a snile that looked
ike a crack III the face of a worn out
mummy.
Here's the letter; | wish you'd ad
dress il fer me. I've goL a felon on the
third finger ei my left hand. No, it. 8 on
my right naAd, or course. Right finger
on my second haud II | had any gloves
oil | could shsw IL To } GU"
The clerk assured her that he would
take her word for the statement witnouL
amy further evidence, and he again hinted
hat she Aad better hucry II tribe.
Several men In the line were. beginning
to grow i'm patient eaDugh TO club some.
body. A IN al boy la the crowd worked
the pigs lnto The pen rour times, and
still the line did not move.
What Is tae aodresst' gasped the
clerk, ts he 81, zed "A pen. glad to get
the old lady OF mis- hands
MIR. 3 nth, rep led the old woman.
unmindlsl Of the clerks evaporation.
then notlciHg the least show of a smile
on his fave she bridled up, and con.
Ihued: You Aeedn [ laugh, | guess
omith s as good a name as any. You
might be proud to have it yourself,
Iheophilus Y smith; that's the name.
! suppose you'd n laughed right in my
face IL it had been Jonn smith"
AL right. We got The name. Where
does Mr.. Smith liver asked the clerk.
800 10 u BhLitDLt dh ne COuId.
Somebody in the line gave II shove.
DE quiet, can yoH, back there"
yelled he old woman. Then TO the
cierk: 'Dldnt | say he lived in Mime
sota?"
Where abouts in M%innesotap'
DO you have to put that on?"
Certainly"
We'll, | vow. Eve plum clean forgot
that ,navf a{ IA Tk,, 10.
wrote him, and | can't be expected
TO remember every thing, can II"
No. conceded the cl,ra But You'll
have TO hurry. There's a crowd wait.
We'll, amt | hurrying, Irsyou that's
keeping me-"
Let me see NJ. Smiths letter. so I
can see where he l~ives.'
TO read itH"
Yes"
Sure, for osrtaint'
Yes
Now, you can look at the address,"
she said, as she careful y f. laed tue let
ter and held il up C Ose 10 the stamp sell
er's nose, bat | uoD { ALLOW any one 10
read my love letter, ut much
hoNS iD's'AS, 6'BS'Sh q hW III inc
Gro wd. listen to The old girl. trying to
let on she's getting love IeIterst'
Yes" gaspea tue dams, feeling that
explanation was necessary alter the
kids remark.
Yes" she continued, still addressing |
the stamp clerk. Il advertised in the
matrimonial column Of the Wedding |
Cake and this is in reply to an al swer
from IL. Eve heard OF letters sometimes
going to the dad letter offic &C. because
there wasn't enough postage on EN-"
The clerk assured her two cents was
sufficient. and after getting specific infor-
nation as 80 where TO drop the letter.
she stabbed tse kid in the back with her
umbrella and tore herself away from the
stamp wfadew.
Then the aerk go. down to work and
waited on tho thirty two customers that
had accumulated In just half The time il
took to get rid of the old maid.
Robert II. Porter's Work.
superintendent Porter expects in a
short time 10 have 100 clerks engaged on