New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-13
THE STAMPEDE FOR STAMPS.
SOME QUEER STUDIES IN HUMAN MANURE AZ
THE POST oFFICE--THE TfoUBLEsoME
SPECIAL DELIVERY.

Thers IL . broad and fertile field In the Post
Office for those who gven to making character>
studies. A man has only to stand near one OF ne
stamp windows for Q few minutes to see moro oao
specimens Of man perhaps than are 10 oe io"na ~
any other one place In the city, and that means In
the country One has only to watch the hurrying'
nervous pushing line Of people rushing In one doof
and out another to realize what peculiar world TINS
Is. There Is the dapper young lawyers clerk he
knows what he wants and how TO get IL win the
least trouble He falls into line, impatenty tapping
bis foot until lis turn comes Then he puts down
dollar, says shortly FIFTY twos" snatches up his
stamps and darts through the crowd. Behind him,
perhaps is an old, bent, grsy-haired man, dressed
In a Jumper and a pair Of overalls. He ssEs fof
one stamp, and when this Is laid down before nim
on the thick pane Of glass, be goes down in'o ms
pocket and pulls forth greasy, dllapfdaoo iooAhs
leather wallet He hunts around In this ior :
couple of pennies, and finally, when he has found
them, takes his stamp and goes ON 70 'ho '0'
carefully to paste It on the letter.
The o0lce-boy comes in like q fash, buys . greas
roll Of the little gsen hideous things, tears It rapidly
into strips and skilfuly running bis tongue aaons
the under side OF them, slaps them on 70 pho OK
letters tearing each ono from the strip with QUICK
ripping sound. Some girl hovers ON the ou'snrts
~ the crowd for a while, and then, watching for
c,ssr osM. GOES up TO the window "when does the
next train leave for Pennington she ASKS
aDont know; this is q stamp window"
She bushes and begins to stamrner. -Couldn's
you find out for meP
aTimetable over on the WALL gruniy; and she goes
over TO look at the schedule, which no LIVING man
could figure out. Meanwhile the short man. In silk
hat with large glasses across his nose. has beer
snorting and fassIng about women He makes
his purchase, follows her to the wall. and cast
ing . whitening look at her. grunts out HumP no
slams the door In disguised manner behind him. sun
muttering about women
In ten minutes the girl comes back to the window
and says timidly Il can't find Pennington"
aweIl, that amt my fault, is iti' SAYS tho man
sharply, peering over the glass at her. She nees IN
dismay
And 30 they come and co. men women and chill
dren not more than half of them knowing how to buy
stamps and one slow one delaying dozen moro
business like and energetic people. The reporter
asked the stamp clerk to tell him some Of the moro
amusing experiences he through in the course Of
a week.
"a week. he said ermly; :" couldn't tell you all
that happened in day. Did you notice that little
shutting man. whose head scarcely comes up 70 the
Window He never comes here less than six times
day and he never buys more than one stamp a. =
or m Sry i S lot a said WI With
people like to borrow them too much He is tho
s ONCE Vs Is several " blocks away from the Post ONCE
and yet he will hobble down here again and again 20
r aas to set him to buy more but he won't thnE q
such a thing He always comes to my window. \
have seen him go 10 the end of line OF ten or twenty
before my window when there were not I'VE az The
next one. II / happen TO be away at dinner or on
in again every minute or two until return. he y
queer one, he Is
stamp That inakcs good deal Of trouble. Only
one man IN ten can remember the name OF T. lava
stamp the quick rush special extra stamp, ana
dozen other names. but seldom the right ono. while
and asks with big grin for sP D. O. stamp.
have got tired Of that stale old Joke that aiwsys
hing but that. Oh yes. this Is good place to -
strange people, but II isn't worth your While 20
listen TO me- Just stand here and watch them foF
yourself