The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-02-26
THE STAMP CLERK.
AZ Interesting Strdy OF Character ~ .
CirS PostCAicc.

An Interesting Strdy OF Character 81
CirS PostCaice.
~ should think you have pretty
easy time in here"
"Well, pretty easy"
'.You don't have much to do. Just
stand at the window, count out stamps
and take in the money"
"That's all, save the little item Of
making correct change every time"
30, of course. But it isn't much"
';No. not much, though sometimes
half a dozen people, all in hurry,
want stamps at the same moment"
'sYes, TO be sure. You must be busy
at times, say early in the day, or at
Christmas and Easter. But most
people could do the work: with little
practice"
"Yes, practice is great thing, but
I've been stamp clerk for ten years,
and yet yesterday 1 made a mistake
in counting out a small number Of one
cent stamps. Still, practice is q srsat
thing"
'WeI, I should like to have your
place, that's all. Il caa't be very hard
to sell postage stamps"
II wish you had it, as you think it is
so easy. But, should you try it 9 day,
you might think differently"
The conversation between two ac-
quaiGtances occurred in city posts
Office year ago. The change which
has brought about . new administra-
ton removed about month ago the
old postoffice clerk and installed an
other man in his place.
The new clerk entered upon his du-
ties the first day with a feeling that
selling stamps was diversion suited
to his genial temperament. He hadn't
been at the window an hour before he
was sadder and wiser man.
4 woman came up and wanted thlr-
teen cents worth OF twos and ones,
half and half, seven postal cards and
a package Of two cent wrappers.
She had nothing smaller than a S.
bill.
When the clerk had recovered from
the temporary slow fever Into which
this episode threw him, there was a
crowd waiting outside, and all he could
hearswas:
Twenty-Five cents worth Of twos,
please" Package postal carks. F" dol
lars worth stamps, quick" How
much'll that take? Cola to Canady."
''Nud stamps on that, hey?n Gimme
two twos and three ones, will you? IN
in hurry"
The young man nervously counted
out stamps, weighed packages, consult
ed the printed schedule, for rate IN
foreign countries, and perspired freely.
Cold chills ran down his back, for he
had a vague idea of giving somebody
seventy-fve cents worth Of stamps for
fifty cents, and Of sellinga package OF
postals cards for half price,
The crowd a. the window did not
diminish, but grew.
a man finally came up in a hurry
ard threw down a handful OF loose
silver and nickels and coppers and
asked ior--
"Twenty-seyen ones, sixteen seats
worth of twos, two and a half pack
ages Of postal cards, aad the rest II
tWos and one cent wrappers. :"
The new clerk choked down big
word or two, mopped his brow ner-
Yously with sheet OF stamps, and be.
gan counting out package ofstamped
envelopes, government official size.
"How many did you say?"
How many what"
Envelopes"
Envelope? I don't want any enyel-
| opes. Twenty-seyen ones: sixteen
| cents worth of twos, two and one-halt
| packages of postal cards and the rest
in twos and one-cent wrappers. That's
| what want, and in big hurry, too
Got to catch q train"
Sixteen cents worth of twos?"
'Yes, said So"
"Oh, well, all-all right! There you
are. And-and how many ones?"
"Twen:y-seven. Come, hurry up.
"TN*u5y-seven; twenty-seYen. Five
times .ivei is twenty-five and two Is
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Twenty, seven
And now, the rest in envelopes did you
say?:'
':Envelopes2 ] don't want any en-
velopes. One cent wrappers IS what
! want"
How many"
How many? Well, give ne just one
Perhaps you can count that ou
straight" (Sarcastically.
"A one. cent-wrapper is two cents
"AlI right. 7 can stand it if yo'
can
"How many packages Of posta
cards?:"
"Never mind. can't wait here al
| day. Besides, there's 4 crowd on
| here stretching way around the cor
ner. Just give me my change and II
get out Of here"
/ Vixen the clerk Aai recovered frou
the syncope into which this little trans
action had cast him, he spied the Ok
acquaintance, the former stamp cleri
at the window.
:.Ah, YOU seem to be having pleas
ant time in here. Please les me haT
81 worth Of tyTos and slNe5, 81 worth c
each. And just weigh that little bun
, die. Gong TO Ho2QuraS. ~ ecCo w,
more stamps, think. Should tnlnl
YOU would have a good time i1 mere
,, Not much to do but stand up and Sc!
= stamps, and give back the right chang
hey? You must enjoy your place hers
OF course, it will be d little busy earl
in the morning, or ct Christmas 0
Easter times. Most people could do
with a little practice. ."-United STATE
Mail.
s New Orleans is TO be thorough
: cleaned up for the summer AID put i
t first class sanitary condition. The wor
is to be done by cooperation betwee
t the city authorities and the citizen:
!, and all the money necessary has bee
) assured.