The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-25
CHEAP POSTAGE STAMPS.
How Easy stsubenviiie People Were 0uiled
byu IIoary Chestnut.

bya Ioary Chestnut. |
saut<nr1tt Star.
Last evenings Star contained the fol-
lowing in the local columus: lowing |
to orders from the Postoflice Department,
and the desire 10 exhaust an extraordi. |
narily large supply now on hand, Post.
master sarratt will for two days sell the
new stamps ct the rate OF - for cent
aud d quarter. First come, frat served
now Is the time 10 lay In q supply Tor
your winters correspondence" That
small item has made lota OF fun Tor tho
7. o. officials and employees and adds TO
the long list OF showing how easily
Steubonyille people arc taken In on
something they can obtain for less than
the regular price. 1t Is probably on &c.
count Of this gullible quality OF business
men and customers, that the Louisiana
Lottery found 80 many suckers here,
and that the Adams Express Company
had ESQ much 10 do with sending
money to New Orleans and Washington.
The announcement In last nights Star
meant Just wha! 1t said, but the editor
lsupposel That 1t would only take in" n
few unsugpecting people. The result
was entirely the opposite, and the people
who called to procure stamps embraced
all classes and conditions OF citizens. II
was not supposed that business or pro.
ieestonal men would not understand
that the government never reduced the
price OF stamps, no matter how large
quantities were taken, yet these have
been tie people who called to get
10, stamps for cent and quarter,
that Is cent aud % cents, or &c cents
| for l3, tIo cents piece.
Hardly had the Star been issued than
n man doing business near the Post.
Office called and asked for 500 two cent
stamps. lie had not waited to make the
calculation, but was trying to make out
an amount OF change less than 80 ceats
in payment, when ho asked the clerk
how much they would DO. "Ten dol.
lars" replied tho clerk. "No, you
don't" faid tho applicant, "you can't
chen. me; have seen the orders to
sell at Is for cent and q quarter"
"That's Just what we are doing" said
the clerk, who had read the Star and
had '!'csught on" "13 for a cent and a
quarter means just Is for 20 cents, and
800 cost $40 according to this rate"
The man saw his mistake and bought no
stamps 10 carry on his winters CORE.
IBpondence.
| BY o o'clock crowd was ut the
stamp window that necessitated their
ranging in Indian lile. Everyone wanted
stamps and were terribly bored when
they saw the error oil wit. One solid
business man went back into the office
and asked for S5'worth. He was given
five sheets of fifty each. "lIere, here,
this won't do" said he, II ought 10
! have nearly 5000 two.cent stamps for
So" sob, no." said Assistant Postmas-
ter Wallace; don't you know that the
Government never reduces Its prices in
job lots?" But even then he could lot
understand il until one cent and a silver
quarter were laid out in front Of him.
He took go stamps, smiled sheepishly
and left.
| A lawyer whose graspipg inclinaiions
are well known also asked for about s.
worth Il the supply were not exhausted.
The supply was still there and he got
100. While he was waiting to get change
: out OF $40 bill he learned the meaning
OF the notice. lie saw what it was, took
his stamps and made some witty remark
about people getting fooled.
Two school teachers called at the win.
dow to assist in getting corner on
postage stamps. Alter the matter had
been explained to them they had con.
sultation and concluded that their cor.
respondenco would not at present de.
mand the laying in OF large supply
They will now endeavor to leach their
pupils tho use and meaning Of synony.
mouB words.
And so it went, boya and girls, men
and women, and all clashes came up and
wanted stamps at a reduced rate, only to
be told that cent and quarter meant
tTenty.six cents,