The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-10-05

Going down the Avenue the other morning
HERALD reporter ran across business man
whose face usually beams with jollity, but who
on this occasion looked so woe-begone that the
reporter thought he must either have fresh
case of the grip or be on the eve of failure
"What's up?' he exclaimed, repeating the re-
porter's inquiry. Everything am ruined
man, and it's all on account of that invention
OF the enemy-the postal card-confound it.
oh, yes; 1'll tell you all about it. You know,
am business with not much spare time on my
hands. What little have devote to the vari-
GUS societies of which | am a member Just be-
fore arranging to take an excursion with some
OF the boys while ago l thought would buy
package of postal cards. | invested dollar,
and that dollar has caused me more trouble and
loss than any other dollar | ever spent in my
life. OF course, | wanted all the ready cash
available for the excursion, and thought it
good time to call in the small sums due me
from my fraters in the various organizations to
which belong. l sent all these debtors what |
considered gentle reminder on postal cards.
Not receiving any replies in the course of
week, grew little hot and filled out another
set of cards. saying l must have it on such a
date. Still no reply. That made me mad, and
l sent my third volley of hot shot into these
dead-beats-again on the postal cards. By re-
turn mail l received as many letters, each one
an anathema, curse, or a reputation of the
debt Now, one of my card duns had followed
fellow down to Boston, where he was taking
his vacation, and he had the impudence to send
me clipping from a Boston paper, with the
caption, mo Dunning Postal Cards. The arti-
Gle went on to say that 'Uncle Sam has become
very touchy on the matter of dunning letters
and postal cards, and an innocent appearing
postal card may involve its mailer in legal
controversy with the United States District At
torney. 1t may even be the cause of sending
the person who writes it to the State prison for
ten years, and at the same time force him or
her to pay fine of $1,000. 1t will not do any
longer TO remind persons on a postal card that
they must have let such and such little bill
slip from their memory. Nor is it even safe to
try and borrow q sum from Tom or Harry ex-
cept by sealed envelope that bears no outward
indication whatsoever Of the nature of the re-
quest
"My correspondent went on to saw" continued
the business man, ''that he never either answered
a postal dun or paid the debt and 1 might 90 to
Hades. Now, you see, I've lost the friendship of
a dozen good fellows, besides losing my money,
and all because resorted to this pestilential lit
tie card.
'But that is not all it has cost me. am al
most ruined man SO far as my domestic life is
concerned. When went off on the excursion
promised to write 10 my wife, who is senti-
mental little woman, every day. Now, when L
was young and spoony myself could reel off a
dozen sheets of gush and not mind it bit, but
when man has been married for fifteen or
twenty years he thinks a woman ought to take
his constancy and affection for granted. He
does not feel like writing love letter every day.
The upshOt of my reasoning was that would
send Lillian daily postal card, which would, IS
/ thought, satisfy the home and be easy on me-
That blessed little woman actually cried and
clung to me Historically on taking leave of me
for couple of weeks. But on my return she
would not speak to me or have anything to do
with me. save In the most formal way, and she
never wrote one word to me while was away,
and for a week after my return did nothing but
cry and take on. Finally made her tell me
what it all meant.
"'You never wrote me word while you
were gone except on an odious postal card
cried she. 'What do L care for being called
"my love" on card that every postman
and woman can read and make merry over? |
would not give cent for man who has moth
ing to give to his wife which is not too sacred to
be paraded on postal. There, now know
you do not care for me any more, and | am GO
ing home to fathers, and-and you can come
and see the children when you have time-but
you will not see mep
"She was so determined and mad - the busi-
ness man continued, while he wiped the perspi-
ration from his haggard face, 'that | actually
thought she would carry out the threat, but after
had made about four hundred abiect apologies
and explained matters for two whole days and
the best part OF three nights she forgave me con-
ditionally; but fear she will never again be the
same loving, confding little wife," and the mis-
cradle victim of postal cards walked wearily
away, wreck of his former Jolly self.
~Ss<