The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-04-04
POST-OFFICE CURIOsI1'IES
Letters and Cards with Perplexing
Addresses.
Specimens Of the Strange and Incompre-
hensible Penwori of People Who
Are Not Familiar with Ortho-
graphic Rules.

AT the washington pOSI-Ollce There
is a collection of old envelopes and
postal cards that would be entitled to a
place in the most curious of old curiosi-
ty shops, says the Washington Post.
The collection has been made by G. M.
Merrill, head clerk OF the city distrib-
uting case, who has secured the speci-
mems after the persons for whom they
were intended had read the communi-
cations.
Here is one i'll an Impractical, scrawl-
ing hand as nearly as can be translated
into letters: ''bin harmson, Washim r.
c. That would defy anybody but a
postal clerk. 1t was surmised, howev-
er, by one of these that this communi-
cation was intended for Benjamin Har
rison, President of the United States,
and the surmise proved correct, The
deter, which was postmarlzed Lincoln
Neb., got to the President all right. 1t
was probably letter of advice as to
how to run the Government An office
seeker would at least have addressed
the President as "Mr."
'Mr. Adkin Jurnel!'' was the address
on a letter that came from some place
in Arkansas. It was meant for the Adj
1utant-General Of the army, and to him
it was delivered. "Nasel true brun-
bum, W;ishen," was the address on a
letter from Trenton, Kan. Even this
did not defy the expert postal officials.
They concluded the letter was meant
for the National Tribune, of this city,
and this proved to be the case. The
letter was proba bly, written by Ger
man. 1t did not take long to decide
that a letter addressed "Mr. reuben
right" was intended for Reuben Wright.
or that one addressed ''pEn. e baker
and son. was meant for Pennebaker e.
Son.
''For Misses Sole, tornela VIZ was a
puzzler for little while. Then it was
Messrs. Soule s. Co., attorney at law.
"'Mr. Ajfhan-acting, AUDITOR stuck
some of the force for a little while.
Then it was remembered that A. D. Shaw
had been acting auditor for a time and
the letter turned out to be for him. The
person who wrote the letter had doubt
less seen Mr.. Shaw's name signed as
''acting auditor" to some document,
hence the mistake.
"On the big pennsylvania avenue in the
care of boin havelton in the grocery
Store of George Jackson was the ad-
dress on another envelope. The refer
ence to grocery store took this letter
to Barbour & Hamilton, grocers, and
Mr. jackson received his mail. tie the
ameEi Can Col nization RUNS was of
course meant for the American Coloni-
zation society rooms 'Nr. tucker EN-
Ans was meant for Messrs Tucker
& Evans. "Uncle Sans Seed Barn.
was delivered TO the agricultural de-
partment. Just before this letter was
received there had been some jocose
reference in the press to this depart
ment as ''Uncle Sans Seed Barn. and
the letter was an application in good
faith from person in lIaceyville. Pa.
for some of the seed.
"Exercolger Washenton," was the un-
pretentious address on another letter.
1t was also meant for the agricultural
department. Another letter was ad-
dressed to man in the '$Coasser Vey
Build" The party addressed was found
in the Coast and Geodetic survey.
postal card directed to $40 +. 0. Sauckle,
went to 10, Iowa Circle, which proved
10 be the place for which it was in.
tended.
The mistake made in allowing Wash
ington Territory to come into the
Union under the name OF Washing
ton," and thus perpetuating the con
dition of having territorial division
and large city with the same name is
more apparent to the postal officials
than to anybody else. For example, a
great deal of mail matter is put into
boxes here addressed wv Washington, d.
c." that is evidently meant for places in
the State of Washington. People here
seem unable to write the name OF
Washington without putting I'D. c."
to it. Hundreds of letters and pack
ages 60 into the boxes here every week
containing this error When the post
office gets hold of piece of mail mat
ter addressed for example, to some
place on jefferson avenue, Washing
ton, D. c." or "Ya1ima avenue, Wash
ington, D. c." the clerk knows it is
meant for Tacoma. II it is addressed,
say to Bismarck street or Yakima street,
he knows it is meant for Seattle. and
thither it goes.
There are, of course, cases in which
the names of the towns are omitted. a
letter addressed to Tacoma, Washing
ton, Dc" would Of course occasion no
trouble Street directories Of all the
leading places in the State Of Washing
ton are kept at the post-office and are
subjects Of constant reference.
Indian Treachery.
The Indian Of colonial times did not
hesitate to resort to treachery TO entrap
his foes. He would profess friendship
in order to disarm an enemy. He gloried
in ingenious tricks, such as the wearing
of snow-shoes with the hind part be-
fore, SO as to make an enemy believe
that he had gone in an opposite dlrec-
ton. He would sometimes initiate the
cry of the wild turkey, and SO tempt a
white hunter into the woods, that ne
might destroy him. An Indian scout
would dress himself UP with twigs, SO
as to look like bush. Many Of these
4h;,,os the white people learned to prac