The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
PRIVATE LETTER-B0X.
An EsT4BLIsHBD INSTITUTION IN
SLY VIEW TORH.
Hidden Romancss in clock Boxes'-Ma-
ebinery Constructed for Lovsrs-People
Who Are "Discreet," otc.

AAtAt , lekNtF III AiAt tdtNtNt S"ASS
the song. There's letter in the private
letter box" says the modern chronicier.
There was a day when every man was
his own postoaice and sent his letter by
messenger Of his own hirins. says the
New York Recorder. We have got past
all that and are content with the vast
machinery Of Uncle Sans postal system
which carries a missiye from Bangor 10
Sacramento for two cents. But people
have not got over the yearning Tor
privacy in certain directions. IL d
special messenger would, we snail say,
cost twenty-five cents, Uncle sam can be
hired for two cents. The question IS,
how can there be a compromise between
the cheapness Of Uncle sam and the
privacy OF the messenger?
In one way the postman is more Of
private medium than the messenger. No
body asks the postman: WHO gave you
thls?" Nobody knows who dropped the
letter in the box. IL is like FAC secret
ballot. 1t is an inallenable right Of citi-
zenship to be able to anonymously post a
letter. But on the other hand, the post
man cannot be instructed. He cannot be
told when, how and where to deliver the
letter. He speaks right out In meeun'
and everybody in the house knows who
gets a letter and whether the handwrit-
ing is bold and masculine or fragile and
feminine.
AS it never made so much difference
how a letter was sent as how il was re-
ceived, Uncle Sans system is defective
TO people who Ike joey Bagstock are
"de'lish sly"
This was one of the reasons why they
came 10 have private letter-boXes. With
the aid Of a private letter-box a letter
anonymously posted is anonymously re-
ceiVed also. 1t removes from the delivery
end of the affair the publicity that mas
been eliminated from tine posting end
What is a private letter-boX2
Uncle Sans boxes are I'm a sense pri-
vate. The postmaster drops IL the letter
from one side Of the partition and the
holder of a lock-bOX key subtracts the
letter from the other side Of the paru-
ton But to a detective in the corridor
he publishes himself as the holder OF
that box Immediately he puts in the key.
He may send a messenger with the key,
but the messenger can be followed.
The holder Of a private letter-bOX de-
cdes TO take one person into his conhd-
ence as 20 his face, if not as 20 his name
The one person is the person who let's
private letter-bOxes. d. person is likely
70 be the keeper of a book or stationery
store There are half a dozen of these
stores on Sixth avenue. In some Of them
the letter-bOx at tachment Is in as plain
sight as ii would be at a country post
office. In others 1t is out OF sight some
where behind the counter. II the boxes
are in plain sight the boXholder can see
for himself whether there are any let
ters for him. II they are not he is COM
PEELED TO ask whether there is anything
for y. J. j." unless ne is an Old enough
customer 70 require nothing more than
an appearance within the door Of tho
place 10 bring forth all there may be Of
mail
In engaging box the customer receives
a box number, or may agree 20 have the
/ letters separated by the name or initials.
In addition TO this he leaves his name--or,
rather, a name-for the keeping Of the
account. Generally the account for a SIM
pie box is fifty cents a month.
II the customer wishes TO avoid all
chance Of being seen 20 receive letters I'm
the store he may hire ih some quarters a
lock box. The lock boxes are generally
established In a little back room or ante
room cabinet from which a customer may
emerge without revealing any purpose.
Although letter-box keepers are generally
careful IN handing out letters not 20 give
away" their customer 20 any one who
may happen 20 be I'm the store the lock
box Is considered a great advantage over
the other Evidently # is considered fifty
per cent Of an advantage, for IL costs 81 a
month
have seen lock-box cabinets whose
doors did not reach all the way 20 the
floor. and l ave seen from under one
Of these doors a CLEAN Of skirts that
advertised the presence Of femlninity-
OF femiuinity that vas waiting for me TO
get out Of the store before emerging. But
the revelation below the lOck-bOX door
Is more likely 10 be Of the boots Of a
man. If there are more women than meh
who patronize private letter boxes 10
general. the lock-boxes do not seem 10
be so popular with Y omen as With men,
perhaps because il would be more diff
cult for a woman 20 explain her reap
pearahce from behind store partition.
There is stin another method OF max
ing use Of .he private letter-boX THIS
is to engage the private letter-box keeper
10 RENAL the letters. probably IN spe-
cial envelope left with him for the puF-
nose. This conceals from all senders OF
letters the person TO whom the letter IS
sent. The letter-box keeper IS the mo-
die manor middle woman-Who waves
a wand between the sender ana the re-
ceive. and banishes all knowledge OK
the whittier and the whence.
But who are the patrons OF the private
letter-box?
In the first place a good many people
use IL who have entirely Innocent inten-
lions These have a box In book
core for the same reason that many have
1,oves at the postofnce-as convenience
because their personal address changes
for various reasons, or because they are
frequently absent from home and 90
not wish their letters to be lying around
Tor anv time IN their absence. Actors
and actresses use them; travelling men
who are enthusiastically I'm New YORK
use them; mysterious unknown people
,se them-people belonging 10 thal strange
unclassifed element in great city's
nopulation whose characteristics no one
can guess al except by the outward
appearance Of the people who compose IT,
No one need 20 be told that lovers are
o,liItv Of using the private letter-boX
,,.hen there are obstacles at home. very
often a young man and a young woman
VINO are corresponding with each other
each with the others kowledge, have
a hoy al the same store. In simpler
forms Of Hfe the private letters are drop
ned into hollow gate-posts. where the
qfrl slfps out after supper ana gets II
In the hustling city the letter-bo1 III
the bookstore is as much In hiding as
the remotest tree-trunk In the romantic
story In,
The other day I saw young girl
standing in front OF a little bookstore
/ I'm the window Of which was the sish'
"private Letter-Boxes." / am sure that
she was debating the property OF hiring
box II she was she decided afiirma-
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