Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-01-20

Private Letter Boxes" / am sure
she was debating the proprlety of hir-
ing box. If she was she decided
affirmafiyely. for she afterward en-
tered the store Perhaps it was
temptation that meant a good
deal; perhaps this little illicit
secret may lead her into dangerous
paths. Young men are, of course.
as likely as young girls 70 hire boxes
Tor the purpose of concealing corr
respondence from their parents or
guardians. The general postoffice de-
livery is used a great deal for the
sane purpose, but the journey down
TO the city hall is long one for many
uptowuers, and for a Young woman
not in business it might be hard 10
explain her appearance in the city
hail region in the hours when the de-
livery is open
People who advertise in personal"
columns use private letier-boxes a
good deal. Adventures with millions
and adyenturesses who are tempo
rarily embarrassed and are yearning
for a middle-aged gentleman with
means are much fascinated by their
opportunities One day when ] was
IN a bookstore that turned out to
have a lette box annex a little
elderly man came in, sided up to the
counter ana soon received a letter,
which ! happened TO see bore a faint,
delicate script in the address. The
little man seemed to think that was
safely absorbed in books and
ventured 10 open the LETT
ter then aud there. While he
was reading it another person entered.
The other person was a portly lady of
very middle-aged appearance, with an
alert eye and a general effect of trying
to be coy. She glanced suspiciously
at the little elderly man and myself,
picked up a picture paper on the
counter and appeared to be reading it,
while the proprietor disappeared be-
hind his little partition When the
proprietor reappeared he conveyed a
letter To the very middle aged lady
with the utmost stealth. ] do not
think the little elderly person noticed
her at all, so absorbed was he in his
letter, but as she turned she dropped
one of her letters AT this the little
elderlysman sprang forward. and her
bonnet brushed his hat as they both
tried 10 pick up the letter at the same
time, The man got Il, and as he
handed it 10 her heard him gasp:
Are you Lovely Stranger2'
He had seen his own handwriting on
the envelope
The mutual horror of the two peo-
pie as l saw it in that instant was one
of the most comic pictures ever saw
her horror at being discovered by a
correspondent she hoped to dune, his
ut the contrast between the woman
before him ana the lovely vision
called Up by the designation and the
wording of the decoy letters he had
received.
Women who start correspondence
through private letter box, whether
through the agency of an advertise
ment or otherwise, often exchange
many letters before getting up cour-
age to have a meeting. Even at the
last minute, after making the appoint
ment they are apt to back out and
stand up their partner in CORE
spondence.
The fact that these boxes sonnet mes
are used for illegal and immoral pur-
poses has led at various times to Sc
we're criticism of the system, and it is
possible that at some tune they may
be forbidden by law. Possibly thev
would have been forbidden long ago
but for the fact that as general thing
they are not use with any oifense to
individuals or to the community and
that they are innocently useful TO a
large number of people. Fools and
ISnaves abuse their opportunities but
investigation seems to prove that the
general support TO the system comes
from people who are reputable.