Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-19

which stands for the word taxed or
extra rate. The Italians are very
thrifty people, and It often happens
mat the sender in that country prefers
10 leave the payment to the uddressee
ana thus save cents. The addressed
IN America is usually OF the same ma
uonality. on delivery of the letter he
refuses TO receive IL and pay the 10
cents demanded. There may be moth
ing important in 1t, and he is not Will
| ing to squander that amount OF money
on an uncertainty His friend or rela-
1--WE having written. IL is safe to CON
clnde that the writer Is well.
Hundreds OF letters though actually
delivered to the Intended recipients,
are returned to Italy every year. At
least 10 per cent of the mail matter
! sent from that country TO the United
| States is not paid In advance. What
has been said on this point applies in
somewhat less degree to the Swedes,
] VINO are likewise n thrifty people 1t
| Is observed thai Immigrants from
| abroad retain their thrifty habits on
| this side Of the water In the next
] generation, however, they lose them en-
| tirely. Their sons and daughters have
| all the wants and requirements OF
! Americans. The continental peasant
/ is content to live on bread and pota-
toes, but his American-born children
| must have meat three times day.
| The nuisance described has become so
great that the postal union at it's last
convention decided that every one to
/ whom an unpaid letter was returned
! should be compelled to pay the postage
due The new rule has already dimin-
/ shcd the abuse TO some extent
All United States letters returned
! from abroad to the dead letter office at
| Washington are opened. save only such
| of them as bear the addresses or the
unnngrg al thA gnNsnlAnge fTlNFle
turned letters contain more valuable
Enclosures than are found in any others
investigated at the post onlce depart,
taking an average. Many Of them may
be Intended as gift. 10 help relatives
In the old country TO come across the
water, or for Investment abroad.
Few Italians or French people invest
their money IN the United States. Their
idea 10 TO accumulate a certain amount
and go back to their native land, whore
they will be able to live without work
on the income of their savings. The
thrifty French waiter dreams Of the
time TO come when he win be the
great man of his village, enjoying
elegant leisure on 1000 francs or so
per aunum. The banana peddler en-
tertains a Ike ambition, too often
helping himself toward 1t by disposing
Of counterfeit change, manufactured in
his bed room with such primitive ap-
planes as a pot and ladle. some COM
position and two or three plaster-of-
paris moulds,
Some of the articles found inclosed
In parcels from abroad which, unlike
letters, may be opened, are very odd.
They will often contain such things as
one sock, one shoe, or one glove, the
customs regulations forblddlng the
sending Of pairs OF such things. Pieces
OF lace and valuable embroidery are
discovered wrapped up in the newspa-
pers, which are devoted to destruction
when not delivered These are disposed
Of at the annual auction sale. held at
the postoiIice department. Rosarics and
cruclnXes are sent in similar fashion
in great numbers. At every yearly
sale hundreds Of these are disposed
OF. They have been blessed by priest.
md are forwarded by people In Catho
lie countries for the use of relatives ant
friends in the United states.
Fetid mushrooms from abroad some
times reach the foreign branch Of tn
dead letter office. Another interesting
article discovered in package wa
q human ear, on the other hand
people In the United States send I,
Europe snakes, toads tBrantulas, cen
tipedes and gigantic beetles. presuma
, bly, To Illustrate the pecullarities o
the fauna OF this country. A reli
carefully preserved by Miss Richter 4
a large square piece OF yellow SILK
all the way from the land OF mag
= Egypt when II is exposed to the ligh
spots of blue begin TO appear upui
= It and after a few moments becom
e very vivid in hue.
? Stamp collecting hends bother tn
] foreign division Of the postohice dc
p. partment dreadfully The average per
e son afflicted with that mania think
4 that Is the place where he can &c
oil he. "a rHWfmf lHItrF. .Gn
= such individual writes. viii You no
: assist me In getting n collection q
4 stamps2 You must have thousands q
g old letters which VIII never be deliN
r cred. and which no harm would com
d from removal OF stamps" Miss Rich
!. ter's Invariably reply to such request
: is made by referring to the law whic
= makes the removal OF stamps frof
Y lrtters subject 20 q fine OF 5000, with 2
q without imprisonment. Small boys ar
A especlally persistent They come In an
y insist upon going through the vast
n bo7kot At the time Of the choler
scare Miss Richter got rid OF them
c some extent by telling them thet a
It INC letters were from cholera-intecte
n districts, and that they had better wa
= people often write to the dead lette
l. Office 10 ask about letters months, &
s, even years Old. which were write
.e s,c,n abroad and failed 10 reach thei
N In This country. They imagine th'
e. the pos,ofiice department must nay
r them on file somewhere or course a
m sueh pieces Of mall are sent back a
H. most Immediately to the countries
~ their origin. II It is doubtful wheLh'
ID thev have vet gone, searches Tor lnel
re ave made and this Is very dlIneu
work. However. It Is q principe
n she postal business that no labor sna
is he SHARED IN trying to deliver lelte
e. Sometimes the straying OF a sing
L, ,,,orthless and mlsdlrected miasiVe VI
al ,nvolve a long and elaborate corr
IN snondence between the department az
n The central office Of the Information
he r,ostal union IS ct. Berne, switzerian
to ,r,ore ali the accounts are KEPT ~
IS 81, navments settled. The goVernine
ge - he United States receives GO.
" ,,o,eafion FOR carrying mail mett
in ppsross thls continent by rail ray ~ ~
de g.. r,sae Ia like manner 10 Great bli
er ~ nnstal transportation IN
,errifory. Al the allowances nile
nd ~ varlous nations concerned, lhcl ll
~ ~ , t,siances due on international ~,
h iiis or5ers are pad up az atn'ed
It es The ofic'al langnage Or y
a 1911 union Is French Tnu5, IN n
as aeyrtry. latier Of foreisn prih.n -, a.
i'd. doee MT ind the alaress ..,,,ri