Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-24
WHY THINGS GO AsTRAY.
Study in Stupidity That fs Founded
on Familiar Occurrences.
From he Now yorlr r-riI,upa

A Study in Stupidity That fl Founded
on Familiar Occurrences.
From the New York Tribune.
When one considers the happy-go-lucky
methods of some clerks and messengers the
| wonder is not why things go astray, but
how any arrive at their destination.
The day before Christmas parcel from
an uptown dry goods shop was delivered
! on Wall street to the office boy of Mr..
! Blank. Mr.. Blank had gone away to
spend the holidays, and did not report at
the office for two weeks
How did this come here?" he asked.
My name is Blank, and there is no Mrs.
Blank. And this is addressed to Pine
| street and our office is On Wall"
THE Teller that brought the goods said
you onct had place on Pine"
ago. 'i e''
The goods were returned to the sbon. and
MRS. Blank received her belated Christina 8
gift about the second week in January.
am much of hand to read writin', -
eskpiaihed a man who had tried to insist on
a bridge company, though it was plainly
addressed to life insurance firm.
You can read writin' better'n me-" was
the only excuse of boy who went through
large ofhce building inquiring for Y.
Hickson He was about to leave the build
Ing without finding an owner for the telo-
gram, when man took it from his hand
10 look at the address and found it was
for himself, T. Johnson.
rs Mr.. Null in?" asked a young woman
who had just entered an office.
He is not in the city," answered the
clerk.
Mot in the city! We had a speciaI
delivery letter from him this morning, and
ne didn't say word about going out of
the city. I've come all the way from
Orange to see him.
HE went away the night befora 1ast
Was the letter postmarked New York? -
1t was either from his New York or
Brooklyn Office
There must be some mistake Mr. Null
has no Brooklyn Office"
There is no mistake. and Mr.. Null has a
branch office in Brooklyn" The tone was
Indignant. The stranger evidently be-
lieved that the clerk was telling untruths,
and she could not divine his reason. This
is incomprehensible. I shall look to see
If he has left any message for me-" She
began to search the tables and Shelves as
if she had the freedom of the place, and
when she found nothing addressed to her
glared at the clerk as If he had made away
with the note, which should have been
there.
IF you will give me writing materials !
will leave a letter for him.
"Shall / forward it?" asked the clerk
when the visitor handed him a carefully
sealed letter.
mo. leave it on his desk. know he is
in town." AS she went out of the door
she said, in an audible aside, eff 1 have
no answer by tomorrow morning I shall
know ne has not received it, and In that
case I shall not fail to inform him where
the blame Hes
When Mr.. Null returned and opened the
letter addressed "R. Null, Personal" he
turned to his clerk in amazement. How
did this come here? 1t is not for me. My
name is Robert, and I am addressed as
Dear Dick have DO acquaintance
ramed Josie Dash, and I don't understand
what family matters she refers to-"
The clerk explained.
"What am I to do with it?" asked the
perpleXed recipient. 'It is evident she
came to the wrong office. There are sew
eral Richard Nulls in town, but there is not
one on this street so far as 1 know, and she
gives no address,"
few days later a letter came from one
of the Richard Nulls, explaining that his
cousin had by mistake left a note for him
at the office of Mr.. Robert Null and would
be much obliged If Robert would forward
1t to a given address.