Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-23

her husband was Imprisoned. Many Of her
friends believed that the inspectors had
ceived several letters saying that I was
not smart enough to catch real thief.
The woman was undoubtedly insane.
Friend OF Abe Lincoln.
Some of the inspectors work Is not OF
such a somber and saddening character.
Much of it has ludicrous phase which
softens the hardships and relieves the
strain which to constant mingling with the
frail is apt to bring upon man. Such an
instance was the matter Of post office
in one of the territories. a berth that paid
the incumbent $1,000 a year, where the
work was easy, and the social position
fairly good, the rest Of the citizens of the
place being mainly miners and gamblers
The postmaster was pioneer In the
territory, and knew every one there.
He was recommended for postmaster by
the governor and all the ex-governors, by
all the railroad and mining authorities. as
well as by all the ranchmen and army Of
ficers; and. moreover, he had In his pos
session letters from Abraham Lincoln at
testing the writer's friendship and admir-
alton. Naturally he was appointed.
He made an excellent postmaster, so far
as taking in money for stamps ana money
orders went. but he failed to make reports
OF the fiscal operations of his office. A long
life in an arid country and frequent re-
course to the common cure for dry ell
Gent than formerly. So, in due time. an
inspector sent to make his acquaint-
arca.
Being in the vicinity. the necessary pa
pers were sent me, and went down t. see
if anything was due the government 1
reached the place about 3 o'clock in the
morning. 1t was cold, raw and gloomy in
every way. At sight I pronounced the
town the least picturesque mining settle
ment in the territory, IL not In the world.
The only visible light came from small
frame building near the depot, to which 1
fastened to get warm 1t was not the
hotel but a bar room. with a dozen or more
professional customers on hand. more or
less awake and busy.
lie Took Things Easy.
Three men were snoring on the bar, and
the others were playing faro or watching
the game. They were all very groggy, and
all but the proprietor were hard-look1ng
citizens The most besotted was an old
man. He was thick-set, wore greasy
SLOUGH hat and blue flannel shirt, had big
pistol in his belt, and generally very
bad look He was a clumsy, stupid gam
bier, and was losing money fast. About
O'Clock he got up, stretched himself, and
said: Good evenin, boys; reckon I'll have
to turn in a leetle early now, s long as
I've got the post office to tend to-
When he said this conjectured that this
must be the man with whom L had busl-
ness After a short Zap in the "hotef
walked no to the post office-the poorest
frame building in town. A poorly-equlpped
drug store occupied a part of the room,
and in rear corner was rough case,
containing a half dozen boxes for holding
letters The postmaster sat on packing
hoy near the front door, looking out at
tho beauties of nature, while the drug clerk
vas wing no the letters for him. he call
ed out laZily:
cot her done yet. Jimmy"
pretty near. captain
wall. hurry her leetle today; we miss
ed it Yesterday, and 1 got to so on an in
quest this morning, too.
I presented myself to the postmaster as
he was going out Of the office.
so you are a post office inspector are
We? Wall. you'll find they amt nothing
wrong with this office-not since mad IT,
can't say much for it before that" l
limited that some Of his reports were
little overdue and we might look into that.
Eyes; that's right. Say, Jimmy. how
about them money order bills? They ben
paid yet?'
"Oh, no, captain. You remember I've
been trying a long time to get you to Tx
them up"
"Yes; tha's So Jimmy" He added. turn
ing to me- You see. ben so busy"
Now said 1. lets count the funds and
see your receipts for money deposited;
then we will have the balance very SOON
yes, I see. Tha's the idea. Jimmy, you
got head for figures: you and the colonel
go over the books. and III look in again
pretty soon"
The Money Wasn't There.
"Rut how ahout the funds? The money