The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-02
WOMEN WHO KEEP SECRETS.
Unique Things that Pass Through the
Hands of Two Postal Clerks.

VI L WO HOSlal clerks.
Two young women in New York daily
handle dynamite bombs, horned toads,
iiving bees and grasshoppers, young trees,
Jewelry, new clothes, and glass eyes.
These are only few of the unique,
weird or commonplace articles which
daily pass through the hands of Daisy
James and Mamie Hustled, of the mail
inspection and rating department of the
general postotfice.
MISS Hustled opened package once,
out OF which, as she took the cover off.
Jumped mouse. Did Miss Hulsted
scream and jump on chairs and create n
panic Ill the postoflice? Not she The
mouse scampered around the examining
table for n few moments and then jumped
to the floor with Miss Hulsted in pur-
suit.
She finally ran the little fellow down
ana replaced him in his box, just as coolly
as If she had been handling piece of ice.
The two girls are rather averse to talking
of their work
You see" said Miss James, eve work
so rapidly we scarcely have time to realize
what we are handling until the moment
for shock or surprise is passed. There is
scarcely anything you can mention that
we have not handled here except furni-
ture steel vaults or bank safes'' IN
During the year 1895 DAP, 600 pieces of
mail matter were handled here Money
recklessly packed is frequently found by
the girls in their search Miss Hulsted
once opened II package containing an old
pocket book in which there was 81, 900 in
cash and "A check for 81, 600 On another
occasion she was the means of running
down gang of postoliice thieves in ST
Louis.
She opened II package found to contain
5000 worth of uncancelled stamps The
package was addressed to a man i'm New
York. An investigation was set on foot
and resulted in the arrest of two men in
st. Louis and one here. They were mem
beers of gang who had been robbing
Western postoflices. The trio are now
serving long terms in prison.
In response to further questions. Miss
Hulsted continues
we are never surprised at anything
we get here. Meat potatoes, vegetables,
eggs, III TACT almost every kind of food is
sent through the mails. Revolvers and
bowie knives and raZors are found every
day
Are any of the pistols loaded."
"Oh, my, yes But we send all such
things to the inquiry department, and
don't handle them much once we find out
what they are. One thing about razors
NV SVhcitilN hIpNI IL tnlS. III the razor
is closed and the ends secured with a
piece of wire it will pass through here all
right. But If not, it is sent to the in
quiry office. Cord will not do to fasten
it with
$40 you like the work."
Yes, indeed. Ii is novel and exciting
You never know what you are going to
run across when you open a package
There is just everything. And then YOU
ought to see the love letters. Oh, myr'
Love letters. echoed the reporter.
Yes, indeed; boxes of them. You see.
when young man and young woman
are in love they write Il good deal and
they keep each others letters and tie
them up in pink and blue and red and
yellow ribbons, and most of them are
swectly perfumed, and then when they
quarrel for good they send each other
back their love tokens and letters
Once | remember two large cardboard
boxes filled with such letters crossed each
other i'll this room. We could tell be
cause the names of the senders was writ
ten on one side and the addresses on the
other
In the box addressed to the Young
woman there was long piece of soft,
yellow. hair and picture of II petite
young woman dressed in white. on the
back of which was written TO Nv King. I,
and name signed. Last of all there was
an invitation wedding card requesting
the pleasure of Miss So-and-Sos presence
mt the wedding of another Miss So.and-S So
and the man who was returning the love
tokens
Mean, WASH he:" asked, Miss Hulsted
Indignantly.
"Of course. What was in the box adj
dressed to him.
"Oh, ever so many letters, They were
very much worn, as if they had been read
and re-read. Then there was Il lock of
black hair and mas photo. On that
was written, Your Sweetheart Until
Death and After and finally a small
white card, on which was written, Il hope
you will be happy New York Jour
nal