The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-03
Highest of all Leavenng u. S. Govt Report
Roe! R Bskdsga:
ABSOLUTELY PURE

good for blind man to see you looking
so fresh. Now, when you appointed
me to the force
1t was about this time that the post
master forgot his new duties and linked
arms with the policeman. AS they
walked down Summit avenue indulg-
ing Of "reminiscences of the good days
when the Democrats held the reinS of
local government, the postmaster for
got to take the car, but walked down
the Selby avenue hill, on down East
Third street to the Central station.
As he entered the door Phil Sweitzer
saluted and said Good morning, Mr..
Postmaster" and 1t was not until he
had heard the words that Mr.. Smith
realized that he had gone to the wrong
place of business. He made the excuse
that, as the weather was so pleasant,
and as it was not yet time to open the
poStof1ice, as the Eastern mails were
not open yet, he thought he would
take a short walk around the station
to see if all his old friends were on
top. From force of habit so many
PERSONS who met him with the salute
and called him your Honor" even
when he was seated in his office at the
postofIice, the new official could not rid
himself of the idea that he was the
mayor and not postmaster of the city.
CHANGING hastily over the mail on
lifs desk, he called, Officer, send Cos
tello in to me. What makes him so
late this morning? He is generally
down ahead Of me and has the mail
opened"
Then again realizing that Costello
had gone the way Of other good Demo-
Gratis last election, the new postmaster
got down to business with the new
ste1ographer.
Assistant Postmaster Pat O'Brien
came in with bundle of documents
which required the signature of the
chief. While signing them the post
master gave some instructions to his
assistant. Pat" said he, 81 want this
postoff1ce run as a f1rst-class business
should be. L want you to keep an eye
on the market and buy supplies when
the market is down. If there's a
chance to get stamps at discount get
'em. Don't wait to ask my advice.
You have carte blanche to keep the sup
plies purchased in large quantities. l
see that straw board stock is down a
few points and there should be
chance to buy paper cheap. If so lay in
a big stock of newspaper wrappers and
such things. If the MANILA trust stock
takes q tumble look out for a big sup
ply of envelopes We can keep a sharp
eye on these things and save few
dollars for the government. I wish
you'd send John Clark in here a min
ute. l want to know about that Eighth
ward scrap. What's that? Clark not
here? Oh-all right was thinking
about another matter. Then have
Hardacre come in. I want to know
what that bulletin means. Says the
H. & d. Eastern is one hour late. l
want that stopped. The mail in this
office must run on time. If Hardacre
can't do it why he shall have more help.
I'll go down and see some of these
railroad men and have the trains run
on time or know the reason why"
An interruption in the person of a
trim little woman, dressed for the
storm, allowed O'Brien to escape to his
duties and the postmaster sat up in
his big chair and said, ''Well?" The
little woman had just heard that the
new postmaster was her husbands
friend, ex-Mayor Smith. Wouldn't he
like to buy ticket to concert for the
relief of the Fifth Ward Knitting So
ciety. 1t was such lovely society and
was doing such lovely work and
The postmaster gave up a half. An
other of the ex-mayor's friends came in
to talk politics, but was given the cold
shoulder. 81 cannot afford to set a bad
example to my stenographer, said the
postmaster, ''and you must remember
that we are all civil service people here.
We don't care whether it rains tomor-
row or not so long as it doesn't inter
fere with the mails. But between you
and me, think"
The opinion was lost as the door
opened and O'Brien entered again with
some reports to be signed. Then came
several strangers and some old bust
ness acquaintance, who stepped in to
offer congratulations. The time passed
pleasantly in this way until noon.
Then the postmaster forgot himself
again. Calling to the stenographer he
said: Call up Conley and ask him
for a report from the Third ward.
And you had better call up Hamm, too,
and find out about the First. If Jimmy
,Nugent comes in here with a message
from Jim King tell him to wait until 1
come back from the bank. I've got
row between the city engineer and the
board of public works to dispose of and
then will be ready to go to lunch with
Dick O'Connor. Dick ought to be here
pretty quick. What's that? You don't
know-where's Costello-he'n know
what I want. If" and then once
more the postmaster realized that he
was not looking after the city as Of old.
This thing will be all right in few
days, I reckon" he said, but I don't
believe l can do business without those
old friends of mine to give advice and
talk with. Now if I wasn't Democrat
l might be able to sit here and talk to
all the ladies who want to inquire
about lost letters, and buy tickets from
all the p6QOlorS VINO are IOOhlIlS dllcI
benefit entertainments for dessicated
bartenders and such like, but I'm too
old to change my habits. Being noon,
/ shall drift into Scheben's and talk
politics over one of the round tables
and will not be back until quitting
time. If anybody asks for me tell them
I have gone where there is some ex-
element Tomorrow will be election
day and I cannot say all the things
here that are on my mind. I'm going
now to see Frank Cutcheon and get
some pointers on the sound money
Democratic ticket. If O'Brien has any
more papers to be signed tell him to
sign em himself. I've got to get used
to this office by degrees. It's not half
so exciting as being mayor, and any
thing so quiet as this is depressing"
With these words the postmaster pulled
his hat down over his eyes and es-
capped out the back way just in time to
avoid the Importantly Of a little girl
who was selling tickets for the street
car drivers Sunday school entertain
ment
A live wire, four hot fires and the
latest returns tonight at the Audito-
rum for 10 cents.
NOVEMBER CALENDAR CALLED.