The times., 1900-04-01

steamer Oregon. after having been in the
water fourteen days. There is a large col
lection Of photographs OF soldiers and sail
ors. evidently mailed in war times iudE-
ing from the uniforms which all wear
One Of these wears the familiar Rough
Riders costume. and was one Of that fam
Gus regiment in the late war with spain.
chinese COINS. eggs. dogs bucksaw. box
OF geological specimens, a lemon sQueezer,
candle snufiers bootjacks OF various sizes.
Chinese junk fans. hair flowers. stuHed
uirds. horned toads from California. hand
mirrors. birds nests. Indian canoes. a
miniature skeleton. toy gondola made IN
Venice. shells. watches cheap jewelry OF
all sorts a set OF false teeth. door plates.
valentines, painted fungi toys. jeweled
daggers. and q letter endorsed, II not dc
livered in thirty years return TO the Far
alone Island
The collection OF watches in the museum
contains every variety. from the oId-fash
ioued ''turnip to the latest style adorncI
with jewels. Each watch is regularly
wound up every morning and all are ticket
ed With the names Of their respective own
ers. but none have so far. been claimed.
4 Philosophers Account Books.
There is among the more remarkable OBJ
jects set OF account books kept by Ben
iamiu Franklin when he was Deputy Post -
master General for the Colonies IN 1853.
the accounts Of which are kept in British
money.
The office is in constant receipt ot COM
inunications claiming certain articles al
legged to have been sent through the mails
and not received which. in most cases,
furnish as great enigmas as those captured
in the post
Saws an employe of the Office: People
sometimes get very impatient al what they
consider the unnecessary delay of the pos
tai officials The following case Will scrvf
to illustrate this: A few years ago a par
eel Of infants clothing. addressed TO q
woman missionary in Africa. was detained
fer want Of proper postage. In reply 10 the
notice sent her. the woman very angriiy
wrote a letter in which she said: The
child for whom the garments were intend
ed has not yet been eaten by the cannibals
but il has quite OutgrOwn the clothing and
it may be returned to the sender. whose
address | enclose.
One shelf in the museum is given Ovei
entirely to dolls of every size and color
There is also a Masonic apron. some lace
I a UtllOWSs a steer NAdpr anu val ioN' 'NAi'
objects which can only be explained ID
| the light of a practical Joke on the
| United States postal authorities
! sharp lookout is kept for smugglini
| through the mails. About 80 sealed
! packages are seized annually in the New
/ York postoffice. In an average year. ac
cording to one authority. $4,000 unseale'
| parcels are coufscated at the same oflic
| and released on the payment Of fne
which are equivalent to the duties
Some very ingenious methods are EN-
ployed for transmitting dutiahle article
by post. Not long ago a package iron
Germany was found to contain a small rol
I Of butter A wire passed through II me
! with an obstruction which proved to be
! tin box filled with valuable jewelry
! Probably a dozen silk handkerchiefs ar
found wrapped up in newspapers in ever
mail from China. The clerks emplo
/ very skilIful methods in detecting sucl
| contraband enclosures. silk stockings ar
mailed from France in the same manner
! An odd kind OF smuggling is the sendin
Of mushrooms by mail from Italy. The
| are a peculiar variety Of the drie
| esculert and are much reIished by tn
| Italians in this country.