Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-08-08
THE PAMUNKEY
POST OFFICE
A TRUE STORY.
BY c. W. Hartley.
c0Sco9909.96s.969.csS
Copyright, 1901, By Authors syndicate,l

| THE outgoing postmaster retired
] in disgrace, but that fact did not
seem to deter the hosts of young aud
old who asked their congressman TO
recommend them to the president
Tor appointment. In fact, in less
nan a week the whole town seemed
to be afflicted with a sort IF mad
ness-an unappeased hungering for
Office bordering on frenzy.
The first move of the bondsmen was
| to install one of their number acting
postmaster until the vacancy could be
filed. He was a rotund. rosy-cheeked
farmer with a slight inclination toward
politics. He had not learned the de-
livery boxes until he became saturated
with a consuming desire to remain.
There was something fascinating about
ii; something infectious. He contract
ed dangerously severe case of desiring
office at the very outset.
In the meantime down the ravines
and lanes came trooping, fguratiyely
speaking, a large portion of pu.sating.
anxiously thro0bing Pamunkey TO line
up in front Of the post office building
and gaze wistfully at the structure
The acting postmaster did not live
within IS miles Of the post Office un-
der consideration, but distance in his
case seemed to lend enchantment TO the
view. Between handling the mails ana
rustling for signatures in his petition.
with an occasional dash into the coun-
Try to keep his wife informed as to his
progress, he was kept pretty busy.
The G. 4. r. element had a candidate;
the Germans centered on a man; the
Spanish-American soldiers thought
they ought to be recognized; the Irish
wanted to know what was the matter
with them; the young politicians want
ed to have something to say in the mat
ter, and the ladies' bless their innocent
souls, thought they knew something
about handling reluctant congressman
and mail matters.
Although mails went out OF Pamun-
key on fast flying trains, they were
not swift enough for applicants. The
~ - ~ Wv u ~ NAAA l. d. euDetl
by the Western Union Telegraph com-
PanE was invoked for greater speed.
The second day after the vacancy was
announced the desk of the congress
man for that district was piled high
with telegraphic applications, which
were followed in the next mail by more
lengthy messages at lighter tolls.
The congressman moved slowly in
the matter, as mis- denomination and
election was close at hand. He did
not desire to make a mistake Just at
that critical juncture.
The Nicaragua canal was a mere
trifle to handle in comparison to The
Pamunkey post Office. He could fear
essly vote to refuse to seat a fellow |
member of congress with a plurality |
Of wives, but the good people of Pa
munkey presented a problem difficult
Of solution.
About the time he had his mind |
made up in favor of one candidate. |
along would come a Yoluminous bunch |
Of papers in support Of another candi- |
date which sent him to sea again.
One candidate was denounced as IN
outsider, another had never done any /
thing for the party, a third was a
Fery recent convert 10 the party prin-
cip.es the congressman represented. /
and therefore needed proving, and so
5n Each candidate had his friends 1
and each had his enemies. and the
enemies seemed more ready to speak
and more persistent than the friends.
At one time the congressman had
reached such a dire state Of distress
that he had about made up his mind
70 have his private secretary write
the names Of all the candidates On
.ips Of paper, place them in a hat.
shake them up. close his eyes and pull
out name, bit or miss, and take his
chances on the result, relying on his
guardian angel to guide his hand 10
the right piece OF paper. He must
have doubted the constant attendance
ef that invisible presence, for on sec
ond thought he abandoned the whole
scheme Of settling the troublesome
question and attempted to put the
matter aside for new inspiration.
That inspiration came sooner than
was expected. The congressman. who
was a general in the great civil war.
brushed aside the papers with an i'm
patient hand and went ont for stroll