The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-16

several of her neighbors' mail, living in
| the woods and clearings back of her.
One newspaper and letter, now and
then, was the bulk of their mail.
In those days the carrier looked as
kance at newspep ers. They were bulky
and he did not like to carry them. But
II the carrier did not want to be bother
ed with them, the people treasured them
when they did come, passing them around
until they were worn out. For a long
time, the postal department carried news
papers free. Then it charged cent apiece
for carrying a hundred miles and since
that time it has changed it's postage rates
on papers several times.
The Oldest paper In our country, and
one yet very much alive, was taken
around by a man hired by the editor to
carry it. The papers destined for our
nelghborhood were brought out IL miles
to a blacksmith-shop, and here the sub
scribers came to get their papers. The
blacksmith would let any person not
subscriber read the papers when they
came, but he was very particular to not
let them get out of the shop untn every
subscriber had his paper, black and mus
sy as it generally was, when he got 1t.
Very few fourth-class offices cancel
stamps to either the great or small amount
| have named. The majority of them
range from IS to $50 a month. When all
office averages about $40 a month then
1t becomes a money-order office and
while it's revenues toward the postmas-
ters pay is not perceptibly increased
by this addition, his bond and response
bility is Some years ago a fourth-class
postmaster was allowed a percentage on
all stamps he sold above the cancellation.
but 1t was found that he hustled around
and offered inducements and share OF
the proceeds TO those who would buy
many stamps from him, and the depart
p1ent shut down on this. Now, If he
sells 81 worth of stamps a day, but
emily cancels on letters 10 cents worth,
10 cents is all he gets for that days
work. the remainder of the 50 at the
end of the quarter, goes to the depart
ment.
The fourt-class postmaster is brought in
closer relationship with his patrons than
the postmaster of a salaried Office, and
trials and fluctuations are about the eX
tent of his pay for this. He Is expected
10 be ready for a social chat with them;
to answer all questions; to write many
letters for those who cannot write or have
left their spectacles at home; to advise
them as to the best papers and magaz zines
for which to subscribe, and so on, and so
on. Besides this, he is to blame for all
one or more women who accuse him of
opening their letters; there Is the pompous
citizen, who is very certain that he is
careless with his particular mail, and the
old fellow whose family take just one pa
per. and that a monthly, but every day
the old fellow would ask if that dod-rot-
ted book of his'n had come yet" and
though it never missed showing up at the
appointed time, and he took home every
IF he loft II
the beatenest thing to miss he ever seen,
and he'd be blamed If he'd ever take it
again
In the majority of these Offices. strict
ness is the rule. The fourth-class post
master is called to task for neglect of
the slightest duty, the same as though
the government was paying him GOOD
salary for his work. But in the very
small offices, l have heard of postmasters
who have it all their own way. The office
is too small for new postmaster to be
easily found If the old one is turned out,
the patrons will not allow it to be dis
continued, and so the postal authorities
turn away nonplussed, and leave him to
his own devices. heard of one post
master of this kind who shut up his o.
fee to attend anything he felt was worth
while attending. He would go off a dozen
miles to a show, prtze-f1ght or the couu-
~ fair, and sometimes stay two or three
days, and there was no getting in his
Office either to get your mail or deposit
letters until he came back. Another post
master of this kind, having just loaned
a friend all the postal funds, amounting
to some two or three dollars, an hour af-
ter saw a postoffice inspector making his
way leisurely toward the office. Knowing
from past experience that the inspector
would make just as big kick about that
three dollars as he would about a thou
sand being out of pocket in the Office
the postmaster did some quick thinking
In a jiffy he had barred the door and
run a red bandanna handkerchief out Of
a side window. When the inspector
haughtily demanded that the door be
opened, the postmaster asked him II he
didn't know what red flag meant, and
IL he didn't want TO know, he'd better
not stop too long to investigate. BY this
time the little burgh was in a panic
over this hint Of smallpox, and, without
waiting to add anything to the panic, the
inspector Immediately made himself
scarce in that region.
Another case was where, time and
again. the department had been made
aware of gross Irregularities in the man
agement OF one ONCE away in the wilds
somewhere. At last an inspector was or
dered out to look up the matter
At the wayside station nearest this post
Office the inspector learned that il was
kept by an old mountaineer by the name
OF Saunders, who owned everything in
sight around 1t, and on this account could
fold the Office against all applicants. The
inspector was forced to wend his way
afoot 20 the place. Its general wildness
caused a slight feeling of apprehension
In his mind, and he approached It with
some stealth, taking an inventory of it
from behind tree. The Office was a rough
pine structure. in front of which sat a
man as rough looking as the shanty, tilt
ed back in a splint- bottomed chair. pla-
Cidly smoking pipe. Presently he laid
bis pipe down, and, pushing his hat back
from his eyes, peered over in some bush
es beyond the Office, calling out as he
peered, II see you, Jim Larkin: you
needn't come sneakin' aroun' here I'VE