Evening star., 1901-07-20

Tor pasttn8 them together after you have
written your message. The response cards
fold twice or three times, as tho case may
be. The inside fold you address to your
self. The recipient tears 1t OF and sends Il
back to You without cost. Naturally as
many words may be written on these pneu-
matic cards as your handwriting can
crowd into the space.
How long does a local telegram take to
get across Partsr asked the American.
About an hour"
And one Of these pneumatic cardsr.
.About an hour and half"
The Telephone.
''or you may use the telephone, which is
Yes. when you have IT," replied the
American.
No"
And when the other party has It,"
mo"
What do you mean7''
u have no telephone; yet I telephone
is convenient to my dwellingIIt is conven-
lent to every dwelling in the arrondisse-
nent (or city division}. The government
has united the telephone service Of all
Here is a public telephone cabinet, II the
party 1 want to talk with has the tele-
phone at his place. simply pay 6 cents
and call him up. II. like myself he is not
=
leave word here that want to talk to
such-and-such a person within an hour.
Long before the hour is expired they will
have telephoned to his subpost office. from
news that I want to talk with him at the
time agreed on. He comes to his subpost
office Ut is always convenient distance); !;
l go to mine; and there We are"
The Bank.
A pretty servant grill, In a lace-edeed
toy apron and coQuettish frilled cap,
whisked her stif-starched petticoats past
them and up to the next wicket. They OBJ
served her with benevolent attention She
pushed what looked a bank book into the
window. opened her pocket book, took out
three gold pieces and four scent postage
stamps. ''Give me credit for them please"
she said to the willing clerk
Credit for the money. yes. l understand
that said the American; "she has an ac-
count with the postal savings bank. But
the four scent Stamps?'
1T is likely she has 'smouched' them"
replied the Frenchman kindly; found
them when they were not working" he
explained. land now she deposits them In
her account. Look, don't you see the clerk
pasting them in her bank book? Were she
plain and old. he would let her lick them
herself. 1t IS rule of the postal savings
bank that no deposit. however small may
be refused, and that postage stamps pasted
in one bank count for SO much cash The
state has had the price of them. and now
1t cancels them. 1t Is wise provision to
encourage saving"
The pretty soubrette now executed an
other maneuver Modestly undoing> two
buttons of her shirt waist, she fetched ont
folded paper with what proved to be a
my second subscription" she explained to
the postal clerk, who nodded and took the
papers.
Stock Trnnsaction.
Good GIRL murmured the Frenchman.
She has a share Of stock in the second
issue of the Metropolitan underground rail-
way. And that means that she has at
least one share of the first issue, because
the old subscribers had the preference on
the new issue and took it all. 1t is already
at premium Of 40 per cent. though not
half paid up
1t is certainly an edifying feature of the
Paris sub-post office. In the savings bank
department any one may open an account
for himself or any one else, and make de-
posits up to $780, on which the government
Will pay ~ per cent annual interest. A
child may have an account in his own
name. without the intervention of his par
ents. School teachers are authorized to
form branch postal savings banks for their
pupils pennies. Wives may open accounts
without the intervention of their husbands
though neither wives nor minors may
withdraw their deposits II husbands or
parents make express opposition thereto
All this is in the interest of petty saving,
secret saving, Individual saving saving on
ones own hook. The postal clerks are
bound to keep your bank book for you free
OF expense, so that no one need know that
you are saving. They also are ready to ac
cept your orders to buy stocks and bonds.
either before or after you have rea ched the
S4OO limit of the savings bank department
written advice Is given free as to the
choice OF investments. and particular at
tention is paid when cities. communes or
the general government are about to neeo-
tiate new loan to give to each little In
vestor an opportunity to take up little
slice. Here 1t Is not a matter even Of $50
stocks or bonds, but there 81 bonds
and So bonds. Then. to make the service
complete 1t includes a loan department.,
where the holders Of stocks and bonds may
hypothecate them safely at 3 per cent q
year interest.
The TheaterphOne.
When the American got through studying
the half dozen complicated schemes thus
offered to the public he could not but pity
the postal clerks of France. They spend
their lives over these petty accounts turn
ing mechanically from one greasy ledger to
another. One moment it Is to sell a post
age stamp: then it is to weigh a letter.
then to register a letter; then to receive
telegraphic dispatch; then to handle bank
book; then to talk investments with a
twelve-dollar capitalist; then to answer the
telephone. and then to pay a postal order.
One at this moment was having a painful
explanation with a grande dame. Her car
riage and footman waited. She wanted to
make sure of getting at her house that
afternoon telephone connection with the
stage of the Opera Comique
Il tell you | have subscribed to the the
aterphone service" she repeated.
Yes. know. madame" repeated the pa
tient post office clerk. but as you do not