Evening star., 1901-07-20


order each particular hearing from the the
aterphene company itself. We cannot do
that for you"
II have tried to get them on the tels-
phone. and they do not answer I think it
| is the fault of the telephone girl. whom I
was obliged to reprimand yesterday. 1 am
writing letter to headquarters about
her.
Madame. we regret that, but the only
either thing for you to do Is to drive to the
taeaterphone bureau
her disappointment with the post Office
service. Yet the theaterphone company Is
an independent profit-making concern. It
mas established lines or receivers along the
tootfishts and in the wings Of the opera,
opera comiaue and the leading cafes-con-
certs. Having a contract with these estab-
sishments 1t can serve their musical per-
iormances to any telephone subscriber Will
ing TO pay for complete or partial service.
fhat Is all The postal clerk had lost Eve
minutes time with the woman.
Let us see what this same chap does in
tne next ten minutes" said the American.
The party at the wicket had q heavy
package. weighing at least eighteen pounds
fts accent proclaimed him to be a foreign
er. perhaps a Belgian.
But We cannot take such a packare"
the postal clerk was explaining to him.
II weighs less than ten kilos" returned
nos,a. rns sesiani want to send it by the coils
This Is not the place." repeated the
dress!' N '"~A "A "0
Why is it called coils postal service
Belgian.
The Parcels Post
inen. II You will believe it. the clerk ac-
tually explained to him how the French
government, granting monopolies to the
various railway lines it does not operate
itself. demands of them in return. among
other things, to perform this parcels post
service at fixed tariff. according to des-
OF this service in Paris Is contided to a
great business firm. organized for the pur-
pose; In far1s 1t has central bureau and
4oJ local depots. established in tobacco
oeDits. wine shops and Others In every
other French city and town there is q
similar organization. Thus the local execu-
i've companies get their commissions, the
1anways tan,~ carry the packages at a fixed
watches over all. interfering and aiding
mere ana there. according to necessity
sun the sub post offices of Paris must draw
parcels above six pounds in weight. The
belgian finally was made to understand
tnat ne must take his eighteen pound pack
age to the nearest of the 450 addresses
handed to him in printed list
THE local Paris service is wonderfully
organized, said the French friend .Fo-
nVe cents 1t Will deliver a ten-pound pack
age TO any address in Paris. and for eight
II mas three collections and three deliveries
daily. and its 450 depots are scattered over
all the capital. By paying six cents more
you can have them collect the price of ths
package on delivery"
You mean to say the French post Office
does G. o. D. business for any one who
wants ft?'' exclaimed the American
Yes. not only for Paris, but all Franco"
1T will go into the bill collecting busi-
ness next" replied the other in Jest
Bill Collecting.
ut is In it already" said the Frenchman.
The French post office holds itself ready
to collect, in or out of Paris. on all kinds
OF commercial paper, whether protestable
or not. all sums up to and including S4OO
ana for this remarkable service often
more effectual than a dunning agency It
charges only a fixed tax Of five cents on
each collection.
Il may well admit that I myself have
seen the thing in operation. 1t is no dis
grace to have bill presented by the post
man: The disgrace consists in not paying
IT. It,. Here therefore. lies the efficacy of the
system The postman rings. He has
climbed UP two, three or four flights Of
stairs. as 1t may be. to find you. He hands
you an ordinary commercial draft. You
of those auxiliaries OF the post office, the
retail bureaux Of the French tobacco
monopoly. 1t Is so-and-so's bill, for a hat,
or for half dozen shirts. Dare you re-
fuse to pay It? If you refuse many such
your concierge will get to know it. The
postman will be cross at climbing the stairs
use1essly. Now, while the concierge has
little sympathy for a bill collector. her
heart goes out to the postman. You, too,
feel In vague way that he is part of the
government. Shall the government be al
lowed to get the impression you do not
pay your bills? 1t is absurd, but effec-
tive?'
so effective that you pay?" inquired the
American.
Sometimes replied his French friend.
polite and smiling to the last.
STERLING HEILIG