The times., 1901-06-23
THE POOTOFFICE DROMIOS
Twin BOOtbiacks Whose Patrons
Include High officials
The Johnson Brothers Who Are So
Much Alike That Ii Is Hard to Tell
Which Is Jerry and Which Rufus-
Prosperity the Reward of Industry

The two Dromios have their counter
parts In the Johnson brothers, of the
PostofEice Department. These twins.
who as = much alike as the proverbial
two peas are colored men. and their
business is to gloss the shoes of the en-
pIoyes in the massive granite structure
on Pennsylvania Avenue. The John
SONS are known to the employees of the
department in which they are such
shining lights by their respective
Christian appellations of Rufus and
Jerry.
Rufus came here about 1895, and es-
tablished himself from the first, under
the protecting wing of Uncle Sam, as
it were. In other words. he decided to
set up operations in a public depart
ment. and selected the Pension Office,
where he soon obtained a foothold. upon
nearly every employe in that important
institution, from the Commissioner to
the messengers. He continued in the
Pension Office for two years, and then
transferred the sphere of his activity to
the Postoffice, where he was also emf
nently successful. John Wanarn Il, r
L
johnson, obtaining the requisite official
| permission. began his share in the con-
duet of the department. Johnson's
business soon brought him into close
personal relationship with the Post
! master General as with his assistants
of every degree, but Johnson, a thor
ough representative of purely demo-
| cratic principles, made no distinction Of
rank whatever. He gave as much poll
ish and finish to the humblest as to the
most exalted. and was (and isl uni
formly urbane and courteous to all.
He soon became immensely popular
with the people of the department.
The women patronized him. and allowed
him to exert his professional attentions
upon their dainty feet. After year OF
success and prosperity, the thoughts or
Rufus turned to his brother at home,
who was merely picking up crumbs"
at a private hotel. He sent for this
brother to assist him in his labors and
share with him the profits thereof
Then it was that Jerry appeared upon
the scene, to the delight of his twin
relative and the amazement of the pat
rons of Rufus. Some of these, when
thev first saw the twins together.
Jumped to the weird but almost justi-
fable conclusion that Rufus, by the ex-
ercise of some occult power. had ma
terialiZed a double. Those imbued
with the principles of the philosophy of
Kant stoutly maintained this version
of the phenomenon, and one old Ger
man in the office stln triumphantly ad-
verts to Rufus and Jerry as living proof
of the truth of the assertions of his dis
tinguished COuntryman.
The personal resemblance of the two
is wen-nigh astounding. They look
alike even to the smallest kink in their
hair ard mustaches; they talk alike.
walk alike, dress alike. are of the same
color-in other words, they are similar
to a hair and . shade. The consequence
is that the most amusing mistakes in
identity have occurred in the depart
ment regarding which IS RuTuS ana
which is Jerry. If the brothers dld not
have the fullest and completest conf
dence in each other they could not get
along at all For Rufus is often asked
to nav Jerry's debts while Jerry IS be-
inc maid Rufus earnings. and vice
versa. But such difficulties are only
apparent to the superficial observer, Tor
the twins have become so used To such
mistakes and have such an excellent
mutual understanding that the public
are nona the wiser. and they, neither Of
them, any the worse Off
The patrons of Rufus and Jerry in
clude the highest officials in the Post
office Department Rufus has polished
the boots Of every Postmaster General
since the time of Mr.. Wanamaker. and,
with his brother. has always been
great favorite with pcstoftice officials
and clerks.