Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-02

/ Il
at ten o'clock at Grange Hall. There
is to be a feast, and included in the
business session will be initiation
rites and the election of officers.
Some Wisdom For-Patrons.
A Mr.. NJ. ]. Martin in writing for
the Minneapolis Journal last week
gave these timely bits of advice to
our rural route patrons. The boys"
who distribute mail along the several
routes in the county will appreciate
it if after reading this you follow
its precepts: Despite the fact that
he is in the government service. the
rural mail carrier is nevertheless a
human being, capable Of appreciat-
ing kindness and Of suffering from
injustice. The government expects
him to be honest, careful and en-
lergetic; to furnish all necessary
equipment at his own expense; and.
to carry the mail over his route,
hail, rain or shine, every day in the
year except Sunday, for the sum Of
5000.
The mail carrier does not ask nor
expect favors from his patrons, but
he does expect justice and fair treat
ment, and if he does not receive it,
l am sure it is because the people
are unmindful of what he requires,
because there are few who would
purposely add to the mail carriers
hardship. "What do yon expect
some one will ask. l will tell you.
II you will not place the mail box
where it will revolve and pivot, at
least set the post in a convenient
place and have the mail box extend
well out from the post to give room
for the whiffletree to pass by the
post. Have the mail box just high
enough for a buggy wheel to pass
under it, and by all means have the
ground six inches lower at the post
than where the outside wheels rest.
Wherever it is possible. hang your
mail box on the side of your private
driveway from which the carrier
comes. This will leave beaten
track for his horse to stand on in
winter instead of standing in drift
of crushed snow, something they
will not do. Do not set the post too
close to the fence, especially if it is
a barbed wire fence, and do not use
that particular part Of the fence for
a clothes line to hang carpets and
horse blankets on, as it is often i'm
possible to drive horses close to the
box when those articles are waving
in the wind. Neither should you
use the post fora machine shed to
stand pitchforks, axes, grubhoes
and shovels against.
See that the mail carriers horses
do not have to climb up q perpen-
dicular bank to reach the mail box.
Be sure to have your name printed
on your mail box. Mail boxes open
ing at the side or end should be set
level, those opening at the top
should be tipped well forword. If
| your mail box hasa rack for hold
ing letters, use it; if it has not, put
one in, and at all times, but especi-
ally in cold weather, keep supply
of postage stamps on hand. Do not
be afraid to invest dollarin stamps
Hest YOU may die before you have
used them; any of your heirs will
accept them for their full value.
Some day when is thirty below
zero place an unstamped letter on
the bottom of the mail box and at
the far end place nickel and watch
the mail carrier take off his mittens,
throw aside his robe, put back the
change and then get a stamp and
put it on, which he must do if the
letter is to be delivered along the
route. After watching him do all
this barehanded, if you are not
ashamed of yourself it is because
there is no shame in you.
| Nor is this all. Suppose he should
lose three minutes doing this and
should find twenty such letters
during the "trip. He would be de.
layed one hour, and in spite Of all
he could not get the mail he collect
ed that day off on the evening train
If man should forcibly detain {
mail carrier on the road for al
hour he would stand an excellen'
chance of spending a few years in
the penitentiary, and you are guilt.
of the same offense, only you are do