The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-12
A MAIL CARRIERS WOES
As Reported by Postmaster Edwards
mt Macon.

From the Atlanta Journal.
Washington, Ian. 10.-Harry Still
we'll Edwards. postmaster at Macon.
is famous in Washington just now
through a unique communication he
forwarded last week to the fourth as
sistant postmaster general on the sub
1ect Of a rural mail carriers woes.
The carrier in question seems to be an
old darby, who has not received his
pay from the government and Mr. Ed
wards, in fine literary style, tells his
story In dialect as rich as Southern
genius can make it.
Just as the darby tried to tell It
himself is the way Mr. Edwards ex-
plains the unique document which he
addressed to Mr.. Bristow. 1t is as fol-
lows:
The Mail Carriers Woes.
He was black and deeply concern
ed. Both facts became evident as soon
as he entered the office.
Boss, he said, kin / git satusfac-
ton Of de government here?'
Depends on the kind OF satisfac-
ton and the amount you want said
the Macon postmaster. amiably view
ing his visitors club with interest.
What's troubling your
Well, / bin err carryin' de mall
down yonner in Twiggs county 'twix
Irma an Billiards sence las June: 60
in up an down and down an UP er
sandy road three times er week, an
nobody amt paid me nair nickel--not
nair nickel Huccum I'm hyah is I
wanter know how bout it. Is I err
workin' fer wages or is / err workin'
fer nuthin? Is hired out to anybody
joh?' 40 ~
"'Who hired your
'iDe postmaster down at Irma gimme
de job, an ne tell me hit'd be all right
when de boss man come erlong. But
he amt never come erlong yit, an IL
don't look all right ter me. Huccum
I'm hyah is, wanter know erbout it,
Did you take the oath?"
Never swore fn His Life.
mo, sab, 1 amt took no oath in my
life. Amt no man ever hear me
swear. I'm er wrastlin deason in de
Shoal Creek Church an er treas'rer of
de Breedin' Doves of Isr'el. No, sah--"
did anybody go on your bond
anybody stand for you?"
Yes, sab, Mr.. Tom Bond down at de
sto' stan fer me ter git er little meat
an bread"
did you sign a bond, mean?"
No, sab. / tech de pen now an den
long in de sumemr fer fus' one man
an er nuther. Dey des gimme de yole
leather sack three times er week an
tell me to hit de grit ou' dat. sandy
road. How many time a year, boss,
does not government pay man git
eroun'? An how In de name o. Cord
is er niger gointer live FUN June tell
Christmas on er sandy road lessen he
get es vittuls?"
What can do for you, old man?
Speak out"
"De Oneasiest job"
Oats what I'm err dom boss! Hue
cum I'm hyah Is des ter speak de
Cords truf! / want you ter write er
letter up ter Gen'l Roosevelt, de head
man, an 'splain de case right Tell
i'm Mark Ant'ny Marcus is got de
oneasiest job an is tired out lookin' up
an down dat road fer de man what
pays off de mail toterl Tell i'm fer
Cord sake ter hurry dat man erlong!
Hyah tbs mos Christmas an no money
yit. Tell i'm eff sonse'p'n don't happen
putty quick Marcus II be bleeg ter
hang up dat sack an go ter splittin'
rails. An den what's de white folks
gointer do fer dey letters an dey news
sho' gointer be troublesome times;
cause de job done got er bad name,
and when l drap hit DER amt nair
niger in Twiggs I'D tech 1t wild err 40
foot pole.
"Mr. Ed'ards you know how tbs err
bout er niger. He amt got sense
enuff ter ask de right question, an
when hit comes ter 'splainin,' de mo-
he 'splains de worser hit gifts l amt
nuthin' but err country niger, but hit
do look like eff I'm er workin' fer de
riches man what is, orter git ef
word fun i'm bout dat money. Looks
ter me like he done forgot Mark Anti
ny Marcus es er workin' fer i'm! Mr..
Ed'ards, huccum I'm hyah is / want
you ter write a Letter up yoner ter Mr..
Roosevelt an tell i'm bout IT! He done
gone yonner an turn dem Cubians
loose an plant err terbacker patch fer
de las one of 'em; an he done sot de
Phillistines free an gi 'em er one
horse farm all 'roundl An hyah is
Marcus right by de back do perishin'