The National tribune., 1904-06-09
80 POSTAL PANTAGRAPHS.
Things Serious Funny Stupid, Aggravang and Tragcal
Mail Service.
By CAPT. HENRY A. CASTLE.
Mail Service.

ETaue, out IL IS easy 10 imagine nlliS too
steep for it. 1t would cost mint of
money to build it, and in country roads
where there are trees either the trees or
the trolley would have to be sacrificed
Each car with a small engine and dynamo
would manufacture its own power, thus
doing away with the cost of a central sta
ton. The breaking or the displacement of
wire in cold weather would give the car
rier discouraging shock as he tumbled to
terra firma, with his sachel full of depart
ment-stOre circulars and his soul attuned
to the thrill of harmonious threnodies.
TALE OF TIGER.
"G-r-r-r-r-r-r!"
The speaker was a big lean, toothless,
NANCY old Bengal tiger, restlessly pacing
to and fro in his strong cage in the Cal
cutta 'ZOo," and rubbing his nose violently
against the bars now and then, as il he
would like to break out and mingle in
harmoniously with the open-mouthed sight
seers.
An English tourist went close to the cage
and mockingly offered the growing beast
bun. Immediately one Of the keepers
hurried up.
Don't go near The Postman.' sir!" he
exclaimed. He's the worst tempered beast
we've got"
''Why do you call him The Postman p"
doJ 0uBu Iosnb . SAL, 'psHsB ls!Inol 5ql
tiger"
I'VE gave him the name because he has
eaten SO many postmen,' the keeper replied.
Years ago he roamed the jungles of the
interior of Bengal. The mail service there
was carried on, as it is to-day. by means of
native carriers, who went from village to
village at gentle dog-trot
This old tiger seemed to have made a
special study of the Bengal mail service
When old age overlook him and he was no
longer agile enough to trail the deer and
t,Y,c o. l,n<yk ~
and devoured the letter carriers.
mo other. natives seemed to satisfy his
depraYed appetite-only postmen. So he
feasted, day after day, at the cost of the
mail service. But must say, to his credit,
that he did not disturb the mail itself. That
was usually recovered.
"Many efforts were made to kill him.
continued the keeper, "but it was not until
he had devonred almost all of the local
mail department that he was captured His
victims numbered over score.
"How did they catch him at last?" asked
the tourist.
"Well. it happened in rather curious
way" said t., keeper. a letter carrier
was passing -, day through thicket Of
bamboos whi II yas well known to be the
occasional fec : ,g ground of wild elephants.
As he passed n thick clump of canes. the
The Postman,' leaped out to devour him
But the native was too quick for the aged
beast He lodged, and the tiger landed
on the covering of an elephant pit on the
other side of the trail and disappeared from
sight.
"Without waiting to investigate, the
native ran to the nearest village and re-
ported his adventure. A large party al
once set out to hunt the beast. but found
him helplessly crippled at the bottom of the
pit. He was made captive and transferred
to this big cage here. He has never re-
covered wholly from the effects of that fall,
and you can see how he still limps from
side to side OF his cage.
1--WE feed him on raw beef and mutton
but he doesn't seem to like it so well as his
old diet. He's the worst tempered beast
in the menagerie. A tiger that has once
tasted human flesh never cares for any
thing else"
HARD TO GET IT ON STRAIGHT.
Even in so simple a matter as printing
on a postal card directions as to what to
inscribe on its front or address side, seven
attempts were made before the present
phrase was adopted.
One Of the earliest cards was made to
bear the sign, Nothing but the address
can be written on this side" which was
untrue, as many persons could write more
II they so desire. Shortly afterward it
was changed 20 as to say, Nothing but
the address ID to be placed on this side,'
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